Buoyancy: The Mainz drone on the Italian island of Vulcano
Image: Thorsten Hoffmann
Effluents from volcanoes are best measured from the air. A new drone developed for this purpose weighs only as much as a water bottle. The aircraft could make it easier to predict eruptions.
EResearchers at the Gutenberg University in Mainz have tested a drone that weighs just under 900 grams and can be used to determine the composition of volcanic gases. Together with a colleague from Heidelberg University, the scientists tested the aircraft on the Italian island of Vulcano.
Unlike the models previously used by volcanologists, the Mainz drone can be transported to the site in a backpack.
Gas measurements from the air are more meaningful for volcanoes than the data from stationary observatories. The ratio of carbon dioxide to sulfur dioxide in the vapors is particularly revealing.
If it changes, it can be a warning sign of an impending eruption. This has already been observed on Mount Etna, for example. The Mainz researchers hope that their drone system will also simplify observations in remote regions with volcanic activity.