VOLCANIC EMISSION

Median value of SO2 mass loading (expressed in Dobson Units) during the last Nyiragongo eruption on 23/05/2021 at 18:00 UTC provided by FALL3D model without data satellite insertion

Volcanic plumes can extend over large areas and travel long distances into the atmosphere, releasing huge quantities of volatile substances that can in turn affect air quality and even the climate for years. When gases and ash from small to moderate eruptions or long-term degassing are released into the troposphere, their longevity is much shorter, but their environmental impact can be very significant. Nowadays, physics-based approaches built upon volcanic ash transport and dispersal models (i.e., FALL3D, https://github.com/FALL3D-suite/FALL3D) and data assimilation techniques are valuable tools to describe complex plume dynamics and assess their impact. The WALL project aims to use these approaches to predict the dispersion of volcanic plumes from Nyiragongo and Nyiamuragira volcanoes, both during ongoing eruptions and periods of continuous degassing and thus quantify long-term volcanic impacts, in terms of effects on air and water quality and their effect on soil composition.