Abstract

The gases contained in magma are the protagonists of volcanic eruptions. Emissions of sulfur, chlorine and fluorine from volcanoes can also have profound impacts on the atmosphere, climate and environment. Measurements of volcanic effluents are therefore vital in understanding how volcanoes work, assessing volcanic hazards, and evaluating the links between volcanism and the Earth system. But they are not easy to make using more conventional sampling techniques, not least because of the inherent danger of working around an active volcano. This presentation summarises some relevant developments in ultraviolet and infrared remote sensing, and illustrates their application in probing the plumbing systems of several active volcanoes, including Erta ‘Ale in Ethiopia, and Mt. Erebus in Antarctica