Using the 3D-chemistry-transport-model POLYPHEMUS/DLR, the dispersion of the volcanic ash emitted by the Eyjafjalla was computed. POLYPHEMUS/DLR accounts for the full chemistry of the relevant atmospheric trace gases. In this calculation, the volcanic ash is considered as nearly passive tracer. More ...

Multiple data takes of the satellite MODIS from April 15 to 20 have been used to generate a mosaic covering the entire European area. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Instrument MODIS is a 36 band spectrometer recording with 250m pixel size, producing global coverage within 1-2 days. The technical specifications of the instrument can be found in the mission Web-Portal of NASA http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ On April, 15 the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull can be clearly identified by its ash plume. The emitted matter was transported in south westerly direction over the central North Sea. The plume was driven by strong winds, originated between a region of high pressure over the Atlantic and a cyclone over Scandinavia. On April, 16 a cloud band can be observed over Germany, separating aerosol-polluted , but water-vapour free air in the north from less polluted air in the south. On April 17, cloud filaments show up over the Atlantic west of France. The detail image reveals that the volcano is still emitting tephra, which however is now drifting southward. On April, 18 the initial ash plume has been disseminated over the southern North Sea, the English channel, and the eastern Atlantic. During the MODIS overflight the volcanic activity was reasonably weaker than before. On April, 19 a small cyclonic eddy next to Island pushes rapid ashes-transport in southwesterly direction (this phenomenon can also be seen in the detail image) On April, 20 the aerosol cloud is rapidly stretched by wind shear strain, dissipating the narrow emission band into a wide fan. More ...

From NOAA-19 AVHRR data received on April 20th in the early morning before sunrise (5:54 CEST) hotpots can be seen for the first time. The red arrows point at two green-blueish coloured areas, a larger and a smaller one. Such hotspots can be identified through the use of a mid-infrared channel (wavelength: 3.7 µm), since an increase of the temperature generally results in a high signal response in this spectral region. The obvious intensification and extension of the hotspots indicate that Eyjafjalla potentially started to eject more lava and therefore less amount of ashes. More ...

On 15th April 2010, the volcano Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland emitted large quantities of ash and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. Sulfur dioxide and ash particles differ in their radiative properties. The European meteorological satellite Meteosat-9, whose data are received and processed by DLR, supplies radiances in twelve wavelengths every 15 minutes. By suitable combinations of channels at 10.8 microns and 12 microns (ash, highlighted in yellow) or 8.7 microns to 12 microns (SO2, marked in blue) the path of these materials can be visualized. The grey background represents brightness temperature in the channel 10.8 microns. Ongoing dilution or overlying clouds makes detection more difficult. Therefore, ash-free classified areas are not necessarily a safe airspace. More ...

This study shows the air masses being emitted from the volcano Eyjafjallajökull residing over Europe during the time of DLR-Falcon's flight. The flight took place between 16:00 and 19:30 local time. The color code represents the actual height of the considered air parcels. More ...

DLR operates the cloud physical parameter APOLLO (AVHRR/MSG Processing scheme Over cLouds Land and Ocean) processing scheme for EUMETSAT's METEOSAT-9 meteorological satellite. Low sun elevation conditions in morning and late afternoon hours allow the visualization of atmospheric turbidity with its spatial variability. More ...

Apart from the emission of ash and water vapour, the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano emitted sulphur dioxide (SO2) into the atmosphere, a colourless and toxic trace gas. The SO2 plume had been transported south-eastwards over the Atlantic Ocean, with sulfur dioxide amounts of more than 20 DU Dobson Units (DU). The SO2 was measured since April 15, 2010, by the atmospheric sensor GOME-2 (Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment) on the EUMETSAT satellite, MetOp-A. The Remote Sensing Technology Institute (IMF) of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) provides as part of the O3M-SAF near-real-time and historical maps of GOME-2 total column (ozone, nitrogen dioxide, tropospheric nitrogen dioxide, bromine oxide, sulphur dioxide, H2O, HCHO) and cloud products.  More ...

AVHRR data from the NOAA series of satellites is routinely being received at DLR/DFD. This satellite image, acquired on April 17, 2010 by NOAA-19, shows the ash emitted by the volcano Eyjafjallajokull in Southern Iceland as a blue-greyish cloud formation. Being diverted first in a southern direction by Northern winds, the cloud drifted southeastwards due to winds caused by a low pressure system east of Iceland. Due to its dispersion above Central Europe, the ash cloud is not as visible as directly above the crater. More ...

Apart from the emission of ash and water vapour, the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano emitted sulphur dioxide (SO2) into the atmosphere, a colourless and toxic trace gas. The SO2 plume had been transported south-eastwards over the Atlantic Ocean, with sulfur dioxide amounts of more than 20 DU Dobson Units (DU). The SO2 was measured since April 15, 2010, by the atmospheric sensor GOME-2 (Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment) on the EUMETSAT satellite, MetOp-A. The Remote Sensing Technology Institute (IMF) of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) provides as part of the O3M-SAF near-real-time and historical maps of GOME-2 total column (ozone, nitrogen dioxide, tropospheric nitrogen dioxide, bromine oxide, sulphur dioxide, H2O, HCHO) and cloud products.  More ...