Abstract

Measurements of sulphur emissions from volcanoes underpin eruption forecasting. They are also crucial to understanding natural variability in contemporary global climate. Means for accurate measurement of volcanic sulphur emissions are thus of tremendous significance. Since 2001, the means for collecting and analysing such data have advanced substantially thanks to the availability of a new generation of cheap and versatile ultraviolet spectrometers. I’ll review the underpinning research that enabled these instruments to be used reliably (focussing on the contributions made by the Cambridge Volcanology Group), and the impacts that the new technologies have had on volcanic hazard assessment and risk management. Serendipity played as much of a role in the research progress and outcomes as did hypothesis testing and planning. I’ll discuss and reflect on the background to our work in this area and its wider significance, and the remaining challenges to full exploitation of the technology.