Cooling mechanisms and an approximate thermal budget for the 1991-1993 Mount Etna lava flow

Details Cooling mechanisms and an approximate thermal budget for the 1991-1993 Mount Etna lava flow Cooling mechanisms and an approximate thermal budget for the 1991-1993 Mount Etna lava flow

Dec 1997

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1997georl..24.3277w&link_type=abstract

Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 24, Issue 24, p. 3277-3280

Physics

14

Volcanology, Volcanology: Eruption Monitoring

Scientific paper

The 1991-1993 eruption of Mount Etna, Sicily built a 7.2km2 aa lava flow field within the Valle del Bove. This letter provides estimates of the power losses associated with various cooling mechanisms operating during the development of the flow field, derived from time-series analysis of nighttime satellite remote sensing data. Unlike sensors used in many previous remote sensing studies of active lava, the ERS-1 Along Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR) provides unsaturated measurements of spectral radiance from even very hot surfaces. This allows for more accurate solution of the lava flow endmember thermal components. We find that radiative and conductive processes dominated, with our model suggesting energy losses of similar magnitude. Radiative losses peaked about one month into the eruption, when lava flowed in open channels. Conductive losses peaked after two months, with a marked decline caused by a significant decrease in the horizontal spreading rate of lava. By the end of the eruption the 235×106m3 of erupted lava is estimated to have lost only 28% of its initial thermal energy. A further 6.5×1017J must be lost before the lava reaches ambient temperature.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Cooling mechanisms and an approximate thermal budget for the 1991-1993 Mount Etna lava flow does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Cooling mechanisms and an approximate thermal budget for the 1991-1993 Mount Etna lava flow, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cooling mechanisms and an approximate thermal budget for the 1991-1993 Mount Etna lava flow will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-894588