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Crowdsourcing human observations expands and enhances volcano monitoring records

Earth Sciences

Crowdsourcing human observations expands and enhances volcano monitoring records

M. A. T. Clive, R. V. Lawson, et al.

This study showcases the innovative use of crowdsourcing to enhance volcano monitoring records, revealing how local observations aligned with geophysical data from the 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai eruption. Conducted by Mary Anne T. Clive, Rachel V. Lawson, Oliver D. Lamb, Sally Potter, Geoff Kilgour, Paul A. Jarvis, Sara Harrison, Brad Scott, and Danielle Charlton, this research highlights a low-cost method to gain valuable insights into volcanic activity.

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~3 min • Beginner • English
Abstract
Volcano monitoring is constrained by the distribution of sensors that record activity. Here, we explore the role of crowdsourcing to broaden acoustic monitoring records by surveying people across Aotearoa New Zealand about the sounds they heard following the 2022 climactic eruption of Hunga volcano in Tonga. We compare the 1930 survey responses to geophysical records of the pressure waves and find that they align well, both recording ~5–7 audible signals of varying amplitude with a peak of 60–80 decibels, arriving in two 30-minute phases ~3 hours post-eruption, travelling North-to-South. The crowdsourced observations fill instrumental gaps regarding the wave’s audible frequencies and contribute insights into interactions between the far-field acoustic wave and the capacity of substantial disturbances thousands of kilometers from the vent. We demonstrate that crowdsourcing can support traditional monitoring as a reliable low-cost method to capture perishable data.
Publisher
Communications Earth & Environment
Published On
Oct 17, 2024
Authors
Mary Anne T. Clive, Rachel V. Lawson, Oliver D. Lamb, Sally Potter, Geoff Kilgour, Paul A. Jarvis, Sara Harrison, Brad Scott, Danielle Charlton
Tags
crowdsourcing
volcano monitoring
Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai
geophysical records
audible frequencies
environmental interaction
Aotearoa New Zealand
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