Real-Time, Long Term Monitoring of Volcanic Emissions

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The goal of this project is to develop an instrument capable of long-term monitoring of volcanic emissions. Such an instrument could be deployed at strategic locations around an active volcanic site and left unattended for periods of up to six months to monitor important chemical and environmental parameters. The data would be stored in an internal computer and periodically transmitted to a remote observation station by telemetry. Unattended deployment of the instrument would greatly reduce the costs and logistical problems associated with repeated visits to remote sites and volcanologists with near-real-time data on chemical and physical parameters, this technology will be a valuable tool for validating models relating chemical emissions to volcanic activity. It could ultimately serve as an early warning system for pending eruptions. While this technology does not currently exist, the construction of such an instrument system is possible because of modern microelectronic capabilities coupled with recent advances in chemical sensor technology. This was demonstrated in Phase I of this project. The objectives of Phase II are the design, fabrication, optimization, and field testing of prototype analyzers. Following extensive environmental testing, the units will be deployed in the field.