Here's Why NASA Is Watching Volcanoes From Space

NASA is closely monitoring volcanoes from space to better understand and predict volcanic eruptions, which can have significant impacts on the environment, climate and human populations.

NASA is also studying the changing tree leaves, which can indicate the eruption of a nearby volcano. Scientists believe they can detect these changes from space by monitoring these changes.

The US-based space agency has deployed satellites and instruments to monitor the volcanoes, such as Landsat 8 and 9 gives high-resolution images of volcanic activity and ash deposits, Sentinel-5P tracks sulfur dioxide and other volcanic gases, GOES-R Series provides real-time imagery of volcanic eruptions and ash clouds, MODIS monitors volcanic ash and aerosols in the atmosphere.

Also Read | What Is Solar Maximum And How Will It Affect Earth in 2025?

Why Is Watching Volcanoes From Space Important?

"Volcano early warning systems exist," volcanologist Florian Schwandner, chief of the Earth Science Division at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley, who had teamed up with climate scientist Josh Fisher of Chapman University in Orange, California and volcanologist Robert Bogue of McGill University in Montreal a decade ago, said as quoted by NASA in a report published on May 15, 2025. "The aim here is to make them better and make them earlier."

NASA reported that volcanic hazards pose a threat to approximately 10 per cent of the global population, particularly those living or working near active volcanoes and constant tracking can enable the authorities to prepare and respond accordingly.

Also Read | When The Sun Dies: What It Means For Earth

NASA's satellite instruments can detect volcanic ash and gases, such as sulfur dioxide, which can affect global climate patterns and pose hazards to aviation and human health. The observations also help to understand the climate impacts.

Studying volcanoes from space helps scientists get a better understanding of geological processes, the Earth's interior and the interactions between volcanoes and the atmosphere.