The SO2 camera: A simple, fast and cheap method for ground-based imaging of SO2 in volcanic plumes

Abstract

SO2 flux is widely monitored on active volcanoes as it gives a window into the hidden, subsurface magma dynamics. We present here a new approach to SO2 flux monitoring using ultraviolet imaging of the volcanic plume through carefully chosen filters to produce images of SO2 column amount. The SO2 camera heralds a breakthrough in both our ability to measure SO2 flux at unprecedented frequencies (2 Hz) and at unprecedented accuracy, thanks to the application of correlation techniques to determine wind speed directly from the images and the ability to measure the whole profile simultaneously. In this paper we detail the commercially available pieces required to construct the SO2 camera, introduce a retrieval scheme to determine SO2 amounts from the images and present results from a field campaign in November 2005 on Sakurajima volcano, Japan.