We present findings from a measurement campaign that deployed a range of in-situ real-time atmospheric measurement techniques to characterise aerosols and gases in Mt Etna plume in October 2013. The LOAC (Light Optical Aerosol Counter) instrument for size-resolved particle measurements was deployed alongside two Multi-Gas instruments (measuring SO 2 , H2S, HCl, CO 2) and an ozone sensor. Measurements were performed at the summit craters (in cloudy-and non-cloudy conditions) and in grounding downwind plume on the volcano flank. These high frequency measurements (acid gases: 1 to 0.1 Hz, aerosol: 0.1 Hz) provide a detailed in-situ dataset for time-resolved plume characterisation and volcano monitoring. The LOAC measurement of sized-resolved aerosol (over a 0.2 to 50 µm particle diameter range) alongside SO 2 (10's ppbv to 10's ppmv) provides a valuable dataset for determining the volcanic aerosol volume and surface area to SO 2 ratios. These parameters are presently poorly defined but are important for atmospheric models of the reactive halogen chemistry that occurs on volcanic aerosol surfaces to convert volcanic HBr into reactive bromine, including BrO. The LOAC's patented optical design can also provide insights into particle properties. The two Multi-Gas SO 2 time-series show good agreement, detecting co-varying plume fluctuations in the downwind plume, which also correlate with the LOAC total aerosol volume time-series. An estimate of HCl/SO 2 in Etna emissions was made by Multi-Gas electrochemical sensor, using a novel design to limit absorption/desorption effects and low-noise electronics for improved resolution. The detection of volcanic HCl by electrochemical sensor brings new possibilities for Multi-Gas monitoring of volcanic halogen emissions. Electrochemical sensor response times are not instantaneous, particularly for sticky gases such as HCl (T90 ∼min), but also even for fast response (T90 ∼ 10 to 30 s) sensors such as SO 2 and H2S. However, in a volcanic plume environment, Multi-Gas instruments are exposed to very rapidly fluctuating gas concentrations due to turbulent plume eddies. The combination of these effects can introduce measurement errors, emphasizing a need for sensor response modelling approaches for accurate determination of gas ratios from Multi-Gas instruments.
Abstract Identification of unambiguous signals of volcanic unrest is crucial in hazard assessment. Processes leading to phreatic and phreatomagmatic eruptions remain poorly understood, inhibiting effective eruption forecasting. Our 5‐year gas record from Poás volcano, combined with geophysical data, reveals systematic behavior associated with hydrothermal‐magmatic eruptions. Three eruptive episodes are covered, each with distinct geochemical and geophysical characteristics. Periods with larger eruptions tend to be associated with stronger excursions in monitoring data, particularly in SO 2 /CO 2 and SO 2 flux. The explosive 2017 phreatomagmatic eruption was the largest eruption at Poás since 1953 and was preceded by dramatic changes in gas and geophysical parameters. The use of drones played a crucial role in gas monitoring during this eruptive period. Hydrothermal sealing and volatile accumulation, followed by top‐down reactivation of a shallow previously emplaced magma body upon seal failure, are proposed as important processes leading to and contributing to the explosivity of the 2017 eruption.
Abstract We report on a systematic record of SO 2 flux emissions from individual vents of Etna volcano (Sicily), which we obtained using a permanent UV camera network. Observations were carried out in summer 2014, a period encompassing two eruptive episodes of the New South East Crater (NSEC) and a fissure‐fed eruption in the upper Valle del Bove. We demonstrate that our vent‐resolved SO 2 flux time series allow capturing shifts in activity from one vent to another and contribute to our understanding of Etna's shallow plumbing system structure. We find that the fissure eruption contributed ~50,000 t of SO 2 or ~30% of the SO 2 emitted by the volcano during the 5 July to 10 August eruptive interval. Activity from this eruptive vent gradually vanished on 10 August, marking a switch of degassing toward the NSEC. Onset of degassing at the NSEC was a precursory to explosive paroxysmal activity on 11–15 August.
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