Preliminary observations of volcanoes with the SIR-C radar

The two flights of the Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) in April and October 1994 provided a wealth of new image data over many of the world´s volcanoes, including 13 of the 15 International Decade Volcanoes. A first look at these data shows that mapping of remote volcanoes (e.g., Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira in Africa) will now be easier, especially when aided by the collection of multi-parameter radar data over better known analogous volcanoes such as Kilauea, HI. The utility of the radar to identify different types of lava flows is shown for Fernandina volcano, Galapagos Islands. Growth of mudflow deposits (“lahars”) that were emplaced on Mount Pinatubo, Philippines, during the six months between the two missions is also illustrated. Additionally, interferometric radar data were collected over several active volcanoes; the potential uses of these data for topographic mapping and ground deformation studies are discussed