Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Elspeth Robertson

Elspeth is currently undertaking a PhD in Geology at the University of Bristol. Her research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of ground deformation seen at a number of Kenyan Rift volcanoes. Elspeth tweets as @eamrobertson.

Science Snap (#25): Vesuvius, Andy Warhol

April 21, 2014

Vesuvius by Andy Warhol. 1985. Credit: Gaetano Anzisi

Quite simply, volcanoes are inspiring. I’ve yet to meet someone who disagrees. The majestic volcanic landscape has thus been an inspiration to many an artist and author, whether intentional or not. Furthermore, artwork itself can be a valuable tool to help decipher and understand eruptions and their effects on the climate.

Pictured here is Vesuvius erupting in all its glory and is one of my favourite pieces of “volcanic arc”. Andy Warhol made a few variations on this theme so have a google, take a look around and enjoy (there are not many pictures available on creative commons though so can’t be included here!)

 

 

Science Snap (#24): The psychedelic Zambezi flood plain

April 19, 2014
Zambezi River, Zambia. credit: ESA

Zambezi River, Zambia. credit: ESA

This colourful image shows the Zambezi River’s floodplain in Zambia. The image was created from three acquisitions from Envisat’s radar instrument that were merged together. Each acquisition was assigned a colour and when combined show changes in the floodplain between each satellite acquisition.

The white patch of pixels in the upper right quadrant marks the city of Mongu and appears white as few changes occur between each satellite image. In light green and running up the center of the image you can track the main channel of the Zambezi river. However, one image was taken during the wet season when the water levels rise up to the edge of the town. The range of colours in the image attest to the dramatic changes in water level of the Zambezi between wet and dry seasons.

Original ESA article can be found here.

Science snap (#23): Pacaya Volcano

April 17, 2014
Pacaya

NASA satellite image of the erupting Pacaya volcano, Guatemala. Credit: NASA

Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala, is almost continuously erupting, making it one of Guatemala’s most active volcanoes and a popular tourist destination. The volcano last erupted on March 2, 2014, shown in the image here taken by the MODIS instrument on the Terra satellite. Although the volcano has been kicking off since January, in March Pacaya erupted with small explosions and diffuse ash plumes, causing the opening of a new lava vent. The brown plume is clearly seen in the image and is travelling west, extending beneath the contrasting white clouds.

The Pacaya volcano is a part of the Central American Volcanic Arc, a chain of volcanoes stretching from the northwest to the southeast along the Pacific coast of Central America, formed by the tectonic subduction of the Cocos Tectonic Plate beneath the Caribbean Plate.

 

Source: http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view.php?id=83278

 

 

Science Snap (#20): Sentinal-1A Dress Rehearsal

February 27, 2014

On the 3rd April 2014 the new satellite Sentinel-1 will be launched from French Guinea into space. It’s the satellite that has the InSAR community pretty excited as it will provide free Earth Observation data covering nearly all the world’s volcanoes.

Once the satellite is launched and is sat in its correct orbit, it has to “perform a complicated dance routine to unfold its large solar wings and radar antenna“. The ESA video below shows a fast motion test run of this unfloding in the cleanroom at Thales Alenia Space in Cannes, France.

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Copyright: ESA