In this 5-minute, 5-second video, noxious sulfur dioxide gas and other pollutants emitted from Kilauea Volcano on the Island of Hawai`i react with oxygen and atmospheric moisture to produce volcanic smog (vog) and acid rain. These forms of pollution are recurrent health issues for the citizens of Hawaii. Vog can aggravate preexisting respiratory ailments and create conditions for acid rain, which damages crops and can leach lead into household water supplies.

Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) at the summit of Kilauea closely monitor the amount and composition of gas emissions from the volcano's ongoing eruption. In February 2017, NASA scientists joined efforts with USGS, collecting data on the ground and from NASA’s high-altitude ER-2 aircraft as part of the Hyperspectral InfraRed Imager (HyspIRI) airborne preparatory mission. Data from this mission will potentially help develop a NASA satellite to study natural hazards and ecosystems, including those affected by volcanic activity.

The ER-2 aircraft is operated by NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center and based at Hangar 703 in Palmdale, CA.
Image credits: NASA/USGS

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