Volcano Monitor: Autonomous Triggering of 'In-Situ' Sensors

sensors near volcanoes would be alerted by the Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) craft to take more frequent data readings. This project involves developing a sulfur-dioxide-sensing volcano monitor that will be able to transmit its readings through an Iridium modem. The monitor, when integrated into the Sensor Web network, will demonstrate the autonomous capabilities of the Sensor Web, as well as the speed and accuracy of the network. A potential scenario might involve an Earth-based sensor near the volcano, such as a tilt meter or a seismometer, encountering a critical reading. This particular sensor could alert EO-1, which could then look for other sensors in the area. It would then send an alert message down to the Volcano Monitoring Box, which would increase the frequency of its readings from once an hour to once a minute. All these data would then be collected on a Web site that is accessible by volcanologists and other scientists. A typical data reading will include a date, time, temperature reading, humidity reading, and sulfur dioxide reading.