Volcanic plumes: emission, chemistry-transport and impact on the atmosphere and climate – VOLCPLUME

Depending on the magnitude of their eruptions, volcanoes impact the atmosphere at various temporal and spatial scales. However, the volcanic source remains the major unknown to rigorously assess these impacts. This project, at the interface between volcanology and atmospheric sciences, aims at better characterising volcanic gas and ash emissions using novel inverse modelling procedures that combine ground and satellite observations of the volcanic plume with chemistry-transport modelling. A refined knowledge of source emissions will improve our ability to forecast the atmospheric evolution of volcanic plumes and better assess their short-term impact on air traffic or quality. On longer term perspectives, this research should provide a refined quantification of the budget and lifecycle of volcanic sulphur-rich aerosols, which represent key parameters forcing global models of atmospheric chemistry and climate.