As snow covers the peak of Mt. Etna in Italy a steady stream of smoke rises from the edge of the volcano giving a glimpse into what may be looming beneath the surface. Although Mt. Etna erupted right after the holidays, December 2018, this latest round of smoke rising from the volcano does not necessarily denote another large eruption in the near future. The Volcanic Ash Advisory Center Toulouse (VAAC) reported on Feb. 19, 2019 that small explosions within were occuring but that the volcanic ash cloud was dissipating and there is only a thin white plume emanating from the cone. The advisory center is called the current status “minor activity with a 3 out of 5 warning.” There have been intense ash emissions lately from the volcano, however, experts believe the eruptions are not being formed by fresh magma, but by remnant material from the last large eruption in December 2018. They are classifying the eruptions as “internal re-adjustments.” Although technically not a “fire image” this interesting view of Mt. Etna does have smoke rising from its cone and thus deserves its rightful place on the “Fire and Smoke” page.
NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Worldview application provides the capability to interactively browse over 700 global, full-resolution satellite imagery layers and then download the underlying data. Many of the available imagery layers are updated within three hours of observation, essentially showing the entire Earth as it looks “right now. This satellite image was collected on February 18, 2019. Image Courtesy: NASA Worldview, Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS). Caption: Lynn Jenner with information from the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center