Lightening could help monitor volcanic ash cloud

WASHINGTON - A new study has suggested that lightening could be a new way of monitoring volcanic ash cloud, such as in the case of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull.

UK Met Office’s long-range lightning location network (ATDnet) had measured lightning generated during the volcanic activity.

The measurements suggest a general correlation between lightning frequency and plume height and the method has the advantage of being detectable many thousands of kilometres away.

“When a plume becomes sufficiently electrified to produce lightning, the rate of lightning generation provides a method of remotely monitoring the plume height, offering clear benefits to the volcanic monitoring community,” the researchers wrote.

The research is published in IOP Publishing’s Environmental Research Letters. (ANI)