IR Instrument Vows Early Warnings of Volcanic Eruptions

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Hollywood's recent fantastic images of fiery lava engulfing entire cities might be a slight exaggeration, but the danger of volcanoes to humans is all too real, especially to researchers seeking a closer look at what makes these magmatic mountains tick.
Stanley Williams, professor of volcanology at Arizona State University, is working with Barringer Research Ltd. in Toronto to develop an instrument that will monitor a volcano's carbon dioxide emission by measuring infrared radiation. Such a capability would give scientists a warning days to weeks before an eruption.