The Estimation of Lava Flow Temperatures Using Landsat Night-Time Images: Case Studies from Eruptions of Mt. Etna and Stromboli (Sicily, Italy), Kīlauea (Hawaii Island), and Eyjafjallajökull and Holuhraun (Iceland)

Abstract

Using satellite-based remote sensing to investigate volcanic eruptions is a common approach for preliminary research, chiefly because a great amount of freely available data can be effectively accessed. Here, Landsat 4-5TM, 7ETM+, and 8OLI night-time satellite images are used to estimate lava flow temperatures and radiation heat fluxes from selected volcanic eruptions worldwide. After retrieving the spectral radiance, the pixel values were transformed into temperatures using the calculated calibration constants. Results showed that the TIR and SWIR bands were saturated and unable to detect temperatures over the active lava flows. However, temperatures were effectively detected over the active lava flows in the range ~500–1060 °C applying the NIR-, red-, green- or blue-band. Application of the panchromatic band with 15 m resolution also revealed details of lava flow morphology. The calculated radiant heat flux for the lava flows accords with increasing cooling either with slope or with distance from the vent.

The short life of the volcanic island New Late’iki (Tonga) analyzed by multi-sensor remote sensing data

“…Thermal satellite imagery has been used to investigate a variety of thermal volcanogenic emitting phenomena, such as active lava flows (e.g. 9 – 11 ), lava lakes (e.g. 12 ), fumarolic fields (e.g.…”

Validation of Sentinel-3 SLSTR Land Surface Temperature Retrieved by the Operational Product and Comparison with Explicitly Emissivity-Dependent Algorithms

“…where the variables represent the same quantities as in Equation (8). For the simulation dataset, 60 clear-sky atmospheric profiles were selected from the TIGR2000 database.…”

“…Land surface temperature (LST)-like near-surface air temperature-is a key variable in a wide variety of studies, since it is linked to land-atmosphere energy transfer and flux balances [1,2]. Thus, it is required for monitoring evapotranspiration and climate change [3,4], as well as for providing estimates of fire size and temperature [5,6], volcanoes and lava flow [7,8], and vegetation health [9][10][11]. According to the Global Climate Observing System [12], the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) considers LST as one of the essential climate variables (ECVs).…”

Radiant Power Patterns Inferred from Remote Sensing Using a Cloud Computing Platform, during the 2021 Fagradalsfjall Eruption, Iceland

“…While this flux is difficult to measure in situ, satellite remote sensing is presently an essential part for monitoring eruption activity of most active volcanoes. Thus, many studies have correlated spectral radiance on satellites (or parameters derived from such measurements) related to volcanic processes, including volcanic gas emissions [10], effusion rates [11][12][13][14][15], dome growth cycle and explosive failure [13,16], temperature estimation [17,18], volume estimation [19,20], and heat flux [7,[21][22][23]. Radiant power is one of the most straightforward heat fluxes to estimate by satellite remote sensing [24].…”