A Year of Activity and Monitoring
Almost one year later on, a brand-new eruption began at Litli-Hrútur mountain. In the week resulting in the eruption, thousands of small earthquakes were tape-recorded in the location, with the biggest being a magnitude 4.8 quake, as reported by the Icelandic Met Office.
The eruption continued through until August 5. Spectators and travelers gathered to the site, mesmerized by the continuous volcanic activity and eager to witness the natural phenomenon up close. For those not able to make the journey, the eruption could be experienced from the convenience of their homes through a livestream in addition to satellite images.
Satellites play an important function in monitoring volcanoes from space, providing real-time information on volcanic activity, and can even help disaster reaction efforts post-eruption. Learn how the Copernicus Sentinel satellites can detect and track volcanic gas emissions, modifications in ground contortion along with ashes plumes. Credit: ESA– European Space Agency
The Role of Satellite Technologies
Satellite technologies now make it possible to keep track of volcanic activity in even the most isolated corners of the globe. Satellites carry different instruments that offer a wealth of complementary details to better understand volcanic eruptions. Optical satellites, such as the Copernicus Sentinel-2 objective, can image smoke plumes, lava circulations, mudslides, and ground cracks.
The image at the top of this short article, recorded by the Sentinel-2 satellite, shows the smoke plume coming from the Litli-Hrútur volcano on July 11 and reveals the plume blowing in a southwest direction. Sentinel-2 is based on a constellation of 2 identical satellites, each bring an innovative broad swath high-resolution multispectral imager with 13 spectral bands.
Prospective Hazards and Environmental Impact
The site of the new eruption is a popular traveler destination, it is also potentially hazardous. New fissures could open without caution, rivers of lava can spew unexpectedly and hazardous gas, including sulfur dioxide, can rapidly fill the air. Sulfur dioxide can be hazardous health, particularly when present in high concentrations in the air.
Sulfur dioxide concentrations across the globe can be monitored utilizing the Copernicus Sentinel-5P Volcanic Sulphur Dioxide online platform. Utilizing data from Sentinel-5P, the platform shows the everyday sulfur dioxide concentrations coming mainly from volcanic sources.Credit: Contains customized Copernicus Sentinel information (2023 ), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
Sulfur dioxide has a relatively brief lifespan due to various chain reactions that remove it from the air. It can be oxidized to form sulfate aerosols or dissolved in water to develop sulphuric acid, which then gets washed out by precipitation.
However, when sulfur dioxide is transferred into the stratosphere, its behavior modifications. In the stratosphere, at greater elevations, there is less climatic mixing, and chain reactions are less regular. As a result, sulfur dioxide can persist for longer durations, ranging from weeks to months and even years.
Monitoring Sulfur Dioxide Concentrations
Climatic sensing units on satellites can recognize the gases and aerosols launched by the eruption, along with measure their wider environmental effect. The animation above shows the sulfur dioxide concentrations from the eruption from July 11-13, 2023, recorded utilizing information from the Copernicus Sentinel-5P.
Sulfur dioxide concentrations throughout the globe can be kept track of utilizing the Copernicus Sentinel-5P Volcanic Sulphur Dioxide online platform. Utilizing information from Sentinel-5P, the platform reveals the day-to-day sulfur dioxide concentrations coming mainly from volcanic sources.
This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image shows the lava and smoke plume blowing from the Litli-Hrútur in a southwest instructions. Litli-Hrútur, which equates to Little Ram becomes part of the Fagradalsfjall volcanic area in southwest Iceland. Credit: Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel information (2023 ), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
The Litli-Hrútur volcano in Iceland emerged on July 10, 2023, following heightened seismic activity. The eruption is being closely kept an eye on utilizing satellite technology, attracting tourists and presenting potential health hazards due to sulfur dioxide release.
On July 10, 2023, a volcano some 30 km (20 miles) from Icelands capital, Reykjavik, appeared following heightened seismic activity in the area. Satellites orbiting above us have captured the molten lava and smoke plume puffing from the Litli-Hrútur volcano.
Litli-Hrútur, translating to Little Ram, is positioned in the Fagradalsfjall volcanic location in southwest Iceland. Following roughly 800 years of inactivity, the volcanic location became active in March 2021 with an eruption in the Geldingadalur Valley. Subsequently, a smaller sized eruption occurred in the close-by Meradalur Valley in August 2022.
Discover how the Copernicus Sentinel satellites can discover and track volcanic gas emissions, changes in ground contortion as well as volcanic ash plumes. Sulfur dioxide can be hazardous health, particularly when present in high concentrations in the air.
Sulfur dioxide can be harmful health, particularly when present in high concentrations in the air. Sulfur dioxide concentrations across the globe can be kept track of using the Copernicus Sentinel-5P Volcanic Sulphur Dioxide online platform. Utilizing information from Sentinel-5P, the platform reveals the day-to-day sulfur dioxide concentrations coming mainly from volcanic sources.Credit: Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel information (2023 ), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO