Danger in the air: volcanoes have a long reach

Science News,  Sept 13, 2003  by Sid Perkins

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During the June tests, he and his colleagues scanned the still-erupting Anatahan from a ship, a helicopter, and the island itself. With the sort of analytical techniques used to process satellite images, the researchers could distinguish the volcano's ash plume from regular clouds. The same sensors can also indicate sulfur dioxide emissions, and the devices would work day or night, says Prata. This month, the team is conducting additional field tests at Italy's Mt. Etna.

Possibly more exciting, the Australian researchers are also building the infrared sensors into ash-spotting equipment they can install on aircraft. At a jet's cruising altitude, the device probably could spot an ash plume more than 80 km away, giving pilots more than enough time to divert their plane around the danger and warn other aircraft passing through the area. The prototype system is scheduled to be tested on a NASA aircraft later this year.

The potential market for such equipment is huge. As many as 300 flights per day between North America and Europe pass near Iceland, which has at least 70 volcanoes. A similar number of passenger or cargo jets fly over or near 100 Alaskan, Russian and Japanese volcanoes on routes between North America and eastern Asia.

Onboard ash-plume sensors could provide aircraft and their passengers with extra protection. Says Prata: "With pilot reports [of volcanic plumes], ground-based sensors, and onboard ash-sensing equipment, we can pretty much solve the problem."

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