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Eruption of the Cotopaxi volcano in Ecuador

By Scott Bachmeier •

GOES-13 visible (0.63 µm) images [click to play animation]

GOES-13 visible (0.63 µm) images [click to play animation]

GOES-13 visible (0.63 µm) images (above; click to play animation) displayed distinct dark-gray ash plumes from 2 separate daytime eruptions of the Cotopaxi volcano in Ecuador on 14 August 2015 (there was also an initial eruption that occurred during the preceding nighttime hours). The asterisk near the center of the images marks the location of the volcano summit. Volcanic ash fall was observed in the capitol city of Quito (station identifier SEQU, located about 50 km or 30 miles north of the volcano), and some flights were diverted due to the volcanic ash cloud.

The corresponding GOES-13 infrared (10.7 µm) images (below; click image to play animation) showed that cloud-top IR brightness  temperatures were as cold a -53º C (orange color enhancement) at 1915 UTC.

GOES-13 infrared (10.7 µm) images [click to play animation]

GOES-13 infrared (10.7 µm) images [click to play animation]

The volcanic cloud features were also easily tracked on GOES-13 water vapor (6.5 µm) images (below; click image to play animation). In fact, note how the signature in the water vapor imagery is more distinctly seen for a longer period of time than on the 10.7 µm infrared imagery.

GOES-13 water vapor (6.5 µm) images [click to play animation]

GOES-13 water vapor (6.5 µm) images [click to play animation]

The tan-colored volcanic ash cloud was also evident on Aqua MODIS and Suomi NPP VIIRS true-color Red/Green/Blue (RGB) imagery (below), as viewed using the SSEC RealEarth web map server.

Aqua MODIS true-color images [click to enlarge]

Aqua MODIS true-color images [click to enlarge]

Suomi NPP VIIRS true-color image [click to enlarge]

Suomi NPP VIIRS true-color image [click to enlarge]

A comparison of Suomi NPP VIIRS visible (0.64 µm) and infrared (11.45 µm) images is shown below (courtesy of William Straka, SSEC). The coldest cloud-top IR brightness temperature was -72.7º C.

Suomi NPP VIIRS visible (0.64 µm) and infrared (11.45 µm) images [click to enlarge]

Suomi NPP VIIRS visible (0.64 µm) and infrared (11.45 µm) images [click to enlarge]

Categories: Air quality, Aviation, GOES-13, MODIS, RealEarth, Red-Green-Blue (RGB) images, Suomi NPP, VIIRS, Volcanic activity