A Real-Time, Space Borne Volcano Observatory to Support Decision Making during Eruptive Crises: European Volcano Observatory Space Services

Abstract

Within the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) framework of the European Commission, the EVOSS consortium of academic and industrial partners has created a satellite-based volcano observatory, designed to provide the real-time information support to crisis management. Data from 8 satellite payloads acquired at 6 different down-link stations, are split and automatically processed at 5 locations (in Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany). The results are sent, in four separate data streams (thermal, volcanic SO2, volcanic ash and ground deformation), to a central system called VVO, the “Virtual Volcano Observatory”. The system operates 24H/24-7D/7 since October 2011 on all volcanoes in Europe, Africa, the Lesser Antilles, and the oceans around them, and during this interval has detected and monitored all eruptions that occurred in this region. EVOSS services are delivered to a group of 14 qualified users in Cabo Verde, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, France, Iceland, Montserrat, Tanzania, Uganda and the United Kingdom. Physical modelling of erupive phenomena, with an emphasis on rapid numerical calculations, underpins the satellite monitoring system