Space-based estimate of the volcanic heat flux into the atmosphere during 2001 and 2002

Satellite remote sensing offers a convenient way to monitor changes in the thermal budgets of Earth’s subaerially active volcanoes. By using data acquired by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer, we have calculated the amount of heat released into the atmosphere by 45 volcanoes active during 2001 and 2002, in order to quantify the contribution active volcanism makes to Earth’s energy budget. We report that the amount of heat radiated into the troposphere by these volcanoes, as detected from space, was ;5.34 3 10 16 and 5.30 3 10 16 J/yr during 2001 and 2002, respectively. This energy flux is three orders of magnitude less than the amount of energy consumed by the United States of America for residential, manufacturing, and transportation purposes during 1999.

[1]  L. Glaze,et al.  Measuring thermal budgets of active volcanoes by satellite remote sensing , 1989, Nature.

[2]  J. Head,et al.  Volcanic processes and landforms on Venus: theory, predictions, and observations. , 1986 .

[3]  A. Neri.  A local heat transfer analysis of lava cooling in the atmosphere: application to thermal diffusion-dominated lava flows , 1998 .

[4]  C. Oppenheimer,et al.  Remote sensing of heat, lava and fumarole emissions from Erta 'Ale volcano, Ethiopia , 1997 .

[5]  Rosalind J Wright,et al.  Cooling mechanisms and an approximate thermal budget for the 1991–1993 Mount Etna lava flow , 1997 .

[6]  Clive Oppenheimer,et al.  Mass flux measurements at active lava lakes: Implications for magma recycling , 1999 .

[7]  W. Rose.  Volcanic activity at Santiaguito volcano, 1976–1984 , 1987 .

[8]  C. Justice,et al.  Potential global fire monitoring from EOS‐MODIS , 1998 .

[9]  A. Harris,et al.  Automated volcanic eruption detection using MODIS , 2001 .

[10]  Clive Oppenheimer,et al.  Remote sensing of the colour and temperature of volcanic lakes , 1997 .

[11]  R. S. J. Sparks,et al.  Growth patterns and emplacement of the andesitic lava dome at Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat , 2002, Geological Society, London, Memoirs.

[12]  C. Oppenheimer,et al.  Thermal imaging of an active lava lake: Erta 'Ale volcano, Ethiopia , 2002 .

[13]  Jonathan Dehn,et al.  Thermal monitoring of North Pacific volcanoes from space , 2000 .

[14]  Clive Oppenheimer,et al.  Infrared image analysis of volcanic thermal features: Láscar Volcano, Chile, 1984–1992 , 1993 .

[15]  R. Aster,et al.  Very long period oscillations of Mount Erebus Volcano , 2003 .

[16]  C. Oppenheimer,et al.  Endogenous growth of persistently active volcanoes , 1993, Nature.