This grant supports acquisition of instrumentation to remotely measure gas species, mainly SO2, aerosols and particles in volcanic plumes. Specific equipment to be acquired includes: 1) a Differential Optical Absorption Spectrometer (DOAS) configured with an automated scanning system for measurement and quantification of fluxes of gas species (e.g., SO2, Nox and O3); 2) a UV spectrometer and UV camera for determination of SO2 emission rates 3) a sun photometer for measurement of the spectral optical depth of plumes to infer aerosol particle size distribution; 4) a portable weather station to help in determining plume speeds and assessing meteorological conditions; 5) a deposit impactor for direct sampling of volcanic aerosols; and 5) ancillary field and portable computer equipment. The equipment will support PI internationally collaborative research and student research training with a focus on assessment of gas and aerosol emissions from active volcanoes in Central America and Mexico. Ground-based measurements will complement and help to validate use of spaceborne remote sensing data from MODIS, ASTER etc. to observe active volcanic systems and study their dynamics. Facilitated research will have direct implications for assessing and mitigating volcanic hazards and for improving our understanding of the effects of volcanic emissions on climate. The PI is an early career female geoscientist and the University of Puerto Rico is a Hispanic Serving Institution.
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