When Anak Krakatau erupted a few weeks ago, the European Space Agency’s EarthCARE satellite, orbiting above, captured vertical profiles of different constituents within the volcanic plume. Designed primarily to advance our understanding of how clouds and aerosols influence Earth’s climate, here EarthCARE also provided valuable information to support safe air travel.
At the same time, these observations offer new insights into the impact that volcanic eruptions have on the climate system.