2013" (http://bit.ly/swvolcanoes ) is an unprecedented look into the daily life and activities of the research team as they scale the side of the active Stromboli volcano off the north coast of Sicily.
The team, headed by UAF research professors John Dehn and Peter Webley, is testing an inexpensive way to monitor and collect data from volcanoes using off-the-shelf webcams.
"In short, our fieldwork is trying to calibrate these inexpensive cameras using the infrared digital cameras under a variety of conditions at active volcanoes," Dehn, an associate research professor, said from Italy. "This would allow us to data-mine past eruptions for accurate time temperature data and offer an inexpensive alternative to costly digital video monitoring."
The information is compared to data collected by expensive, power-hungry thermal imaging devices typically used at the volcanoes. Webley said it will allow volcanoes around the world to be more easily and affordably monitored.
