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Keeping an eye out<\/h2>\n
Hooper and the team at COMET (Centre for Observation and Modelling of Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Tectonics) are utilizing recent SAR satellite missions, such as Sentinel-1, launched in 2014, to observe more than 1,500+ volcanoes above sea level for indications of ground deformation. This serves as an indication of possible magma activity. \u201cWe plan to monitor all volcanoes situated above sea level; when something out of the ordinary occurs, we\u2019ll take notice and inform the relevant country\u2019s authorities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Hooper and his colleagues have observed for years beforehand signals of deformation associated with volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and other tectonic circumstances. There is a strong connection between deformations in a volcano and an impending eruption. The timing of these events can vary when it comes to particular volcanoes. In the case of the Icelandic volcano that erupted in 2010, disrupting air traffic for many days, changes had been detected since 1994, even more evidently in 1999. This was particularly remarkable considering that the previous eruption was four centuries before. Not surprisingly, this alerted local scientists who suggested more careful monitoring of the volcano should be implemented.<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s a stretch<\/h2>\n
In a similar fashion, leading up to earthquakes, the ground is slowly straining. With regular SAR data acquisitions over longer period, the team can pick strains of a few millimetres per year over distances of more than 100 km. While they cannot predict earthquakes, they can identify areas with significant strains and can improve maps of earthquake hazards.<\/p>\n
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Past the noise<\/h2>\n
Using radar means there is a lot of noise in the data. Hooper is currently working on boosting the signal-to-noise ratio using time series. It is easier to spot areas with good signals and areas with too much noise if you look at 50+ images of the same area.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe original satellites we were using could have 35 days in between passes if you were lucky. But now, you can get satellite passes every day if you integrate many different satellites, so we can see with much more details things that are happening on the time scales of days or weeks. You can see the changes and evolutions on volcanoes.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the number of radar satellites increases, the Centre will continue to improve their monitoring and hopefully be able to detect even more over time.<\/p>\n
SAR data offers powerful capabilities, but turning complex observations into actionable decisions requires the right expertise and approach. Through our FDE approach, we help organizations apply Earth Observation technologies to solve real-world challenges.<\/p>\n