Volcanological Applications of Doppler Radars: A Review and Examples from a Transportable Pulse Radar in L-Band

Many types of radar systems have been applied to the study of a wide range of volcanic features. Fields of application commonly include volcano deformation by interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), mainly satellite-based (e.g. Froger et al., 2007) but also ground-based like LISA (Casagli et al., 2009), digital elevation model generation using satellite or airborne InSAR measurements, surface products mapping by amplitude images of satellite radars, characterization of unexposed deposits by ground-penetrating radars (Russell & Stasiuk, 1997), monitoring of active lava domes and flows by either ad-hoc ground-based radars (e.g. Malassingne et al., 2001; Macfarlane et al., 2006; Wadge et al., 2005, 2008) or commercial ones (Hort et al., 2006; Vöge & Hort, 2008, 2009; Vöge et al., 2008), and quantitative characterization of explosive activity by means of fixed weather radars (large ash plumes) and transportable radars (Strombolian activity, weak ash plumes). A thorough review of all radar applications in volcanology is beyond the scope of this chapter which, instead, focuses on recent investigations of explosive eruptive regimes enhanced by the developments of dedicated transportable ground-based radars, by the recent advances made in signal interpretation using eruption models, and by the important concerns raised by ash plume hazards.