Simon Carn

Contact

scarn@mtu.edu
906-487-1756
Dow 424

Distinguished Professor, Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences

PhD, Volcanology, Cambridge University
MS, Volcanology and Magmatic Processes, Université Blaise Pascal
BA, Earth Sciences, Oxford University

Biography

My current research focus is the application of remote sensing data to studies of volcanic degassing, volcanic eruption clouds, and anthropogenic pollution. Space-borne sensors such as the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA’s Aura satellite now allow us to probe the chemistry of the lower troposphere and measure the abundance of sulfur dioxide (SO₂), ozone, bromine monoxide (BrO), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and other important trace gases with unprecedented sensitivity. The cross-platform sensor synergy provided by NASA’s A-Train satellite constellation is advancing our knowledge of volcanic cloud composition and transport. My main focus is SO₂, a precursor of sulfate aerosol, which plays an important role in the atmosphere through negative climate forcing and impacts on cloud microphysics. The spatiotemporal variability of natural and anthropogenic SO₂ emissions, and hence of global sulfate aerosol abundance, is poorly constrained, impacting the accuracy of climate models.

Research Interests

Using satellite measurements to constrain global volcanic SO₂ production and emissions from individual volcanoes
Validation of OMI SO₂ retrievals using correlative data from ground-based, airborne and space-borne instruments
Tracking volcanic SO₂ and ash clouds operationally for aviation hazard mitigation
Remote sensing of tropospheric volcanic plumes using DOAS and FTIR
Quantifying anthropogenic emissions of SO₂ from sources such as copper smelters and oil and gas fields
Mitigation of the environmental and health impacts of volcanic degassing using satellite data
Comparisons between satellite observations and chemical transport model simulations of volcanic clouds and plumes

Publications

Carn, S.A., K. Froyd, B.E. Anderson, P. Wennberg, J. Crounse, K. Spencer, J. Dibb, N.A. Krotkov, E.V. Browell, J.W. Hair, G. Diskin, G. Sachse, and S. Vay (2011), In-situ measurements of tropospheric volcanic plumes in Ecuador and Colombia during TC4, J. Geophys. Res., doi:10.1029/2010JD014718 (in press).
Thomas, H.E., I.M. Watson, S.A. Carn, A.J. Prata, and V.J. Realmuto (2011). A comparison of AIRS, MODIS and OMI sulphur dioxide retrievals in volcanic clouds, Geomatics, Natural Hazards and Risk, Special Issue: Passive satellite techniques and ground-based investigations for volcanic activity monitoring (in press).
Krotkov, N.A., M.R. Schoeberl, G.A. Morris, S.A. Carn, and K. Yang (2010). Dispersion and lifetime of the SO2 cloud from the August 2008 Kasatochi eruption, J. Geophys. Res., Okmok-Kasatochi Special Issue, 115, D00L20, doi:10.1029/2010JD013984.
Carn, S.A., and A.J. Prata (2010). Satellite-based constraints on explosive SO2 release from Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L00E22, doi:10.1029/2010GL044971.
Yang, K., X. Liu, P.K. Bhartia, N.A. Krotkov, S.A. Carn, E. Hughes, A.J. Krueger, R. Spurr and S. Trahan (2010). Direct Retrieval of Sulfur Dioxide Amount and Altitude from Spaceborne Hyper-spectral UV Measurements: Theory and Application, J. Geophys. Res., Okmok-Kasatochi Special Issue, 115, D00L09, doi:10.1029/2010JD013982.
*Spinei, E., S.A. Carn, N.A. Krotkov, G.H. Mount, K. Yang, and A.J. Krueger (2010). Validation of OMI SO2 measurements in the Okmok volcanic plume over Pullman, WA in July 2008. J. Geophys. Res., Okmok- Kasatochi Special Issue, 115, D00L08, doi:10.1029/2009JD013492.
*Ferguson, D.J., T.D. Barnie, D.M. Pyle, C. Oppenheimer, G. Yirgu, E. Lewi, T. Kidane, S.A. Carn, and I. Hamling (2010). Recent rift-related volcanism in Afar, Ethiopia, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 292(3-4), 409-418, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2010.02.010.