Monitoring Pinatubo paroxysmal eruption plume of June 1991 using NOAA and GMS satellite images

Carole Volon; Johan Lavreau; Alain Bernard

doi:10.1117/12.196691

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23 December 1994 Monitoring Pinatubo paroxysmal eruption plume of June 1991 using NOAA and GMS satellite images

Carole Volon, Johan Lavreau, Alain Bernard

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Proceedings Volume 2309, Passive Infrared Remote Sensing of Clouds and the Atmosphere II; (1994) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.196691
Event: Satellite Remote Sensing, 1994, Rome, Italy

Abstract

The Mount Pinatubo eruption (15 degree(s)07'N, 120 degree(s)20'E) in the Philippines of June 1991 was among the largest volcanic eruptions of this century in terms of effects on stratospheric aerosols. The activity culminated in a paroxysmal eruption on June 15th and developed a giant umbrella cloud which introduced a large amount of ashes and gases into the stratosphere. The high frequency of coverage of the NOAA (USA) and GMS (Japan) weather satellite enables a global monitoring of the rise and spreading dynamics of the Pinatubo volcanic cloud into the atmosphere. By integrating the maximum eruption height and the spreading rate over time, the total volume of pyroclastic material has been estimated to range between 3 and 4 Km³. Image processing techniques such as difference T4-T5 and Principal Component Analysis have been applied the discrimination between volcanic cloud, ice cloud (cirrus) and clouds containing water vapor and water droplets. These detection techniques provide an operational tool for tracking the horizontal dispersion. The results can be used in the fields of monitoring long distance transport of the volcanic cloud over land and sea, aircraft safety and global atmospherical impact.

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Carole Volon, Johan Lavreau, and Alain Bernard "Monitoring Pinatubo paroxysmal eruption plume of June 1991 using NOAA and GMS satellite images", Proc. SPIE 2309, Passive Infrared Remote Sensing of Clouds and the Atmosphere II, (23 December 1994); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.196691

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