A volcano erupting in 2019 off the coast of New Zealand. Photo by Netflix.
Volcanic eruptions can be catastrophic events, particularly when they occur in inhabited coastal environments. They also play important roles in climate and biogeochemical cycles - For example, ash and nutrient deposition may fertilize coastal surface waters, resulting in algal blooms.
Many gaps remain in addressing fundamental questions about whether volcanic ash deposition may enhance or limit both phytoplankton growth and/or drive changes in microbial community composition. In a new review paper, Sasha Wagner and co-authors outline a broad, multidisciplinary vision for monitoring volcanic eruptions near ocean ecosystems from satellites. Characteristics specific to airborne volcanic ash and ash geochemistry in seawater are also considered.
The review paper was led by Kelsey Bisson, is entitled “Observing ocean ecosystem responses to volcanic ash” and was published in Remote Sensing of Environment.
