Abstract The area of Mount Gamalama is located near densely populated settlements and vital objects such as airports and ports. The eruption of Mount Gamalama in 2018 had a significant impact on aviation activities and social activities of the surrounding communities in the eruption area. The eruption caused airport closures and flight cancellations which impacted population mobility and the local economy. In addition, the eruption also caused losses in the agricultural and tourism sectors. The increase in SO2 gas concentration can indicate the presence of magma activity rising to the surface and can be an early indicator for early eruption detection. Additionally, the measurement of gas characteristics can also provide information on gas flow patterns and volcanic ash cloud movement in the atmosphere that can impact human health and safety as well as air transportation. Therefore, measuring gas characteristics using remote sensing technology is important to improve our understanding of volcano behavior and strengthen early warning systems to reduce disaster risks. This study utilized the GEE (Google Earth Engine) platform with Sentinel-5P satellite data to determine SO2 gas characteristics before and after the 2018 Gamalama’s eruption. SO2 gas concentrations from Mount Gamalama’s eruptions can be monitored using Sentinel-5P satellite imagery. The highest SO2 levels are observed at the crater, with the distribution affected by factors such as data collection timing, wind direction, and volcanic activity.
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