Volcano monitoring and hazard assessments in Chile

Volcanism in Chile occurs in a variety of tectonic settings but mostly in the context of oceanic-continental plate collision, including 92 potentially active volcanoes. There have been more than 30 documented eruptions in the last few centuries. The Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (SERNAGEOMIN) is a statutory agency of the Government of Chile responsible for volcano monitoring and hazard assessments across the country. After the impacts derived from volcanic activity at the end of the 20th century, SERNAGEOMIN created the Volcano Hazards Program and the Observatorio Volcanológico de Los Andes del Sur (OVDAS). Despite this effort, most volcanoes in Chile remained unmonitored. In 2008, the aftermath of the eruption of Chaitén led to a nationwide program in order to improve eruption forecasting, development of early warning capabilities and our state of readiness for volcanic impacts through hazard assessments. In the last decade responses to volcanic crises have been indubitably successful providing technical advice before and during volcanic eruptions. El volcanismo en Chile ocurre en una amplia variedad de regímenes tectónicos, aunque principalmente en el contexto de la colisión de placas. Alrededor de 92 volcanes son considerados potencialmente activos y más de 30 presentan actividad histórica documentada en los últimos siglos. El Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (SERNAGEOMIN) es la agencia gubernamental responsable de la evaluación de peligros y monitoreo de la actividad volcánica en el país. Como consecuencia de los impactos derivados de las erupciones volcánicas ocurridas hacia finales del siglo pasado, SERNAGEOMIN creó el Programa de Riesgo Volcánico y el Observatorio Volcanológico de los Andes del Sur (OVDAS). No obstante, a pesar de este esfuerzo la mayoría de los volcanes en Chile se mantenían sin monitoreo. Luego de los impactos derivados de la erupción del volcán Chaitén en 2008, un nuevo programa nacional fue creado con el fin de fortalecer la vigilancia y la evaluación de los peligros volcánicos en el país. En la última década, la respuesta a crisis volcánicas ha sido exitosa, proporcionando apoyo técnico en forma previa y durante erupciones.

Assessing the Use of Optical Satellite Images to Detect Volcanic Impacts on Glacier Surface Morphology

Globally, about 250 Holocene volcanoes are either glacier-clad or have glaciers in close proximity. Interactions between volcanoes and glaciers are therefore common, and some of the most deadly (e.g., Nevado del Ruiz, 1985) and most costly (e.g., Eyjafjallajökull, 2010) eruptions of recent years were associated with glaciovolcanism. An improved understanding of volcano-glacier interactions is therefore of both global scientific and societal importance. This study investigates the potential of using optical satellite images to detect volcanic impacts on glaciers, with a view to utilise detected changes in glacier surface morphology to improve glacier-clad volcano monitoring and eruption forecasting. Roughly 1400 optical satellite images are investigated from key, well-documented eruptions around the globe during the satellite remote sensing era (i.e., 1972 to present). The most common observable volcanic impact on glacier morphology (for both thick and thin ice-masses) is the formation of ice cauldrons and openings, often associated with concentric crevassing. Other observable volcanic impacts include ice bulging and fracturing due to subglacial dome growth; localized crevassing adjacent to supraglacial lava flows; widespread glacier crevassing, presumably, due to meltwater-triggered glacier acceleration and advance. The main limitation of using optical satellite images to investigate changes in glacier morphology is the availability of cloud- and eruption-plume-free scenes of sufficient spatial- and temporal resolution. Therefore, for optimal monitoring and eruption prediction at glacier-clad volcanoes, optical satellite images are best used in combination with other sources, including SAR satellite data, aerial images, ground-based observations and satellite-derived products (e.g., DEMs).

How Did Climate and Humans Respond to Past Volcanic Eruptions?

First workshop of the Volcanic Impacts on Climate and Society Working Group; Palisades, New York, 6–8 June 2016

KEARIFAN LOKAL DALAM PENATAAN RUANG KAWASAN BENCANA VULKANIK STUDI KASUS: DESA KEPUHARJO CANGKRINGAN

Some successful disaster management especially in East Asia have demonstrated how the local wisdom could contribute to increasing the resilience of its communities toward disaster impacts. A new approach integrating local wisdom with modern science is now continuously developed and, for this reason, a bottom up approach in which community’s aspirations accommodated must be well-considered. In design context, spatial ordering system could symbolize local values in which inherited knowledge towards disaster mitigation is embed. In terms of Merapi’s disaster prone-areas, the communities of Kepuharjo Village have inherited knowledge to coping with volcanic impacts that mostly expressed through their traditions and rites. The research aims to emphasize local wisdom as an essential element that contributes to increasing the community’s resilience towards volcanic impacts. By investigating the types of local wisdom still existed and understood by the local citizens, and revealing the implementation of those values into the local’s urban structure. The research employs interpretive, and ethnography approaches in which interpretations based on local community’s experience and researcher’s knowledge towards the research focus establishedAbstract: Some successful disaster management especially in East Asia have demonstrated how the local wisdom could contribute to increasing the resilience of its communities toward disaster impacts. A new approach integrating local wisdom with modern science is now continuously developed and, for this reason, a bottom up approach in which community’s aspirations accommodated must be well-considered. In design context, spatial ordering system could symbolize local values in which inherited knowledge towards disaster mitigation is embed. In terms of Merapi’s disaster prone-areas, the communities of Kepuharjo Village have inherited knowledge to coping with volcanic impacts that mostly expressed through their traditions and rites. The research aims to emphasize local wisdom as an essential element that contributes to increasing the community’s resilience towards volcanic impacts. By investigating the types of local wisdom still existed and understood by the local citizens, and revealing the implementation of those values into the local’s urban structure. The research employs interpretive, and ethnography approaches in which interpretations based on local community’s experience and researcher’s knowledge towards the research focus established