Active volcano monitoring using a space-based short-wave infrared imager

We examine the utility of optical hyperspectral data in the shortwave infrared bands for measuring the temperature field of Kilauea volcano, Hawaii. Hot objects have dramatically elevated SWIR radiance that measures one side of the Planck blackbody radiation function. Accounting for cool and hot contributions to the total radiance allows an inference of the temperature of the hot component. Maximum temperature for the hot component is determined to be in excess of 1200 K, although for most pixels, the hot temperature fell in the 1000-1100 K range. Thermally anomalous pixels cluster in a long-lived lava lake in the SE corner of Halema'uma'u crater. We calculate a total radiant flux of ~100 MW for the lava lake. While thermally anomalous pixels cover a roughly circular area approximately 180 m in diameter, the main energy release is from an area ~50 m in diameter.