Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2024-162
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2024-162
24 Sep 2024
 | 24 Sep 2024
Status: this preprint is currently under review for the journal AMT.

In-situ volcanic ash sampling and aerosol-gas analysis based on UAS technologies (AeroVolc)

Simon Thivet, Gholamhossein Bagheri, Przemyslaw M. Kornatowski, Allan Fries, Jonathan Lemus, Riccardo Simionato, Carolina Díaz-Vecino, Eduardo Rossi, Taishi Yamada, Simona Scollo, and Costanza Bonadonna

Abstract. Volcanic degassing and explosive eruptions inject significant amounts of gas and ash into the atmosphere, impacting the local environment and atmospheric dynamics from local to global scales. While ground- and satellite-based remote sensing systems are key to describing explosive volcanism and assessing associated hazards, direct in situ measurements inside volcanic clouds are not possible with these methods. This study presents an innovative approach using an Unoccupied Aircraft System (UAS) for (i) airborne ash sampling and (ii) measurements of aerosol and gas concentrations (AeroVolc system). Commercial instruments (DJITM Matrice 30 Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle (UAV), AlphasenseTM N3 Optical Particle Counter OPC, SoarabilityTM Sniffer4D Mini2 multigas hardware) were combined with custom-built ash collectors and particle counters to enable a more detailed analysis of volcanic clouds. Here we showcase the deployment of our UAS on Sakurajima (Japan) and Etna (Italy), two volcanoes known for their frequent explosive eruptions and persistent degassing activity, to demonstrate how this approach enables in situ, high-resolution sample and data collection within challenging environments. Results provide grain size distributions (GSDs), information on the occurrence of particle aggregation, as well as solid aerosol (PM1, PM2.5, and PM10) and gas (SO2 and CO2) concentrations. Depending on whether the UAS was operated within or below ash- and/or gas-rich clouds, different insights were gained that open up new perspectives for volcanological research. These insights include the composition, concentration, generation, dispersion and sedimentation patterns of volcanic clouds.

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Simon Thivet, Gholamhossein Bagheri, Przemyslaw M. Kornatowski, Allan Fries, Jonathan Lemus, Riccardo Simionato, Carolina Díaz-Vecino, Eduardo Rossi, Taishi Yamada, Simona Scollo, and Costanza Bonadonna

Status: open (until 31 Oct 2024)

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Simon Thivet, Gholamhossein Bagheri, Przemyslaw M. Kornatowski, Allan Fries, Jonathan Lemus, Riccardo Simionato, Carolina Díaz-Vecino, Eduardo Rossi, Taishi Yamada, Simona Scollo, and Costanza Bonadonna
Simon Thivet, Gholamhossein Bagheri, Przemyslaw M. Kornatowski, Allan Fries, Jonathan Lemus, Riccardo Simionato, Carolina Díaz-Vecino, Eduardo Rossi, Taishi Yamada, Simona Scollo, and Costanza Bonadonna

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Short summary
This work presents an innovative way of sampling and analyzing volcanic clouds using an Unoccupied Aircraft System (UAS). The UAS can reach hazardous environments to sample volcanic particles, and measure in-situ key parameters such as the atmospheric concentration of volcanic aerosols and gases. Acquired data bridge the gap between the existing approaches of ground sampling and remote sensing, hence contributing to the understanding of volcanic cloud dispersion and impact.