Professor Matthew Watson
M.Sc.(Leic.), Ph.D.(Cantab.)
Current positions
Professor of Volcanoes and Climate
School of Earth Sciences
Contact
Media contact
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Research interests
My research involves inversion of remotely-sensed data to retrieve physical parameters of volcanic plumes and clouds over several spatial scales, using both ground- and satellite-based techniques. These include ultraviolet (DOAS) and thermal infrared (ASTER) gas spectroscopy, and visible, near infrared (Sun-photometers) and thermal infrared aerosol retrievals (MODIS, AIRS).
My current research includes investigation of SO2 and SO42- retrievals, generation of an aerosol forward model, atmospheric correction of ash retrievals; spectrally independent calibration of SO2 retrievals using TOMS, ASTER, MODIS and AIRS, and the use of the ASTER, MODIS and AIRS in the retrieval of volcanic SO2, SO42-, and silicate ash burdens.
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
Workshop for Early Warning Systems
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School of Earth SciencesDates
01/10/2022 to 31/03/2023
Ixchel: Building understanding of the physical, cultural and socio-economic drivers of risk for strengthening resilience in the Guatemalan cordillera
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School of Earth SciencesDates
14/05/2020 to 31/12/2023
Dynamic Risk at Fuego Volcano Communities living in a post-eruption but still persistently active context
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School of Earth SciencesDates
01/10/2018 to 30/09/2019
A miniaturised multi-spectral Thermal Infrared (TIR) space imaging system for improving volcanic ash monitoring.
Principal Investigator
Description
The eruption of the Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallajökull, caused major disruption to air traffic over Europe during April and May 2010. Dangerous levels of volcanic ash can severely damage jet…Managing organisational unit
Department of Aerospace EngineeringDates
01/04/2017 to 30/09/2017
Characterisation of the Near-Field Eyjafjallajￃﾶkull Volcanic Plume and its Long-range Influence
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School of Earth SciencesDates
01/06/2011 to 01/06/2015
Publications
Selected publications
01/10/2012Stratospheric aerosol particles and solar radiation management
Nature Climate Change
Recent publications
23/05/2022A Student-Led Project for the Design of an Imaging CubeSat Payload
EGU 2022
Designing the Mission Operations for the Pointable Radiometer for Observation of Volcanic Emissions (PROVE) Pathfinder Payload
SmallSat 2022
Design of a collector for sampling volcanic ash using unmanned aerial systems
Journal of Aerosol Science
Simulation, image generation, and tomographic reconstruction of idealized volcanic plumes
International Journal of Remote Sensing
Automated Real-Time Volcanic Plume Interception for UAVs
AIAA ScieTech Forum
Related people
Professor Tom Richardson
Professor of Aerial Robotics
Department of Aerospace Engineering
Professor Lucy Berthoud
Professor of Space Engineering
Department of Aerospace Engineering
Professor Andrew Calway
Professor of Computer Vision
Department of Computer Science
Dr Ailsa Naismith
Research Associate
School of Earth Sciences