The remote Nabro Volcano, along the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia, emitted a thick plume of volcanic gases on June 15, 2011. The Toulousse Volcanic Ash Advisory Center and the Joint Air Force & Army Weather Information Network reported that the plume rose to an altitude of 35,000 feet (11,000 meters), and consisted mainly of sulfur dioxide. The bright white color of the plume suggests it contains a high concentration of water vapor as well.
This natural-color satellite image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite.
NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-GSFC.
