Volcanic monItoring using SenTinel sensors by an integrated Approach (VISTA)

Volcanic monItoring using SenTinel sensors by an integrated Approach (VISTA) project is aimed at developing a novel ensemble of algorithms to completely characterized the effects of volcanic emissions on land and atmosphere. Volcanic activity is observed worldwide with a variety of remote sensing instruments, each one with advantages and drawbacks. Because a single remote sensing instrument able to furnish a comprehensive description of a given phenomenon doesn’t exist, a multi-sensor approach is required. In particular, the aim of this study is the definition of a new generation of integrated methods which aim at exploiting the information of the COPERNICUS Sentinels data (from Visible-VIS to Thermal Infrared-TIR) by means of already consolidated retrieval algorithms and novel ML procedures.

The increasing availability of Sentinel’s data allows an innovative perspective to achieve the objective of a complete monitoring of the eruptions effects by a unique satellite mission. Currently the possibilities offered by the COPERNICUS Sentinel missions are only partially explored to provide new consistent and statistically reliable information about volcanic cloud quantification and dispersion in the atmosphere and ash deposits on the ground. Such information is crucial for aviation safety and civil protection purposes therefore new tools to exploit satellite observations are required.

The project will develop specific methodologies integrating inverse modeling techniques (based on radiative transfer models) with dedicated machine learning (ML) approaches to formulate a set of novel integrated methods.
The expected outcomes of the project are improvements in satellite volcanic ash/ice/water vapour particles/SO2 cloud detection and retrievals (altitude, extension, mass, concentration, aerosol optical depth and effective radius), the development of a specific ML based algorithm to map the presence of ash deposits over land and the generation of new satellite-based prototypal services to mitigate the effect of volcanic eruption on health, environment, aviation and to better understand volcanic processes.