Satellites are watching carefully because the world’s largest volcano erupts for the primary time in a long time.
Hawaii’s Mauna Loa began erupting on Sunday (Nov. 27), the huge volcano’s first eruption since 1984. Thus far, Mauna Loa’s lava has remained pretty contained and is not threatening any property, based on a statement from the US Geological Survey (USGS). Because the state of affairs evolves, a number of satellites are gathering key information — and snapping gorgeous pictures.
Satellites operated by the Colorado-based firm Maxar captured a nighttime view on Monday (Nov. 28) that reveals the volcano‘s caldera, now filled with lava, as a fiery gash, with intricate flows of molten rock glowing brilliant to the northeast of the summit.
Associated: ATLAS observatory atop Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano watching eruption closely
Maxar additionally shared a hanging daylight view of Mauna Loa from July, exhibiting the summit and historic lava flows; a 3rd picture layers the nighttime lava view atop the view from earlier than the eruption started.
Authorities satellites are additionally keeping track of the eruption. The European House Company (ESA) launched a composite view from Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite information, additionally captured on Monday. Clouds of gasoline billow off the eruption, whereas infrared information highlights the warmth of the flowing lava.
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NASA additionally launched a view of sulfur dioxide within the ambiance as seen on Monday by ESA’s Sentinel-5P satellite and its Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) sensor. Sulfur dioxide is without doubt one of the gases being launched by the eruption. TROPOMI and comparable sensors on NASA and U.S. Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellites can even measure how excessive in Earth’s atmosphere the sulfur dioxide reaches, which displays how energetic an eruption is.
In the meantime, early Monday morning, the Suomi-NPP satellite, a partnership between NASA and the NOAA, flew over Hawaii. The satellite used its Seen Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument to identify the glowing lava far outshining the island’s evening lights as seen in October.
Lava has poured out of a number of fissures in Mauna Loa’s Northeast Rift Zone, some spraying fountains as excessive as 160 toes (50 meters). USGS officers anticipate the eruption to stay inside the Northeast Rift Zone; the volcano has an identical rift zone to the southwest.
E mail Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or comply with her on Twitter @meghanbartels. Observe us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
