EarthCARE’s view of volcanic plume boosts air safety

What happened

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. Applications EarthCARE’s view of volcanic plume boosts air safety 01/10/2026 32 views 0 likes ESA / Applications / Observing the Earth / FutureEO / EarthCARE 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. The European Space Agency is a research and development company based in Paris.

At the same time, these observations offer new insights into the impact that volcanic eruptions have on the climate system. Anak Krakatau, which means Child of Krakatoa, has been active sporadically since it emerged from the sea at the beginning of the last century in the caldera formed after the 1883 eruption of Mount Krakatoa.

While Anak Krakatau did not explode with the terrifying power of Krakatoa, which caused a devastating tsunami, today even relatively minor volcanic eruptions can have a major impact on air travel. Volcanic ash can damage or even cause aircraft engines to stall, while also reducing pilots’ visibility by scratching cockpit windows.