Monitoring and Detection of Volcanic Activity in Near Real-Time Using Intelligent Distributed Satellite Systems

Volcanic eruptions are a natural hazard that can devastate people and property. In recent years, the number of volcanic eruptions has been on the rise, and the effects of climate change are making them more frequent and more powerful. This research proposes a new methodology for monitoring volcanoes in real-time or very close to real-time using an intelligent Distributed Satellite System (iDSS). The iDSS is made up of a constellation of satellites that are all connected to one another by means of Inter-Satellite Links (ISL). This allows the data to be processed and distributed in real-time, which is essential for early warning of volcanic eruptions. In previous studies, the on-board volcanic eruption detection was proven to be possible and feasible by utilising appropriate Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques. Multispectral optical data were used to assess if an active volcanic eruption was captured in the image. The proposed iDSS architecture is practical and can be used to monitor volcanoes in real-time or near real-time. The system has been tested by taking Mount Etna as a case study and the results have been reported. The findings and conclusions of this research can be applied to and expanded upon in the context of similar natural disasters occurring around the globe.