McGill researchers use drones to collect volcanic samples – The McGill Tribune

Gases emitted by volcanoes can provide crucial insights into their activity and eruptions, but gas samples are difficult and often dangerous to collect by hand. McGill scientists are among the first to solve this problem, using drones to collect samples remotely by piloting them into a volcano’s crater and filling containers with volcanic gases.

Using commercially available drones at Costa Rica’s Poás Volcano, a team of researchers led by McGill graduate student Fiona D’Arcy collected gas samples and analyzed them for carbon isotope content — the ratio between two versions of carbon, 12 and 13, found in the sample.

Researchers found that fluctuations in isotopic concentrations are a good predictor of eruptive patterns at Poás.

During quiescent periods, carbon-13 built up inside Poás Volcano, increasing the ratio D’Arcy’s team measured in the gas. But at times when Poás erupted, they observed a shift toward more carbon-12, resulting in a lower isotope ratio.

“When we start seeing [the ratio] falling off, it’s kind of like a warning sign, like, maybe there’s a break in the seal, maybe something’s preparing for it […] explode through,” D’Arcy said in a witty interviewThe McGill Grandstand//.

If this pattern holds true across volcanoes with different characteristics in different regions, it could be a powerful tool for predicting eruptions. D’Arcy has previously used this method on the island volcano of Stromboli in Italy and found similar results that she plans to publish later this year.

“On the one hand […] We definitely need to acknowledge that and go elsewhere,” D’Arcy said. “But on the other hand you’re just like, ‘Wow, that’s amazing. We need to publish and get that out.”

The subtle variations in carbon isotopes that D’Arcy is monitoring would have been extremely difficult to measure just 10 years ago, but have been made possible by several technological innovations. Using drones to collect measurements was a key improvement, but as explained by John Stix, who worked with D’Arcy to collect and analyze this data, advances in portable laboratory equipment were just as crucial.

“The study was nice for two reasons: A, the drones, and B, the fact that we had this instrument with us in the field and we made these measurements on the same day in almost real time,” says Stix, a professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences said in an interview with the tribune.

Innovations like these are currently revolutionizing the world of volcanology, particularly the use of drones to capture measurements where it would be dangerous to send humans.

“If everything goes well, you fly in, measure and come out again. And that’s really the beauty of it,” Stix said.

While incorporating these new technologies is a great benefit for researchers, it also requires a lot of trial and error. D’Arcy built the instrument package used by the drone himself and had to figure out the process as the work progressed.

“I’ve spent a lot of time on online forums and YouTube trying to figure out how to connect the batteries and the best way to use this one sensor, and I’ve been going to hobby shops and ordering parts from everywhere and figuring out how the wires fit,” D’Arcy said.

Ironing out those wrinkles and identifying best practices is an integral part of deploying new drone technology, and others are already trying to build on D’Arcy’s work. In February, she will participate in a workshop at IACVEI 2023, an international conference aimed at developing the most effective practices and standard protocols for using drones to study volcanic activity. Observatories that monitor local volcanoes for forecasting and evacuation purposes are also interested in using this technology.

As more volcanologists embrace the use of drones for remote sampling, we can expect more exciting discoveries like these.