Abstract
Volcanologists have demonstrated that carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes are precursors of volcanic eruptions. Controlling volcanic gases and, in particular, the CO2 flux, is technically challenging, but we can retrieve useful information from magmatic/geological process studies for the mitigation of volcanic hazards including air traffic security. Existing techniques used to probe volcanic gas fluxes have severe limitations such as the requirement of near-vent in situ measurements, which is unsafe for operators and deleterious for equipment. In order to overcome these limitations, a novel range-resolved DIAL-Lidar (Differential Absorption Light Detection and Ranging) has been developed as part of the ERC (European Research Council) Project “BRIDGE”, for sensitive, remote, and safe real-time CO2 observations. Here, we report on data collection, processing techniques, and the most significant findings of the experimental campaigns carried out at the most hazardous volcanic areas in Italy: Pozzuoli Solfatara (Phlegraen Fields), Stromboli, and Mt. Etna. The BrIdge voLcanic LIdar—BILLI has successfully obtained accurate measurements of in-plume CO2 concentration and flux. In addition, wind velocity has also been retrieved. It has been shown that the measurements of CO2 concentration performed by BILLI are comparable to those carried out by volcanologists with other standard techniques, heralding a new era in the observation of long-term volcanic gases.
Highlights
Volcanoes represent a significant threat and, at the same time, are a huge attraction since antiquity for populations living nearby due to their fertile lands
The system performed a horizontal scan at different elevations, retrieving, for the first time, CO2 concentration dispersion maps and time-series of lidar-derived CO2 fluxes [21,37,38]
Despite the issues of the Multi-GAS + SO2 flux approach reported in the literature, we found a general agreement between the CO2 fluxes obtained by BrIdge voLcanic LIdar (BILLI) and the usual instruments
Summary
Volcanoes represent a significant threat and, at the same time, are a huge attraction since antiquity for populations living nearby due to their fertile lands. Large populations live near active or quiescent volcanoes and are at risk of their possible eruptions. It is well known that volcanic eruptions can determine increasing air pollution levels; they can influence climate [1] and, in some circumstances, produce lethal eruptions that destroy the surrounding environment and cause. Sci. 2020, 10, 6402 serious losses to national/international economies. Cautious valuation of volcano comportment and activity state is required to mitigate these effects, which can be carried out by instruments dedicated to volcanic control [2]
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