Eruption of Montserrat's Soufriere Hills Volcano

Eruption of Montserrat's Soufriere Hills Volcano

Ash from the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano on the island of Montserrat continues to spread out over the surface of the ocean on July 15, 2003, coloring the deep blue ocean waters bright blue. Where the previous day’s image showed a plume of gray ash drifting southwestward from the island, this image shows where the ash settled down on the water’s surface. This Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image shows a red outline on the eastern edge of the small island, which may be a thermal signature from the volcano itself or perhaps a fire started by the scorching volcanic debris.

Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC