Lesson 10: Volcanoes

Remote Sensing Volcanoes using Weather Satellites

Below is a sequence of visible imagery taken for the GOES-3 satellite as it observed the Mt. St. Helens eruption on 18 May, 1980. The first image is at 1515UTC and is prior to the eruption. The ash cloud is clearly seen in the next 8 images, spaced one-half hour apart.

What do you notice about the cloud patterns in the vicinity of Mt. St. Helens at the beginning of the eruption?

How does the movement of the ash cloud compare with the movement of clouds?

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