Scientists monitor active volcanoes by drones

There are an estimated 300 active volcanoes in the world, and our challenge is how to monitor them and give early warnings before they erupt.

Now researchers have designed a specially modified drone to help them collect data on active volcanoes in Papua New Guinea.

Drones could help local communities to monitor nearby volcanoes and predict future eruptions.  Their measurements will also provide a better understanding of the most unapproachable, highly active volcanoes and their impact on the global carbon cycle.

Manam is located on  an island just 10 kilometres away the northwest coast of Papua New Guinea. The island has more than 9,000 people, and Manam volcano is the most active volcano in the country. A major eruption in 2004 caused the entire island to be evacuated to the main island, and it destroyed crops and homes.

Scientists have only a few ways to predict when a volcano will erupt. They can monitor seismic activity in the area, monitor the quakes that almost always occur before a volcano erupts, and look for upwelling on the volcano's slopes as underground magma rises.

When visibility allows, satellites can quickly monitor and measure emissions of gases such as sulfur dioxide from volcanoes. These changes in emissions can predict increased activity in the volcanoes below.

Emma Liu, a volcanologist from London University said, “Manam has not been studied in detail, but with satellite data we can see that it is producing a lot of emissions.”