Using CATS Near-Real-time Lidar Observations to Monitor and Constrain Volcanic Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Forecasts

E. J. Hughes; J. Yorks; N. A. Krotkov; A. M. da Silva; M. Mcgill

doi:10.1002/2016GL070119

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Using CATS Near-Real-time Lidar Observations to Monitor and Constrain Volcanic Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Forecasts

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Using CATS Near-Real-time Lidar Observations to Monitor and Constrain Volcanic Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Forecasts

E. J. Hughes, J. Yorks, N. A. Krotkov, A. M. da Silva and M. Mcgill

Geophysical research letters, Vol.43(20), pp.11,089-11,097

10/30/2016

DOI: 10.1002/2016GL070119

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Abstract

An eruption of Italian volcano Mount Etna on 3 December 2015 produced fast-moving sulfur dioxide (SO2) and sulfate aerosol clouds that traveled across Asia and the Pacific Ocean, reaching North America in just 5 days. The Ozone Profiler and Mapping Suite's Nadir Mapping UV spectrometer aboard the U.S. National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite observed the horizontal transport of the SO2 cloud. Vertical profiles of the colocated volcanic sulfate aerosols were observed between 11.5 and 13.5 km by the new Cloud Aerosol Transport System (CATS) space-based lidar aboard the International Space Station. Backward trajectory analysis estimates the SO2 cloud altitude at 7-12 km. Eulerian model simulations of the SO2 cloud constrained by CATS measurements produced more accurate dispersion patterns compared to those initialized with the back trajectory height estimate. The near-real-time data processing capabilities of CATS are unique, and this work demonstrates the use of these observations to monitor and model volcanic clouds.

Meteorology and Climatology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Using CATS Near-Real-time Lidar Observations to Monitor and Constrain Volcanic Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Forecasts
Creators: E. J. Hughes - University of Maryland, College Park
J. Yorks - Goddard Space Flight Center
N. A. Krotkov - Goddard Space Flight Center
A. M. da Silva - Goddard Space Flight Center
M. Mcgill - Goddard Space Flight Center
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Geophysical research letters, Vol.43(20), pp.11,089-11,097
Publisher: AGU Publications
DOI: 10.1002/2016GL070119
ISSN: 0094-8276
eISSN: 1944-8007
Grant note: DOI: 10.13039/100000104, name: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, award: NNX13AG51G
Language: English
Date published: 10/30/2016
Description audience: PUBLIC
Academic Unit: Chemical and Biochemical Engineering; Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984277265002771

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