Comparison of volcanic SO2 flux measurements from satellite and from the NOVAC network -- abstract

Comparison of volcanic SO2 flux measurements from satellite and from the NOVAC network

Pinardi, G., Campion, R., Van Roozendael, M., Fayt, C., Van Geffen, J., Galle, B., Carn, S., Valks, P., Rix, M., Hildago, S., Bourquin, J., Garzon, G. and Inguaggiato, S.: 2010,
in: Proceedings of the 2010 EUMETSAT Meteorological Satellite Conference
20--24 September 2010, Córdoba, Spain, EUMETSAT publication.

Abstract

The main objective of the NOVAC project (Network for Observation of Volcanic and Atmospheric Change) is to establish a global network of stations for the quantitative measurement of volcanic gas emissions (in particular SO2 and BrO) by UV absorption spectroscopy.

The data from the network (more than 21 volcanoes are currently monitored) are primarily used for risk assessment and volcanological research, but the data are also valuable for the study of tropospheric and stratospheric gas composition (SO2, NO2, CH2O, BrO and O3). Since volcanic SO2 is also monitored from satellite (e.g. the SACS service, http://sacs.aeronomie.be/) the NOVAC project provides an excellent opportunity to explore and inter-compare the different satellite SO2 data-sets under volcanic conditions. Furthermore the NOVAC ground-based data can be used to validate satellites estimates of gas flux emissions.

In this work, we present an investigation focusing on GOME-2 and OMI SO2 data sets. Their mutual consistency is analysed and comparisons are performed with the NOVAC ground-based network measurements. A statistical study on the whole NOVAC dataset is performed, comparing mass estimation from satellites and flux measurements from the ground. A case study over Etna involving OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) and ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) illustrates the impact of spatial inhomogeneities in the SO2 field inside the area covered by an OMI pixel. Moreover, this study illustrates the importance of external information (such as the height of the volcanic plume) to reduce the error on the SO2 estimation.

   Abstract
   1. Context / volcanic SO2 datasets
   2. OMI and GOME-2 comparisons
   3. Preliminary comparisons with NOVAC
   4. OMI and ASTER comparisons
   5. Conclusions and future work
   References
   Acknowledgement

PDF file of the paper (8 pages; 1.2 MB)

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