Latest news with #CopernicusSentinel-2C
NDTV
3 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
New Images Capture Mount Etna's Massive Eruption From Space
On June 2, Mount Etna erupted, spewing hot lava down its slopes as a massive ash cloud towered above Sicily. Located on the Italian island of Sicily, Europe's highest and most active volcano sent a colossal plume of ash soaring up to 5 kilometres into the sky during the eruption. Meanwhile, a European Space Agency satellite captured the whole thing from space. Copernicus Sentinel-2C snapped dramatic photos of the eruption just minutes after it began, providing a unique perspective on the volcanic activity. The satellite, launched by the European Commission's Earth observation program in September 2024, captured striking images of Mount Etna's eruption from an altitude of 775 km. The photos reveal a dense ash plume and a pyrocumulus cloud drifting over inland Sicily, as well as active lava flows descending into the Valle del Bove. "The image here clearly depicts the lava flow and huge plume of smoke and ash. A capture from the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite also shows the sulphur dioxide emitted in the plume," ESA wrote while sharing the image. See the image here: 🌋 Mount Etna's latest eruption on 2 June was caught by @CopernicusEU Sentinel-2. This image shows the lava distribution from the eruption, using an infrared overlay to highlight lava flowing. — European Space Agency (@esa) June 4, 2025 As per ESA's Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite caught the eruption using its wide swath high-resolution multispectral imager that includes 13 spectral bands for imaging Earth's vegetation and landscape. The Copernicus satellites provide critical data to experts, enabling them to monitor volcanic activity, assess hazards, support emergency responses, and track long-term landscape changes. The eruption began at 11:24 am local time on June 2, when increased pressure from hot gases inside Mount Etna led to a partial collapse of one of its craters. This triggered a pyroclastic flow, sending a dense column of ash and smoke kilometres into the atmosphere. Lava flowed in three directions but began to cool down. Pyroclastic flows are highly hazardous, reaching temperatures of up to 1,000°C and travelling at speeds of around 60 miles per hour. #Etna 2025 suite de l'éruption — 🥗Aurelien Pouzin🍯 (@aurelienpouzin) June 2, 2025 Notably, there hadn't been an eruption from Etna of this magnitude since 2014, according to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology Observatory. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) had noted Mount Etna was experiencing "intense and almost continuous" strombolian explosions. According to the latest statement by INGV, the eruption activity has ceased.
Metro
4 days ago
- Climate
- Metro
Satellite images capture Mount Etna's eruption from space
Hiyah Zaidi Published June 4, 2025 2:55pm Link is copied Comments Tourists were seen running for their lives after Mount Etna erupted on Monday. The Sicilian volcano is Europe's largest and most active stratovolcano, and has recently spewed a giant plume of gas that stretched four miles into the sky. But, just as the volcano erupted, the Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite was passing by and managed to capture the whole thing in dramatic images (Picture: EU/Copernicus Sentinel-2 / SWNS) On June 2, at around 12pm local time, the volcano erupted following volcanic tremors which began around midnight. The eruption sent a pyroclastic flow - which is a mix of hot rock, ash and gas - down the side of the mountain. The cloud it produced, which was mainly made up of water and sulphur dioxide, headed south west and was so big it plunged the nearby town of Catania into darkness (Picture: European Space Agency) One concern of the eruption was the disruption of air traffic. Dr Stuart Black, geological expert at the University of Reading, said: 'Commercial aircraft typically fly at similar altitudes as where the volcanic material is reaching, so persistent activity could force flight rerouting in the region.' However, the eruption has led to no reported injuries or damage, and barely disrupted flights on or off the island (Picture: European Space Agency) The eruption began with an increase of pressure in the hot gases inside the volcano, according to The Conversation. This led to the partial collapse of part of one of the craters atop Etna on the south eastern edge of the volcano, which led to the pyroclastic flow. However, the lava flowed in three directions, and began to cool down. Pyroclastic flows can be extremely dangerous and can travel at an average of 60 miles per hour, reaching temperatures up to 1,000°C (Picture: European Space Agency) However, the flows did not make it beyond the Valle del Leone (or Lion Valley) which forms a natural containment area. But the volcano has been active recently, with the latest eruption marking the 14th episode since mid-March. The most recent pyroclastic flows with significant reach were recorded on February 10, 2022, October 23, 2021, December 13, 2020 and February 11, 2014, Marco Viccaro, president of Italy's national volcanology association, said on Tuesday (Picture: European Space Agency) Mount Etna reaches around 3,350 meters (11,050 feet) above sea level and is 35 kilometers (22 miles) in diameter. It is the highest Mediterranean island mountain and the most active stratovolcano in the world. It has documented eruptions dating back to 1500 BCE. The largest recorded historical eruption of the volcano occurred in 1669, when a number of big eruptions took place for around four months. It's thought that around fourteen villages and towns were destroyed by the lava flows or by earthquakes, and around 20,000 people were killed by the eruptions (Picture: AP) At the moment, researchers cannot give accurate details on when a volcano is about to blow. However, there are some warning signs, such as earthquakes when the magma pushes its way up to the surface. The magma also makes the ground near a volcano bulge upwards very slightly, by a few millimetres or centimetres, which can be monitored using satellites. However, new research suggests that trees may act as a good early warning detection system, as the magma beneath the surface releases a lot of carbon dioxide, which makes the trees more green – and this can be monitored through satellites (Picture: Getty)
