Sensor Web operations: Rapid data acquisition and product generation during a volcanic crisis

Abstract

The autonomous Model-based Volcano Sensor Web (MSW), based at JPL, proved its worth during a volcanic crisis at Nyamulagira, Democratic Republic of Congo, in 2006. The MSW facilitated the rapid acquisition of spacecraft data which allowed pinpointing the location of the volcanic vent. This was vital in predicting lava flow direction and extent. In 2007 a number of improvements have been made to the MSW. These include the deployment of in situ SO2 sensors on Kilauea volcano, HI, capable not only of triggering requests by the EO-1 spacecraft in the event of anomalous SO2 detection, but also of being triggered autonomously by an anomalous thermal detection from advanced data processing software onboard EO-1, and the conversion of the sensor web to using Open Geospatial Consortium Web Services. The Sensor Web is monitoring volcanoes around the world. A number of volcanic eruptions have been detected and monitored, including a carbonatite eruption at Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania, and the March 2008 summit eruption of Kilauea, Hawai¿i, that occurred in the Halema¿uma¿u caldera. Data and products were also obtained during the 2008 eruption of Etna, Sicily. These products were distributed to volcanologists in the UK and Italy.