Chronologic multisensor assessment for Mount Cleveland, Alaska from 2000 to 2004 focusing on the 2001 eruption

Abstract

The hazard posed by Mount Cleveland in Alaska's central Aleutian Islands is the interaction between erupted ash and aircraft. The understanding of these potential hazards can be applied to other threatening volcanoes in the Aleutian Islands. Remote sensing satellites have been useful for constraining the chronological events of the 2001 eruption activity. Thermal infrared data is analyzed for maximum estimated thermal flux of 15.3 GW and maximum effusion rates of 4.6 m³/s during the February 19, 2001 eruption. These thermal estimates are compared to known field observations of the deposits to better classify the eruption sequence and activity. This sequence on the western flank of volcaniclastic debris-lahar-lava is similar to the stratigraphy of past deposits nearby. Post-eruption analysis of satellite and field observation data provide a useful view into the erosion of a 1.2 x 10⁶ m³ volcaniclastic debris flow fan deposit from the eruption along with continued morphologic changes of the volcano. Areal analysis of the fan deposit in radar imagery from March 31, 2001 until December 21, 2003 indicates an average decreasing trend of 20 m²/day. This unique chance to determine the erosion rate of this deposit may be applied to similar eruption deposits at other island volcanoes.