Landsat infrared analysis of fumarole activity at Unzen Volcano: time-series comparison with gas and magma fluxes

We analyse shortwave infrared thermal data of the phase 1 eruption of Unzen Volcano (Japan) extracted from eight nighttime Thematic Mapper (TM) images taken from the Landsat 5 satellite between October 1991 and November 1992. We identify two discrete regions of the dome that were heated to high temperature by the ongoing eruptive activity; a fumarolically heated region and an area associated with the effusion of new lava. We concentrate analysis on the fumarolically heated region and investigate the relationships between parameters derived from the infrared radiance data and the nature of the fumarolic gas and magma fluxes. Temporal variations in the parameters derived from the radiance data closely follow those observed in the measured rate of magma effusion. The positive correlation observed between the fumarolically driven shortwave infrared flux and the magma discharge rate (r2=0.64) indicates that degassing occurred efficiently and in proportion to the amount of magma supplied. Over our monitoring period, the data suggest that gas accumulation within the edifice did not occur, this conclusion agreeing with a previous finding obtained using correlation spectrometer (COSPEC) analysis of SO2 flux rates. A positive correlation (r2=0.56) was also found between the mean radiance of the pixels in the fumarolically heated region and the overall size of that region. This suggests a potential mechanism whereby, when gas pressure within the edifice increased, excess gas escaped through additional pathways to the surface as well through an increased flux at the main fumarolic vents.