Contemporary Use of Computer Technology
In the Study of Lava Flows - Page 2
Thermal infrared (TIR) cameras have for
some time been used by industry in
maintenance, by security forces,
tracking people and weapons, in fire fighting and,
unfortunately quite frequently in the media, during rescue
operations after natural disasters,
where rapid searches of dark enclosed areas such as caves or
cellars may detect unconcious casualties.
| It is proposed in this study to
widen the knowledge relating to cooling of lava flows by
conducting a study of current hypotheses on the
transition from pahoehoe to ‘a’a and comparing
these with directly measured temperature data sets.
Limitations of TIR cameras have been portability or
sensible temperature range. FLIR
Systems of Portland,
Oregon, USA are one of several companies now producing
relatively lightweight TIR cameras. The ThermaCAM® PM-595 camera produced by
FLIR Systems has a sensor with a spectral response which, at
7.5mm - 13mm, represents the
thermal infrared band of the elecromagnetic spectrum and a temperature range of between - 40 and
1500º C, more than capable of
sensing lava flow temperatures. Precision of ± 2° C can be
expected and the 76000 pixel image enables a high degree
of spacial accuracy, with individual pixels having
centimetric definition at typical distances for this
application. At 1.9 kg the camera is intended to be
handheld. Images can be taken at distances from flows
that are appropriate to safety and comfort and are stored
on a memory card in the camera.
|
 ThermaCAM PM-595
|
PM-595 images
taken from an Etna flow, with false colour applied, using a
pallette in Scion Image selected to give best effect
Flowing
pahoehoe
|
Shearing
‘a’a
|
Transition
pahoehoe - 'a'a at crustal margin
|
Full flow
width
|
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