New tools aid volcanic ash monitoring

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While satellites are providing an ideal way of monitoring the cloud of volcanic ash sweeping across much of Europe recently, a ground-based network of lidar instruments has also been providing a valuable source of information to help meteorologists assess this unprecedented event. The Earlinet network of lidar stations has been closely monitoring the cloud of volcanic ash from the Eyjafjallajoekull volcano in Iceland since it started erupting on 15 April. The network, which comprises 26 different stations across Europe, uses lidar, short for ‘light detection and ranging’, instruments that shoot powerful bursts of light from a laser into the sky to acquire information on the physical properties of the atmosphere.