NASA explains why watching trees near volcanoes is literally the best thing to do

Scientists have discovered that trees near volcanoes change color when a volcano is becoming more active. Now, NASA and the Smithsonian Institution are teaming up to track these changes from space.

Before a volcanic eruption, magma rising underground releases gases like carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Trees absorb the carbon dioxide, making their leaves greener and thicker. Scientists are using satellite images from NASA’s Landsat 8 to detect this greening, along with data from airborne instruments in the Airborne Validation Unified Experiment: Land to Ocean (AVUELO).

“Volcano early warning systems exist,” said Florian Schwandner, chief of the Earth Science Division at NASA’s Ames Research Center. “The aim here is to make them better and make them earlier.”

Volcanic eruptions are dangerous and unpredictable. About ten percent of the world’s population lives in areas that could be affected. People living close to volcanoes face risks like flying rock, ash clouds, and toxic gases. Even those farther away can experience mudslides or tsunamis caused by eruptions. Since eruptions can't be stopped, finding ways to predict them early is important for safety.

Spotting volcanic activity from space isn’t easy. Scientists can track sulfur dioxide because it’s easier to detect, but volcanic carbon dioxide—the earliest sign of magma rising—is harder to measure. "A volcano emitting the modest amounts of carbon dioxide that might presage an eruption isn’t going to show up in satellite imagery," said volcanologist Robert Bogue of McGill University.

Traditionally, researchers have had to travel to volcanoes to measure carbon dioxide directly. But with over 1,300 potentially active volcanoes worldwide, many are in remote, difficult-to-reach locations. Checking tree responses instead offers a simpler way to monitor volcanic activity. "The whole idea is to find something that we could measure instead of carbon dioxide directly," said Bogue.

Nicole Guinn, a volcanologist at the University of Houston, used satellite images from Landsat 8, NASA’s Terra satellite, and ESA’s Sentinel-2 to study trees near Mount Etna in Sicily. Her research found a clear link between tree leaf color and volcanic carbon dioxide.

To confirm the accuracy of satellite images, climate scientist Josh Fisher led a ground study in March 2025. His team measured carbon dioxide and collected leaf samples from trees near the Rincon de la Vieja volcano in Costa Rica. “Our research is a two-way interdisciplinary intersection between ecology and volcanology,” Fisher said.

Tracking trees as volcano indicators has some limitations. Some volcanoes don’t have enough trees nearby, and environmental factors like weather and plant diseases can affect tree growth. But past success has shown the potential of this approach.

In 2017, scientists upgraded sensors at Mayon volcano in the Philippines, detecting signs of an impending eruption. They recommended evacuations, and over 56,000 people were safely moved before the volcano erupted in January 2018. “There’s not one signal from volcanoes that’s a silver bullet," said Schwandner. "But it will be something that could change the game.”

Source: NASA

This article was generated with some help from AI and reviewed by an editor.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years.

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend