Problem: Volcano Plume Causes:Aircraft Hazards,Human Health Effects, Environmental Degradation
Kilauea Volcano in Semi-ContinuousEruption Since January 1983
Relevance: National Weather Service and Hawaii Dept of HealthNeed Tools To Provide Better Forecasts.Public Interest
Image from HVO website
Purpose of Project:Develop Tools Which Can Improve Vog ForecastsBy John Porter and Sheldon Kono
Goals:Climatology of Volcano Plume
Diff. Met. Conditions (Strong, Weak Trades, Kona Winds etc.)
Begin Work on Real Time Volcano Plume Product Satellite ImagesModel Calculations
Background Information
- Volcano emits SO2 gas
- In the atmosphere SO2 gas is converted to sulfuric acidaerosols
- Best estimate Of SO2 half life is 6 hours (± 4 hr)
Porter, et al., 2002,
Lidar and Sun Photometer Measurements of The Hawaii Pu’u O’o Volcano Plume: Estimates of SO2and Aerosol Flux Rates and SO2 Lifetimes,
Geo. Res. Let., 29, 2002GL014744, 2002
Volcano Aerosols (Volcanic Smog, VOG)
- Accumulation Mode (0.2 – 0.8 μm Diameter)- Sea Salt Coarse Mode (0.8-10 μm Diameter)- Efficient for Penetrating Into Lungs- Efficient for Optical Extinction- Highly Acidic, H2SO4 (with little NH4)
Aerosol Size Distributions FromSize Resolved Chemistry Measurements (Huebert and Chuang)
Aerosol Size Distributions Inverted From Optical Measurements(Porter et al., 2002)
Spatial Distribution of PlumeKona Coast VOG During Trade Wind Conditions(black = clouds or land)
AVHRR Imageprocessedby Porteralgorithm
During SW Winds (Kona Winds) All the Islands Can Be Affected By Vog
Kona can become socked in with VOG !
January 11, 1998
SeaWifs image processed by SeaDas
Methodology Custom Satellite Algorithm:
- Meso-Scale Winds (RSM (10km) , others … )
- Custom Aerosol Models
- 250 m Resolution Image Pixels (important for sub-pixel clouds)
- Regrid To Fixed Grid Points
Standard Algorithms:Jan Hafner (IPRC) running NASA algorithms for clouds and water vapor Allows us to compare different approaches for Hawaii
Custom Aerosol Algorithm for MODIS Images
Cold Front Approaching From the North West
Potential Problems and Current Status
We recently lost 3 hard disks. This caused us to lose some data and software. We will be reprocessing to have a complete data set.
Torben Nielsen’s NASA grant to support satellite image collection ended. The Pride money is now supporting image collection as well as our proposed objectives.
Our Internet connection to Snug Harbor was terminated and the new installation is now occurring.
We have recently purchased 6 new pc and nearly all are up and running.
Begun testing new climatology software
Data Quality ….. Winds …… Aerosol Model ….. Validation
Work To Be Completed:
Validation Efforts (Sun Photometer and Lidar Measurements)(Antony Clarke, ship meas.)(Dave Chen, Model Winds)
Modify Algorithm
Re-Process Many Images for aerosols, water vapor, andclouds.
Carry Out Climatology Calculations
Provide Real Time Satellite Images
Mixed Layer
Cloud Layer
Free Troposphere
Aerosol ClimatologyAlso
Cloud ClimatologyWater Vapor Climatology(Also Jan Hofner, IPRC)
Examples of Integrated Water Vapor(AVHRR Top)(MODIS Bottom)
Motell, C., J.N. Porter, J. Foster, M. Bevis, and S. Businger:Comparisons of Water Vapor Derived from GPS, Sounding and the Split Window Technique, Int. J. of Remote Sensing, 23, 11, 2335-2339, 2002.
Future Directions (Part One)
Satellite Products:Real Time VOG Images (NWS, DOH, and public interest)
Aerosol Studies (Climate Studies, and NWS)Water Vapor Studies (Climate Studies, and NWS)Cloud Properties (Climate Studies and NWS)
Share Aerosol Model With NOAA NESDIS
Future Directions (Part Two)
Some ideas …..
Need for surface level climate monitoring site in the Hawaiian Islands
Two Initial Focus:- 1) Climatic Studies (clouds, aerosols, water vapor, radiation …)- 2) Potential Hazardous Aerosols
Benefits:- Combining satellite and ground measurements - New innovative data sets will benefit APDRC (Asia-Pacific Data-Research Center) - Can lead to other funding - UH student training - Excellent site will attract other researchers (Syed Ismael, NASA ….)
The End
Questions ?