Remote sensing for hazard mitigation and resource protection in Pacific Latin America
2006 Archive:
Hazard and Resource Watch
Project updates on hazards and natural resources in Pacific Latin America

Nov 30, 2006: Continued hazards at Tungurahua volcano, Ecuador - the view from ASTER

Tungurahua volcano awoke in 1999, producing episodes of explosive activity and pyroclastic flows, and threatening communities on the lower flanks.  In Aug 2006, six villagers were killed by a pyroclastic flow which swept through several towns.  

NASA Earth Observatory feature
MTU Notables report

Nov 15, 2006: Lineaments identification with high-resolution QuickBird imagery

This QuickBird (Digital Globe) imagery near Boaco, Nicaragua shows a lineament trending from the northwest to southeast across the scene, possibly indicative of a fracture.  A method for delineating subsurface fracture distribution from a variety of satellite imagery is being developed to help communities locate and utilize groundwater resources in fractured bedrock terrains.

Oct 20, 2006: Recent heat output from Ecuador volcanoes

Radiant heat flux data from satellites provides a means to remotely track the level of activity at volcanoes.  Here, radiant heat flux is calculated from MODVOLC-MODIS satellite data courtesy of Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawaii (modis.higp.hawaii.edu).

Ecuador volcano heat flux

Oct 10, 2006: Explosions and lahars at Sangay volcano, Ecuador - the view from ASTER
Sangay is a relatively remote volcano in the Ecuador, but one of the most active in the country.  ASTER data show ash draping the summit snow cover and apparent lahars - primarily to the east and west - that presumably reflect melting of snow and ice by eruptive products.

ASTER imagery over Sangay

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