The Eruption started in Gíimsvötn (southeast Iceland) on May 21 at 17:30UTC. The plume height had risen to an altitude ~20km.
Aura's OMI ultraviolet aerosol index allows volcanic ash to be detected over clouds whereas this is more difficult with a visible image.
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ash plumes are being monitored via the OMI very fast delivery system (direct broadcast) from the FMI website as well as the NOAA near-real-time system
MODIS RGB is from the MODIS Rapid Response
 Terra MODIS RGB image |
 With OMI aerosol index overlaid OMI data indicate SO2 burden of 150 kiloton |
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Movie (Left) shows OMI observations of Gíimsvötn SO2 (red) and Aerosol Index (brown) volcanic clouds on May 22-June 1. Volcanic ash was released to low altitudes and moved in south-west direction toward Scandinavia, while SO2 gas was released in low stratospheric altitudes to move northward. Remnant stratospheric SO2/ice/sulfate clouds were detectable over the Arctic in early June. + View movie large in new window |
