The Importance Of Volcanic Monitoring

Abstract

Volcanic detection methods were developed to predict volcanic eruptions, which have a harmful impact on humans. Hazards like lahars, tephra, and pyroclastic flows, are results of volcanic eruptions, and have the ability to destroy everything that they come in contact with.

Remote sensing, ground deformation, and volcanic gas detection, are three of the volcanic detection methods that work together to track movement of magma and gas moving through a volcano. Seismic monitoring is used around volcanoes to track the various seismic noises from a volcano, and is able to differentiate between their causes. Seismometers collect this data, so scientists can monitor changes in a volcano to assess and predict if or when an eruption will occur.

Volcanic eruptions are usually preceded by a period of volcanic unrest, where there is seismic noise that indicates an early warning of a possible eruption [Amon]. Constant monitoring of volcanoes allows an advanced warning of eruptions, which in gives human populations around volcanoes time to evacuate the area. Seismic monitoring takes data from all the surrounding ground-motion and can indicate what type of activity made that disturbance [Zobin]. Since volcanic unrest has a distinct type of seismic noise, scientists are able to evaluate when a volcanic eruption will take place [Zobin]. This allows for cities to be evacuated with plenty of time before an eruption occurs. The warning time also permits public officials to have more time to make informed decisions on evacuations and precautions of an eruption [Brenguier]. Only certain cities may be affected by an eruption, depending on what type of noise a seismometer picks up. This added time provides better public safety, so instead of simply evacuating whole populations, city officials can specify what parts of the surrounding area must be prepped for an eruption [Brenguier]. The advanced warning from seismic monitoring of volcanoes also gives time to potentially reroute air traffic to avoid an impending eruption. Volcanic ash leads to the overheating of the communication and electronic systems in planes [Tilling]. The ash also soils the engines, which causes them to flame out and fail [Tilling]. This causes distress to the crew and passengers, as well as tens of millions of dollars' worth of damage to the effected airplanes [Amon]. Seismic monitoring allows for rerouting of air traffic to avoid these