Effective use of Himawari-8 data in Volcanic Ash detection, monitoring and forecasting

Spatial Resolution

• Small and thin ash plumes can be better resolved. This is important when verifying pilots reports of ash in the vicinity of an airport.
  
• The higher spatial resolution of the 3.9 micron channel will assist in hotspot detection in the location of a "suspect" volcano.
• A translucent "optically thin" ash cloud may be detected more readily in the higher resolution imagery.
• Ash cloud features such as gravity waves and "warm donut" features corresponding to stratospheric ash clouds may be more readily detected. These features are important in the context of the meteorology of the ash cloud.
  

Temporal Resolution

• Earlier detection and verification of the eruption, especially if a suitable Derived Product Algorithm can be produced.
• Hotspot detection using the 3.9 micron channel can be enhanced by the higher frequency of the data.
  

• Able to track the volcanic ash better, especially if it is translucent (optically thin) ash. Also if there is meteorological cloud in the vicinity.
  
• Permits the ongoing monitoring of ash cloud features such as gravity waves and "warm donut" features corresponding to stratospheric ash cloud.
  
• Hotspot monitoring using the 3.9 micron channel can be enhanced by the higher frequency of the data. It may be possible to monitor this in spite of the intermittent coverage of the eruption by meteorological cloud.
• The 10 minute data makes for spectacular high impact imagery which would be very popular with the media.

Additional Channels

• Volcanic ash has bright colours in the Ash RGB product which makes the tracking of the ash cloud easier. The initial eruption can sometimes be seen as red enhancement in the Ash RGB product. This may also assist in the detection, especially if this activity is in the vicinity of a suspect volcano.
• Developing appropriate Derived Products for volcanic ash monitoring utilising the extra channels (eg. the NOAA Volcanic Ash Suite)