Abstract
Gas and particulate matter (PM) emissions from Masaya volcano, Nicaragua, cause substantial regional volcanic air pollution (VAP). We evaluate the suitability of low-cost SO2 and PM sensors for a continuous air-quality network. The network was deployed for six months in five populated areas (4–16 km from crater). The SO2 sensors failed and recorded erroneous values on multiple occasions, likely due to corrosion, requiring significant maintenance commitment. The PM sensors were found to be robust but data required correction for humidity. SO2 measurements could not be used as stand-alone tools to detect occurrence of VAP episodes (VAPE), but an SO2/PM correlation reliably achieved this at near-field stations, as confirmed by meteorological forecasts and satellite imagery. Above-background PM concentrations reliably identified VAPE at both near-field and far-field stations. We suggest that a continuous network can be built from a combination of low-cost PM and SO2 sensors with a greater number of PM-only sensors.
Highlights
Masaya is an active basalt volcanic complex in Nicaragua, Central America
The PM1 concentrations were less than 15 μg m3 and the PM2.5 were less than 30 μg m3
VAP episodes (VAPE)-likely and VAPE-unlikely conditions are determined from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) data and satellite imagery, and the monthly background average concentration is calculated from the VAPEunlikely period data
Summary
Masaya is an active basalt volcanic complex in Nicaragua, Central America It has a near-continuous history of pit crater formation, sporadic lava lake activity, and degassing as far back as, at least, the 1500s [Rymer et al 1998]. Initially formed around 1858–1859 [McBirney 1956], is the location of current volcanic activity and has undergone five periods of lava lake development and multiple phases of gas crisis with intense degassing activity [McBirney 1956; Stoiber et al 1986]. SO emissions data sourced from Stoiber et al [ 86], Burton et al [ ], Delmelle et al [ ], Galle et al [ ], Williams-Jones et al [ ], Mather et al [ 6b], Nadeau and Williams-
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