1 Automated detection and analysis of volcanic thermal anomalies through the combined use of SEVIRI and MODIS

Multispectral infrared observations carried out by the spacecrafts have shown that spaceborne remote sensing of high-temperature volcanic features is feasible and robust enough to turn into volcano monitoring. Especially meteorological satellites have proven a powerful instrument to detect and monitor dynamic phenomena, such as volcanic processes, allowing very high temporal resolution despite of their low spatial resolution. An automated system that uses both EOS-MODIS and MSG-SEVIRI thermal satellite data was developed at the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia of Catania for early hot spot detection and for estimating the temporal evolution of the average effusion rate during eruptive events. The advantage obtained by the use of both SEVIRI and MODIS data in increasing temporal coverage improving satellite monitoring of active volcanoes was also confirmed on Etna volcano during the early phase of 2008 eruption