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Volcano Observatories (VOs) around the world are required to maintain surveillance of their volcanoes and inform civil protection and aviation authorities about impending eruptions. They often work through consolidated procedures to respond to volcanic crises in a timely manner and provide a service to the community aimed at reducing the potential impact of an eruption. Within the International Airways Volcano Watch (IAVW) framework of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, designated State Volcano Observatories (SVOs) are asked to operate a colour coded system designed to inform the aviation community about the status of a volcano and the expected threats associated. Despite the IAVW documentation defining the different colour-coded levels, operating the Aviation Colour Code (ACC) in a standardised way is not easy, as sometimes, different SVOs adopt different strategies on how, when, and why to change it. Following two European VOs and Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAACs) workshops, the European VOs agreed to present an overview on how they operate the ACC. The comparative analysis presented here reveals that not all VOs in Europe use the ACC as part of their operational response, mainly because of a lack of volcanic eruptions since the ACC was officially established, or the absence of a formal appointment as an SVO. We also note that the VOs, which do regularly adopt ACC, operate differently depending on the frequency and styles of eruptions, the historical eruptive activity, the nature of the unrest, the monitoring level, and also on the agreement they may have with the local Air Transport Navigation providers. This study shows that even though the ACC system was designed to provide a standard, its usage strongly depends on the evaluation of the actors responding to the volcano emergencies. Some common questions have been identified across the different (S)VOs that will need to be addressed by ICAO in order to have a more harmonised approach and usage of the ACC.

The 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull produced volcanic ash that was mostly deposited to the south and east of the volcano, with the thickest deposits closest to the eruption vents. For months following the eruption there were numerous reports of resuspended volcanic ash made by weather observers on the ground. A saltation sensor (SENSIT) and an optical particle counter (OPC) located on the southern side of Eyjafjallajökull measured posteruptive particulate matter (PM) saltation and suspension events, some of which were also observable by satellite imagery. During the autumn/winter following the eruption, visible satellite images and the SENSIT show that PM measured by the OPC was only detected when winds had a northerly component, making the source on the slopes of Eyjafjallajökull. During the largest observed events, particles >10μm were suspended but measured in extremely low concentrations (100μm in size during these events. During the largest events, winds were at least 5 m s−1with a relative humidity < 70%. Ground conditions in Iceland change quickly from unfavorable to favorable for the suspension of particles. It is hypothesized that this is due to the porosity of the surface material allowing water to filter through quickly as well as the fast drying time of surface material. The high moisture content of the atmosphere and the ground do not appear to be a deterrent for large PM events to occur in Iceland.

Recent Icelandic rifting events have illuminated the roles of centralized crustal magma reservoirs and lateral magma transport1–4, important characteristics of mid-ocean ridge magmatism1,5. A consequence of such shallow crustal processing of magmas4,5 is the overprinting of signatures that trace the origin, evolution and transport of melts in the uppermost mantle and lowermost crust6,7. Here we present unique insights into processes occurring in this zone from integrated petrologic and geochemical studies of the 2021 Fagradalsfjall eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland. Geochemical analyses of basalts erupted during the first 50 days of the eruption, combined with associated gas emissions, reveal direct sourcing from a near-Moho magma storage zone. Geochemical proxies, which signify different mantle compositions and melting conditions, changed at a rate unparalleled for individual basaltic eruptions globally. Initially, the erupted lava was dominated by melts sourced from the shallowest mantle but over the following three weeks became increasingly dominated by magmas generated at a greater depth. This exceptionally rapid trend in erupted compositions provides an unprecedented temporal record of magma mixing that filters the mantle signal, consistent with processing in near-Moho melt lenses containing 107–108 m3 of basaltic magma. Exposing previously inaccessible parts of this key magma processing zone to near-real-time investigations provides new insights into the timescales and operational mode of basaltic magma systems.

The 6-month-long 2014–2015 Holuhraun eruption was the largest in Iceland for 200 years, emitting huge quantities of sulfur dioxide (SO2) into the troposphere, at times overwhelming European anthropogenic emissions. Weather, terrain and latitude made continuous ground-based or UV satellite sensor measurements challenging. Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) data are used to derive the first time series of daily SO2 mass present in the atmosphere and its vertical distribution over the entire eruption period. A new optimal estimation scheme is used to calculate daily SO2 fluxes and average e-folding time every 12 h. For the 6 months studied, the SO2 flux was observed to be up to 200 kt day−1 and the minimum total SO2 erupted mass was 4.4±0.8 Tg. The average SO2 e-folding time was 2.4±0.6 days. Where comparisons are possible, these results broadly agree with ground-based near-source measurements, independent remote-sensing data and values obtained from model simulations from a previous paper. The results highlight the importance of using high-resolution time series data to accurately estimate volcanic SO2 emissions. The SO2 mass missed due to thermal contrast is estimated to be of the order of 3 % of the total emission when compared to measurements by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument. A statistical correction for cloud based on the AVHRR cloud-CCI data set suggested that the SO2 mass missed due to cloud cover could be significant, up to a factor of 2 for the plume within the first kilometre from the vent. Applying this correction results in a total erupted mass of 6.7±0.4 Tg and little change in average e-folding time. The data set derived can be used for comparisons to other ground- and satellite-based measurements and to petrological estimates of the SO2 flux. It could also be used to initialise climate model simulations, helping to better quantify the environmental and climatic impacts of future Icelandic fissure eruptions and simulations of past large-scale flood lava eruptions.

Large quantities of natural particulate matter are generated in Iceland every year. Glaciers, rivers, and explosive volcanic eruptions contribute to the production of suspended material in the air. With frequent high winds and sparse vegetation cover, fine and coarse particles are suspended and transported over land and out to sea. Observations of particulate matter during the period of 1966–2016 were used to determine the impact of explosive volcanic eruptions on the number of observed particulate matter events. These observations were made by weather observers at synoptic weather stations distributed around Iceland. Deposits from some explosive volcanic eruptions that produce new source material were found to increase the number of observations of particulate matter at stations relatively close to the volcano (within 125 km) for at least several months after the end of the eruption. This signal is only observed for eruptions that produced enough material to be classified into Volcano Explosive Index (VEI) of 3, or greater, and did not end during the winter, and is only rarely seen at the national scale. Eruptions starting shortly before or during the winter season and ending before the spring melt did not have an impact on the observations of suspended particulate matter due to snow covering the fresh material, reducing the potential for resuspension. The data set is insufficient to explain why only some eruptions fulfilling the criteria produce local effects persisting over multiple months. Seasonality, weather, and wind conditions are much stronger factors for increasing the number of particulate matter (PM) events than the creation of new material provided by explosive volcanic eruptions. A PM event is defined to occur when any type of PM is observed in the atmosphere.

The 2014–15 Holuhraun eruption in Iceland was the largest fissure eruption in over 200 years, emitting prodigious amounts of gas and particulate matter into the troposphere. Reykjavík, the capital area of Iceland (250 km from eruption site) was exposed to air pollution events from advection of (i) a relatively young and chemically primitive volcanic plume with a high sulphur dioxide gas (SO2) to sulphate PM (SO42−) ratio, and (ii) an older and chemically mature volcanic plume with a low SO2/SO42− ratio. Whereas the advection and air pollution caused by the primitive plume were successfully forecast and forewarned in public advisories, the mature plume was not. Here, we show that exposure to the mature plume is associated with an increase in register-measured health care utilisation for respiratory disease by 23% (95% CI 19.7–27.4%) and for asthma medication dispensing by 19.3% (95% CI 9.6–29.1%). Absence of public advisories is associated with increases in visits to primary care medical doctors and to the hospital emergency department. We recommend that operational response to volcanic air pollution considers both primitive and mature types of plumes., Large fissure eruptions can cause air pollution events when the volcanic plume returns to the same area after the initial advisory has been lifted. Here, the authors show that these events had a significant impact on health care usage in Iceland, and the impact was exacerbated when advisories were not issued successfully.

Ground deformation is frequently one of the first detectable precursors alerting scientists to changes in behavior or the onset of unrest at active volcanoes. GNSS, InSAR, strain and tilt measurements are routinely used by volcano observatories for monitoring pre-eruptive, co-eruptive and post-eruptive deformation. In addition to monitoring signals related to magma migration, deformation observations are used as an input into geodetic modeling to determine the location and rate of magma accumulation and help define the structure of magma plumbing systems beneath active volcanoes.This presentation will provide an update of how geodetic observations are being used in conjunction with seismicity and gas measurements, for the near-real time monitoring of key Icelandic volcanoes; to determine their current status, identify the onset and likely cause of unrest, locate magmatic intrusions, determine magma volumes and supply rates and assess the likelihood of eruption. An overview of the current status of the following active volcanoes will be provided: Hekla, Bárðarbunga and Grímsvötn, along with an update of the recent volcano-tectonic unrest on the Reykjanes Peninsula.Hekla is one of the most active and dangerous volcanoes in Iceland with approximately 18 eruptions since 1104. Over the past few decades, Hekla erupted at almost regular ~10 year intervals, with the last four eruptions occurring in 1970, 1980–1981, 1991 and 2000. Previous geodetic studies have suggested magma storage at depths of 12-25 km directly beneath the volcanic edifice. However, recent InSAR analysis has detected a localized inflation signal to the west of the volcano. A regional borehole strain meter network has proven instrumental for real-time eruption forecasting at Hekla.In the Bárðarbunga volcanic system, the six-month long effusive 2014-2015 Holuhraun eruption was accompanied by gradual caldera collapse of up to 65 m and was preceded by a two-week period of 48 km long lateral dyke propagation with extensive seismicity and deformation. Geodetic observations indicate that Bárðarbunga began to slowly inflate in July 2015. This may be explained by a combination of renewed magma inflow and viscoelastic readjustment of the volcano.The Grímsvötn subglacial volcano is the most frequently erupting volcano in Iceland, with eruptions in 1998, 2004 and 2011. A GPS station shows a prominent inflation cycle prior to eruptions. Observations during the 2011 eruption suggest a pressure drop at a surprisingly shallow level (about 2 km depth) during the eruption, in a similar location as in previous eruptions. Deformation at this volcano has now surpassed that observed prior to historic eruptions and its aviation color code is currently elevated to yellow.In December 2019, the Reykjanes Peninsula entered a phase of volcano-tectonic unrest characterized by seismic swarms, followed in late January 2020 by inflation detected in near-real time by GNSS and InSAR observations. At the time of writing (mid-January 2021) there have been three magmatic intrusions in the vicinity of Svartsengi, an intrusion beneath Krýsuvík and indications of magma migration at depth along the entirety of the Peninsula.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) maintains a network of web cameras for monitoring the environment and identifying possible hazards, including reduced atmospheric visibility, changing river flow conditions and snow accumulation. Recently, the network has been expanded to improve the volcano monitoring capacity, with the specific aim of observing eruption onset and estimating volcanic plume heights. Here, we present how sites for cameras are chosen, the environmental constraints that inform the two camera designs currently in use, how the data is transmitted to the institute, stored, and pushed through the data processing system, and the different techniques used to calibrate the cameras and calculate the orientations of plumes such that measurements can be made from the images they produce. Camera calibration is a particular challenge for such a diverse range of cameras and environments, with some cameras already installed and inaccessible, and here we show how we use laboratory calibration, feature matching, horizon matching and star matching to find the internal camera geometry and camera orientation in different scenarios. Once calibrated, geometric measurements can be extracted from the images by either providing constraints from Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models on the likely orientation of the plume, or by using two images with different views, which provide enough information to pin down a point in three dimensions. In the latter case we show how ray projection can be used to locate a point. These plume calculation tools and final images are made available to the forecasters and natural hazard specialists on-duty using an interactive webpage. The plume height time series are easily saved for ingestion into the Volcanic Eruptive Source Parameter Assessment (VESPA) inversion system designed to assess eruption intensity and to provide calculated eruption source parameters in input to the tephra dispersion forecasting model.

The 2018 eruption of Kīlauea volcano, Hawai'i, resulted in enormous gas emissions from the Lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) of the volcano. This led to important changes to air quality in downwind communities. We analyse and present measurements of atmospheric sulfur dioxide (SO2) and aerosol particulate matter < 2.5 µm (PM2.5) collected by the Hawai'i Department of Health (HDOH) and National Park Service (NPS) operational air quality monitoring networks between 2007 and 2018; and a community-operated network of low-cost PM2.5 sensors on the Island of Hawai'i. During this period, the two largest observed increases in Kīlauea's volcanic emissions were: the summit eruption that began in 2008 (Kīlauea emissions averaged 5 – 6 kt/day SO2 over the course of the eruption) and the LERZ eruption in May-August 2018 when SO2 emission rates likely reached 200 kt/day in June. Here we focus on characterising the airborne pollutants arising from the 2018 LERZ eruption and the spatial distribution and severity of air pollution events across the Island of Hawai'i. The LERZ eruption caused the most frequent and severe exceedances of Environmental Protection Agency 24-hour-mean PM2.5 air quality thresholds in Hawai'i since 2010. In Kona, for example, there were eight exceedances during the 2018 LERZ eruption, where there had been no exceedances in the previous eight years as measured by the HDOH and NPS networks. SO2 air pollution during the LERZ eruption was most severe in communities in the south and west of the island, with maximum 24-hour-mean mass concentrations of 728 µg/m3 recorded in Ocean View (100 km west of the LERZ emission source) in May 2018. Data from the low-cost sensor network correlated well with data from the HDOH PM2.5 instruments (Kona station, R2 = 0.89), demonstrating that these low-cost sensors provide a viable means to rapidly augment reference-grade instrument networks during crises.

The Krýsuvik volcanic system is located on the oblique spreading Reykjanes Peninsula, SW Iceland. Since early 2009 the region has been undergoing episodes of localized ground uplift and subsidence. From April–November 2013, we operated near-real time monitoring of gas emissions in Krýsuvik, using a Multi-component Gas Analyzer System (Multi-GAS), collecting data on gas composition from a fumarole (H2O, CO2, SO2, H2S). The dataset in this study, comprises a near-continuous gas composition time series, the quantification of diffuse CO2 gas flux, analytical results for direct samples of dry gas, seismic records, and GPS data. Gas emissions from the Krýsuvik geothermal system were examined and compared with crustal deformation and seismicity. The gas emissions from the Krýsuvik system are H2O-dominated, with CO2 as the most abundant dry gas species, followed by smaller concentrations of H2S. The average subsurface equilibrium temperature was calculated as 278 °C. This is consistent with previous observations made through sporadic spot sampling campaigns. In addition, the semi-continuous Multi-GAS dataset reveals higher variations in gas composition than previously reported by spot sampling. The diffuse soil CO2 flux is found to be variable between the three studied degassing areas in Krýsuvik, ranging from 10.9–70.9 T/day, with the highest flux in Hveradalir where the Multi-GAS station is located. The total flux is estimated as 101 T/day. Comparison between Multi-GAS and geophysical data shows that peaks of H2O-rich emissions appears to follow crustal movements. Coinciding with the H2O-rich peaks, SO2 is detected in minor amounts (~0.6 ppmv), allowing for calculations of H2O/SO2, CO2/SO2 and H2S/SO2 ratios. This is the first time SO2 has been detected in the Krýsuvik area. The large variations in H2O/CO2 and H2O/H2S ratios are considered to reflect variable degassing activity in the fumarole. The activity of the fumarole appears less intense during intervals of low or no recorded seismic events. The H2O/CO2 and H2O/H2S ratios are lower, presumably due to H2O condensation affecting the steam jet before reaching the Multi-GAS inlet tube.

The composition of the gases released by El Chichón (Chiapas, Mexico) and Víti (Askja volcano, Iceland) volcanic lakes is examined by Multi-GAS for the first time. Our results demonstrate that H2S and SO2 are degassed by these pH 2–3 lakes. We find higher CO2/H2S and H2/H2S ratios in the lakes' emissions (31–5,685 and 0.6–35, respectively) than in the fumarolic gases feeding the lakes (13–33 and 0.08–0.5, respectively), evidencing that only a fraction (0.2–5.4% at El Chichón) of the H2S(g) contributed by the subaquatic fumaroles ultimately reaches the atmosphere. At El Chichón, we estimate a H2S output from the crater lake of 0.02–0.06t/day. Curiously, SO2 is also detected at trace levels in the gases released from both lakes (0.003–0.3ppmv). We propose that H2S supplied into the lakes initiates a series of complex oxidation reactions, having sulfite as an intermediate product, and ultimately leading to SO2 production and degassing.

The Holuhraun eruption in 2014-15 was the largest in Iceland for more than 200 years. It resulted in emissions of large quantities of volcanic gases into the atmosphere (11 Mt SO2, 0.1 Mt HCl and 0.05 Mt HF). During the eruption the volcanic gases had major effects on F, SO4 and to a lesser extent Cl concentrations in precipitation throughout Iceland, effects not observed in recent decades. The concentrations of F, Cl and SO4 (n = 705) reached values of 444 μM, 12,270 μM and 17,324 μM during the eruption and were on average ~20 times higher for F and SO4 and much lower for Cl compared to pre-eruption times. The concentrations of major cations (Si, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Al and Fe) (n = 151) in the precipitation, were taken as having originated from seawater spray and dissolution of rock dust and aerosol. Based on the mixing model developed here, it is demonstrated that the source of the enrichment of F and SO4 was indeed the volcanic gas emissions with >60-100 mol% of SO4 and F in the precipitation originated from volcanic gas, whereas the Cl originated mostly from seawater spray, making the volcanic gas input of Cl relatively less important than for F and SO4. The results showed that large volcanic eruptions can have major effects on atmospheric chemistry and impact the composition of precipitation.

The 2014-2015 eruption at Holuhraun has produced more than 1.5 km 3 of basaltic magma and can be considered one of the major effusive events of the last two centuries in the world. During this eruption the MIROVA system (a volcanic hot-spot detection system based on MODIS middle infrared – MIR - data) has been used to detect and locate the active portions of the lava flow(s), and to measure the heat radiated by the growing lava field. According to these data the eruption was characterized by a slow decay of the radiant power, accompanied by a change in the lava transport mechanism that shifted from open channels, at the beginning of the eruption, to lava tubes, during the last months of activity. Despite the evident evolution of lava transport mechanism, we found that the overall decreasing trend of the thermal flux was mainly controlled by the exponential decline of lava discharge rates, while the increasing insulation of the flow field had a strong impact in transporting efficiently the lava at the distal flow front(s). Our results suggest the apparent time averaged lava discharge rates ( TADR ), derived from satellite thermal data, may fluctuate around the real effusion rate at the vent, especially in the case of large lava flows emplacing in nearly flat conditions. The magnitude and frequency of these fluctuations are mainly controlled by the emplacement dynamic, (i.e. occurrence of distinct major flow units), while the transition from channel- to tube-fed lava transport mechanism play only a minor role (±30%) in the retrieval of TADR using MIR data . When the TADR values are integrated to calculate erupted lava volumes, the effects of pulsating emplacement dynamic become smoothed and the eruptive trend become more clear. We suggest that during the Holuhraun ’s eruption, as well as during many other effusive eruptions, the MIR-derived radiant flux essentially mimic the overall trend of lava discharge rates, with only a minor influence due to the emplacement style and evolving eruptive conditions. From a monitoring and operational perspective, MIROVA demonstrates to be a very valuable tool to follow and, possibly, forecast the evolution of on-going effusive eruption.

On August 16, 2014, an intense seismic swarm started below the eastern part of Barðarbunga caldera in the north-western part of Vatnajokull ice cap, Iceland, marking the onset of a major rifting event. The intense seismicity, corroborated by a complicated deformation pattern, migrated away from the Barðarbunga caldera for >45 km, until a small effusive eruption started in Holuhraun, outside of the ice cap, on August 29 which lasted a few hours. On August 31 a second, more intense, eruption started. It lasted 180 days and is the largest effusive eruption in Iceland since the Laki event in 1783–1784. A lava field covered about 84 km2 in the middle of the highlands with a bulk volume of ~1.44 km3. Although the potential danger of ice melting and subsequent flooding coupled with tephra fallout was the main concern at the beginning of the crisis, the main associated hazard turned out to be an abundant and constant release of volcanic gases that polluted the country threatening human health and the environment for several months. Very little (or almost no) ash was produced. The impact of the Holuhraun eruption outside of Iceland was minor if compared with what happened in 2010 when Eyjafjallajokull erupted. However, on three occasions the dense gas cloud released by the fissure eruption reached some European countries where unusually high SO2 concentrations were measured at ground level. Managing and living with such a prolonged effusive event was a major effort for the Icelandic scientific community and civil protection authorities and it significantly affected the local population in the northern and eastern parts of the country. This paper retraces the main events that accompanied the volcanic crisis at Barðarbunga and focuses on the scientific and operative response provided throughout its duration. Particular attention is given to the direct links between the observed phenomena, monitoring effort, hazard assessment and concrete actions taken by the authorities in charge of risk and mitigation assessment. The different roles of the involved institutions are clarified, and the wide and collaborative response on a national basis is explained. A major finding of this post-event analysis is that a strong internal collaboration between the scientific community and operative institutions is the basic element for proper crisis management. Iceland has established protocols that, while imperfect, ensured a well-coordinated response to the Holuhraun eruption and the preceding unrest, and will continue to provide a prompt and effective response for future events. Important realizations, including the need for a proper ground-based alert level system, have been raised and they will be a matter for further development.

Volcanoes are a key natural source of CO2, but global estimates of volcanic CO2 flux are predominantly based on measurements from a fraction of world's actively degassing volcanoes. We combine high‐precision airborne measurements from 2016 and 2017 with atmospheric dispersion modeling to quantify CO2 emissions from Katla, a major subglacial volcanic caldera in Iceland that last erupted 100 years ago but has been undergoing significant unrest in recent decades. Katla's sustained CO2 flux, 12–24 kt/d, is up to an order of magnitude greater than previous estimates of total CO2 release from Iceland's natural sources. Katla is one of the largest volcanic sources of CO2 on the planet, contributing up to 4% of global emissions from nonerupting volcanoes. Further measurements on subglacial volcanoes worldwide are urgently required to establish if Katla is exceptional, or if there is a significant previously unrecognized contribution to global CO2 emissions from natural sources. We combine high‐precision airborne measurements from 2016 and 2017 with atmospheric dispersion modelling to quantify CO2 emissions from Katla, a major subglacial volcanic caldera in Iceland that last erupted 100 years ago but has been undergoing significant unrest in recent decades. Katla's sustained CO2 flux, 12‐24 kt/d, is up to an order of magnitude greater than previous estimates of total CO2 release from Iceland's natural sources. Katla is one of the largest volcanic sources of CO2 on the planet, contributing up to 4% of global emissions from non‐erupting volcanoes. Further measurements on subglacial volcanoes world‐wide are urgently required to establish if Katla is exceptional, or if there is a significant previously unrecognized contribution to global CO2 emissions from natural sources.

he 2014–2015 Bárðarbunga fissure eruption at Holuhraun in central Iceland was distinguished by the high emission of gases, in total 9.6 Mt SO2, with almost no tephra. This work collates all ground-based measurements of this extraordinary eruption cloud made under particularly challenging conditions: remote location, optically dense cloud with high SO2 column amounts, low UV intensity, frequent clouds and precipitation, an extensive and hot lava field, developing ramparts, and high-latitude winter conditions. Semi-continuous measurements of SO2 flux with three scanning DOAS instruments were augmented by car traverses along the ring-road and along the lava. The ratios of other gases/SO2 were measured by OP-FTIR, MultiGAS, and filter packs. Ratios of SO2/HCl = 30–110 and SO2/HF = 30–130 show a halogen-poor eruption cloud. Scientists on-site reported extremely minor tephra production during the eruption. OPC and filter packs showed low particle concentrations similar to non-eruption cloud conditions. Three weather radars detected a droplet-rich eruption cloud. Top of eruption cloud heights of 0.3–5.5 km agl were measured with ground- and aircraft-based visual observations, web camera and NicAIR II infrared images, triangulation of scanning DOAS instruments, and the location of SO2 peaks measured by DOAS traverses. Cloud height and emission rate measurements were critical for initializing gas dispersal simulations for hazard forecasting., his work was greatly supported by the FUTUREVOLC project funded by the European Union's Seventh Program for research, technological development, and demonstration under grant agreement No 308377. BG and SA acknowledge a grant from the Swedish Research Council FORMAS. EI acknowledges NERC urgency grant NE/M021130/1.

During the emplacement of the 2014-2015 lava flow in Holuhraun (Iceland) a new code for the simulation of lava flows (MrLavaLoba) was developed and tested. MrLavaLoba is a probabilistic code which derives the area likely to be inundated and the thickness of the final lava deposit. The flow field in Holuhraun progressed through a fairly flat floodplain, and the initial limited availability of topographic data was challenging, forcing us to develop specific modeling strategies. The development of the code, as well as simulation tests, continued after the end of the eruption, and latest results largely benefitted from the availability of improved topographic data. MrLavaLoba simulations of the Holuhraun scenario are compared with detailed observational analyses derived from the literature. The obtained results highlight that small-scale morphological features in the pre- emplacement topography can strongly influence the propagation of the flow. The distribution of the volume settling throughout the extension of the flow field turned out to be very important, and strongly affects the fit between the simulated and the real extent of the flow field. The performed analysis suggests that an improvement in the code should allow adaptable calibration during the course of the eruption in order to mimic different emplacement styles in different phases.

The effusive six months long 2014-2015 Barðarbunga eruption (31 August-27 February) was the largest in Iceland for more than 200 years, producing 1.6 ± 0.3 km3 of lava. The total SO2 emission was 11 ± 5 Mt, more than the amount emitted from Europe in 2011. The ground level concentration of SO2 exceeded the 350 μg m−3 hourly average health limit over much of Iceland for days to weeks. Anomalously high SO2 concentrations were also measured at several locations in Europe in September. The lowest pH of fresh snowmelt at the eruption site was 3.3, and 3.2 in precipitation 105 km away from the source. Elevated dissolved H2SO4, HCl, HF, and metal concentrations were measured in snow and precipitation. Environmental pressures from the eruption and impacts on populated areas were reduced by its remoteness, timing, and the weather. The anticipated primary environmental pressure is on the surface waters, soils, and vegetation of Iceland.

The 2014–2015 Holuhraun eruption was the largest fissure eruption in Iceland in the last 200 years. This flood basalt eruption produced ~ 1.6 km3 of lava, forming a lava flow field covering an area of ~ 84 km2. Over the 6-month course of the eruption, ~ 11 Mt of SO2 were released from the eruptive vents as well as from the cooling lava flow field. This work examines the post-eruption SO2 flux emitted by the Holuhraun lava flow field, providing the first study of the extent and relative importance of the outgassing of a lava flow field after emplacement. We use data from a scanning differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) instrument installed at the eruption site to monitor the flux of SO2. In this study, we propose a new method to estimate the SO2 emissions from the lava flow field, based on the characteristic shape of the scanned column density distribution of a homogenous source close to the ground. Post-eruption outgassing of the lava flow field continued for at least 3 months after the end of the eruption, with SO2 flux between

The climatic effects of climate engineering—or geoengineering—via cirrus cloud thinning are examined. Thinner cirrus clouds can allow more outgoing longwave radiation to escape to space, potentially cooling the climate. The cloud properties and climatic effects due to perturbing the ice crystal fall speed are investigated in a set of hemispheric scale sensitivity experiments with the Community Earth System Model. It is found that increasing the ice crystal fall speed, as an analog to cirrus cloud seeding, depletes high-level clouds and reduces the longwave cloud forcing. Deliberate depletion of cirrus clouds increases outgoing longwave radiation, reduces the upper tropospheric water vapor, and cools the climate. Global cirrus cloud thinning gave a net cloud forcing change of −1.55 W m−2 and a global annual mean temperature change of −0.94 K. Though there is negligible change in the global annual mean precipitation (−0.001 mm/d), the spatially nonhomogeneous forcing induces circulation changes and hence remote climate changes. Climate engineering the Southern Hemisphere only results in a northward shift of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and possible Sahelian drought alleviation, while targeting the Northern Hemisphere alone causes a greater cooling. It was found that targeting cirrus clouds everywhere outside of the tropics results in changes to the circulation and precipitation even in the nonclimate engineered regions, underscoring the risks of remote side effects and indeed the complexity of the climate system.

Filter pack data from six airborne campaigns at Redoubt Volcano, Alaska are reported here. These measurements provide a rare constraint on Cl output from an andesitic eruption at high emission rate (> 104 t d− 1 SO2). Four S/Cl ratios measured during a period of lava dome growth indicate a depth of last magma equilibration of 2–5 km. The S/Cl ratios in combination with COSPEC SO2 emission rate measurements indicate HCl emission rates of 1500–3600 t d− 1 during dome growth. SO2 and HCl emission rates at Redoubt Volcano correlate with each other and were low prior to the eruption, high during the eruption, and low after the eruption. S/Cl ratios measured by filter pack at andesitic volcanoes have a small range of variance, with no clear trends seen for eruptive versus passive activity. The very few S/Cl ratio measurements by filter pack at andesitic volcanoes are not as predictive of future volcanic activity as has been demonstrated for basaltic volcanoes. This may be because there are so few of these measurements. We have demonstrated it is possible to collect these samples by air between explosions during lava dome-building eruptions. We recommend more filter pack sampling be performed at andesitic volcanoes to determine the technique's utility for volcano monitoring. Filter pack data has been demonstrated to be useful for calculating the depth of magma equilibration at volcanoes including Redoubt Volcano.

The 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska, provided a rare opportunity to compare satellite measurements of sulfur dioxide (SO2) by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) with airborne SO2 measurements by the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO). Herein we: (1) compare OMI and airborne SO2 column density values for Redoubt's tropospheric plume, (2) calculate daily SO2 masses from Mount Redoubt for the first three months of the eruption, (3) develop simple methods to convert daily measured SO2 masses into emission rates to allow satellite data to be directly integrated with the airborne SO2 emissions dataset, (4) calculate cumulative SO2 emissions from the eruption, and (5) evaluate OMI as a monitoring tool for high-latitude degassing volcanoes. A linear correlation (R2 ~ 0.75) is observed between OMI and airborne SO2 column densities. OMI daily SO2 masses for the sample period ranged from ~ 60.1 kt on 24 March to below detection limit, with an average daily SO2 mass of ~ 6.7 kt. The highest SO2 emissions were observed during the initial part of the explosive phase and the emissions exhibited an overall decreasing trend with time. OMI SO2 emission rates were derived using three methods and compared to airborne measurements. This comparison yields a linear correlation (R2 ~ 0.82) with OMI-derived emission rates consistently lower than airborne measurements. The comparison results suggest that OMI's detection limit for high latitude, springtime conditions varies from ~ 2000 to 4000 t/d. Cumulative SO2 masses calculated from daily OMI data for the sample period are estimated to range from 542 to 615 kt, with approximately half of this SO2 produced during the explosive phase of the eruption. These cumulative masses are similar in magnitude to those estimated for the 1989–90 Redoubt eruption. Strong correlations between daily OMI SO2 mass and both tephra mass and acoustic energy during the explosive phase of the eruption suggest that OMI data may be used to infer relative eruption size and explosivity. Further, when used in conjunction with complementary datasets, OMI daily SO2 masses may be used to help distinguish explosive from effusive activity and identify changes in lava extrusion rates. The results of this study suggest that OMI is a useful volcano monitoring tool to complement airborne measurements, capture explosive SO2 emissions, and provide high temporal resolution SO2 emissions data that can be used with interdisciplinary datasets to illuminate volcanic processes.

Cirrus clouds, thin ice clouds in the upper troposphere, have a net warming effect on Earth s climate. Consequently, a reduction in cirrus cloud amount or optical thickness would cool the climate. Recent research indicates that by seeding cirrus clouds with particles that promote ice nucleation, their lifetimes and coverage could be reduced. We have tested this hypothesis in a global climate model with a state-of-the-art representation of cirrus clouds and find that cirrus cloud seeding has the potential to cancel the entire warming caused by human activity from pre-industrial times to present day. However, the desired effect is only obtained for seeding particle concentrations that lie within an optimal range. With lower than optimal particle concentrations, a seeding exercise would have no effect. Moreover, a higher than optimal concentration results in an over-seeding that could have the deleterious effect of prolonging cirrus lifetime and contributing to global warming.

International audience; 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 min 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.

Large volcanic eruptions on Earth commonly occur with a collapse of the roof of a crustal magma reservoir, forming a caldera. Only a few such collapses occur per century, and the lack of detailed observations has obscured insight into the mechanical interplay between collapse and eruption.We usemultiparameter geophysical and geochemical data to show that the 110-square kilometer and 65-meter-deep collapse of Bárdarbunga caldera in 2014–2015 was initiated through withdrawal of magma, and lateral migration through a 48-kilometers-long dike, from a 12-kilometers deep reservoir. Interaction between the pressure exerted by the subsiding reservoir roof and the physical properties of the subsurface flow path explain the gradual, near exponential decline of both collapse rate and the intensity of the 180-day- long eruption., Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police. European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme grant no. 308377 (Project FUTUREVOLC). EU Seventh Framework Marie Curie project NEMOH no. 289976 CO2Volc ERC grant no. 279802, the Research Fund of the University of Iceland, the Irish Research Council, the Helmholtz Alliance on Remote Sensing and Earth System Dynamics (EDA), Bayerisches Geoinstitut through their DFG core facility for high pressure research, and UNAM/CIC Intercambio Académico.

Gas-water-rock reactions taking place within volcano-hosted hydrothermal systems scrub reactive, water-soluble species (sulfur, halogens) from the magmatic gas phase, and as such play a major control on the composition of surface gas manifestations. A number of quantitative models of magmatic gas scrubbing have been proposed in the past, but no systematic comparison of model results with observations from natural systems has been carried out, to date. Here, we present the results of novel numerical simulations, in which we initialized models of hydrothermal gas-water-rock at conditions relevant to Icelandic volcanism. We focus on Iceland as an example of a "wet" volcanic region where scrubbing is widespread. Our simulations were performed (using the EQ3/6 software package) at shallow (temperature100°C. We find that this range of model gas compositions reproduces well the (H2O-CO2-STOT) compositional range of reservoir waters and surface gas emissions in Iceland. From this validation of the model in an extreme end-member environment of high scrubbing, we conclude that EQ3/6-based reaction path simulations offer a realistic representation of gas-water-rock interaction processes occurring underneath active magmatic-hydrothermal systems.

Hekla is a frequently active volcano with an infamously short pre-eruptive warning period. Our project contributes to the ongoing work on improving Hekla's monitoring and early warning systems. In 2012 we began monitoring gas release at Hekla. The dataset comprises semi-permanent near-real time measurements with a MultiGAS system, quantification of diffuse gas flux, and direct samples analysed for composition and isotopes (δ13C, δD and δ18O). In addition, we used reaction path modelling to derive information on the origin and reaction pathways of the gas emissions.Hekla's quiescent gas composition was CO2-dominated (0.8mol fraction) and the δ13C signature was consistent with published values for Icelandic magmas. The gas is poor in H2O and S compared to hydrothermal manifestations and syn-eruptive emissions from other active volcanic systems in Iceland. The total CO2 flux from Hekla central volcano (diffuse soil emissions) is at least 44Td-1, thereof 14Td-1 are sourced from a small area at the volcano's summit. There was no detectable gas flux at other craters, even though some of them had higher ground temperatures and had erupted more recently. Our measurements are consistent with a magma reservoir at depth coupled with a shallow dike beneath the summit. In the current quiescent state, the composition of the exsolved gas is substantially modified along its pathway to the surface through cooling and interaction with wall-rock and groundwater. The modification involves both significant H2O condensation and scrubbing of S-bearing species, leading to a CO2-dominated gas emitted at the summit. We conclude that a compositional shift towards more S- and H2O-rich gas compositions if measured in the future by the permanent MultiGAS station should be viewed as sign of imminent volcanic unrest on Hekla.

Aerosol particles have been collected passively at four locations in and around the Poas Volcano crater. The compositions and morphologies of the collected particles were examined using transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. This study demonstrates that submicron volcanic aerosol particles including volatile species can be analyzed at high resolutions to observe compositional and morphological variations at close distances to fumaroles. Collected particles are both solids and condensed liquids. Liquid particles exhibit three distinct morphologies: aggregate, vesicular, and dendritic. In order to gain insight into the collected particles' formation mechanisms and conditions within the plume, the original composition of the volcanic emissions as defined by gas and vapor condensate samples was introduced to an equilibrium chemistry model. A Gaussian plume dispersion model was used to calculate the rate of air entrainment into the plume for use in the plume composition model. Of the collected particles, only the aggregate condensed-liquid particles have compositions predicted by the model. These particles display morphologies consistent with formation by homogeneous nucleation—the only particle formation mechanism included in the model. The other collected particles exhibit traits that suggest they were formed by additional mechanisms including heterogeneous nucleation, liquid particle coalescence, and the inclusion of background dust particles. The model demonstrates that observable SO2 gas within the plume is in a state of disequilibrium with the surrounding air. We conclude that assumptions of instantaneous equilibration between low temperature volcanic gases and surrounding ambient air and homogeneous nucleation as the sole source for volcanic aerosol formation are insufficient to explain our observations of particles within a near-source volcanic plume.

[1] We report CO2, SO2, and H2S emission rates and C/S ratios during the five months leading up to the 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska. CO2emission rates up to 9018 t/d and C/S ratios ≥30 measured in the months prior to the eruption were critical for fully informed forecasting efforts. Observations of ice-melt rates, meltwater discharge, and water chemistry suggest that surface waters represented drainage from surficial, perched reservoirs of condensed magmatic steam and glacial meltwater. These fluids scrubbed only a few hundred tonnes/day of SO2, not the >2100 t/d SO2expected from degassing of magma in the mid- to upper crust (3–6.5 km), where petrologic analysis shows the final magmatic equilibration occurred. All data are consistent with upflow of a CO2-rich magmatic gas for at least 5 months prior to eruption, and minimal scrubbing of SO2by near-surface groundwater. The high C/S ratios observed could reflect bulk degassing of mid-crustal magma followed by nearly complete loss of SO2in a deep magmatic-hydrothermal system. Alternatively, high C/S ratios could be attributed to decompressional degassing of low silica andesitic magma that intruded into the mid-crust in the 5 months prior to eruption, thereby mobilizing the pre-existing high silica andesite magma or mush in this region. The latter scenario is supported by several lines of evidence, including deep long-period earthquakes (−28 to −32 km) prior to and during the eruption, and far-field deformation following the onset of eruptive activity.

Aerosol-cloud-water vapor interactions in clean maritime air have been described for different aerosol sources using the WRF-Chem atmospheric model. The simulations were made over the Lesser Antilles in the region of the RICO measurement campaign where the clouds are low, patchy, typical trade-wind cumuli. In this very clean air, sea salt and DMS are found to have greater effects than anthropogenic pollution on the cloud droplets' effective radii and longwave and shortwave outgoing top of atmosphere radiation. The changes in radiation due to each aerosol source are a function of how each source influences aerosol concentration, cloud droplet number concentration, cloud droplet sizes, and water vapor concentration. Changes in outgoing shortwave radiation are due predominantly to changes in the clouds, followed by the direct aerosol effect which is about 2/3 as important, followed by the effects of water vapor which is in turn about 2/3 as important as the direct effect. Changes in outgoing longwave radiation are due predominantly to changes in the clouds, with changes in water vapor being about 1/10 as important. The simulated changes in water vapor concentration are due to the competing effects of aerosol particles being able to both enhance condensation of available water vapor and enhance evaporation of smaller droplets. These changes are independent of precipitation effects as there is essentially no drizzle in the domain. It is expected that the indirect radiative forcing of aerosols via water vapor may be stronger in dirtier and more strongly convective conditions.