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Satellite Imagery Proves Essential for Monitoring Erupting Aleutian Volcano
Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union
  • Kenneson Dean, Universtiy of Alaska Fairbanks
  • Jonathan Dehn, Universtiy of Alaska Fairbanks
  • Stephen R. McNutt, Universtiy of Alaska Fairbanks
  • Christina Neal, Universtiy of Alaska Fairbanks
  • Richard Moore, Universtiy of Alaska Fairbanks
  • Dave Schneider, Universtiy of Alaska Fairbanks
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-28-2002
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1029/2002EO000168
Disciplines
Abstract

Mt. Cleveland is one of more than 40 active volcanoes in Alaska that is monitored by the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO). It is located on the western half of Chuginadak, a remote and uninhabited island in the east central Aleutians that lies 1526 km southwest of Anchorage. The closest inhabited community, Nikolski, is 75 km to the east on Umnak Island (Figure 1). Mt. Cleveland erupted explosively on 19 February and on 11 and 19 March 2001. Because the volcano is not yet monitored with seismic, deformation, or other geophysical instruments, satellite imagery was the only effective tool for detecting and monitoring this activity. Eruption clouds and elevated surface temperatures were detected on multiple satellite data sets. The largest eruption was in February. This first eruption cloud and the subsequent wave of ash (Figure 1) that drifted across Alaska extended up to flight levels and prompted cancellation and re-routing of air traffic throughout the North Pacific region on 19 and 20 February.

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Citation / Publisher Attribution

Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union, v. 83, issue 22, p 241-247

©2002. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.

Citation Information
Kenneson Dean, Jonathan Dehn, Stephen R. McNutt, Christina Neal, et al.. "Satellite Imagery Proves Essential for Monitoring Erupting Aleutian Volcano" Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union Vol. 83 Iss. 22 (2002) p. 241 - 247
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/stephen-mcnutt/63/