Mr. Burton et al., Diurnal changes in volcanic plume chemistry observed by lunar and solar occultation spectroscopy, GEOPHYS R L, 28(5), 2001, pp. 843-846
We report the first spectroscopic measurements of volcanic gas emissions by
lunar occultation. The experiment was carried out at Masaya volcano, Nicar
agua in 1998 using a portable Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. Both
SO2 and HCl column concentrations were determined to yield a SO2/HCl molar
ratio of 2.2 +/- 0.28 (+/-1 sigma). This is significantly greater than the
equivalent ratio of 1.6 +/- 0.02 (+/-1 sigma) derived from solar occultati
on measurements of the volcanic plume. We propose that the cause of the noc
turnal increase in SO2/HCl ratio is dissolution of HCl into volcanic water
droplets within the plume. This arises because the low saturated vapour pre
ssure of water by night results in strong condensation of plume water vapou
r whereas by day only negligible plume water vapour condenses.