Vignelles, D, Roberts, TJ, Carboni, E et al. (18 more authors) (2016) Balloon-borne measurement of the aerosol size distribution from an Icelandic flood basalt eruption. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 453. pp. 252-259. ISSN 0012-821X
Abstract
We present in situ balloon-borne measurements of aerosols in a volcanic plume made during the Holuhraun eruption (Iceland) in January 2015. The balloon flight intercepted a young plume at 8 km distance downwind from the crater, where the plume is ~15 minutes of age. The balloon carried a novel miniature optical particle counter LOAC (Light Optical Aerosol Counter) which measures particle number concentration and size distribution in the plume, alongside a meteorological payload. We discuss the possibility of calculating particle flux by combining LOAC data with measurements of sulfur dioxide flux by ground-based UV spectrometer (DOAS). The balloon passed through the plume at altitude range of 2.0-3.1 km above sea level (a.s.l.). The plume top height was determined as 2.7-3.1 km a.s.l., which is in good agreement with data from Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) satellite. Two distinct plume layers were detected, a non-condensed lower layer (300 m thickness) and a condensed upper layer (800 m thickness). The lower layer was characterized by a lognormal size distribution of fine particles (0.2 μm diameter) and a secondary, coarser mode (2.3 μm diameter), with a total particle number concentration of around 100 cm-3 in the 0.2-100 μm detection range. The upper layer was dominated by particle centered on 20 μm in diameter as well as containing a finer mode (2 μm diameter). The total particle number concentration in the upper plume layer was an order of magnitude higher than in the lower layer. We demonstrate that intercepting a volcanic plume with a meteorological balloon carrying LOAC is an efficient method to characterize volcanic aerosol properties. During future volcanic eruptions, balloon-borne measurements could be carried out easily and rapidly over a large spatial area in order to better characterize the evolution of the particle size distribution and particle number concentrations in a volcanic plume.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2016 Elsevier B.V. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | volcano plume; balloon; in-situ measurement; aerosol counter; Iceland |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Inst for Climate & Atmos Science (ICAS) (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Inst of Geophysics and Tectonics (IGT) (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number NERC NE/M021130/1 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 18 Aug 2016 08:29 |
Last Modified: | 21 Sep 2016 11:24 |
Published Version: | https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2016.08.027 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.epsl.2016.08.027 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:103843 |