VOLCANOES

There are some 1,500 active volcanoes in the world, and on the average some 35 or 40 eruptions per year. Many of these are in developing nations. (http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/PlateTectonics/Maps/map_plate_tectonics_world.html)

There is a good source of general information on volcanoes on the web: http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/

Individual volcano eruptions have killed people by the tens of thousands, and destroyed property worth huge amount of money. Thus a lahar (or flow of mud and debris) set off by the eruption of the Nevada de Ruiz in Colombia in 1985 is estimated to have killed 25,000 people. But knowledge about volcanoes, and information that allows prediction of major volcanic events would be a big help. It could be used to plan development to avoid areas of volcanic peril, and to get out of the way of impending eruptions. See for example, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) site about monitoring volcanoes:
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/About/What/Monitor/monitor.html

The European Space Agency’s Envisat, among its functions, is intended to provide that kind of information.
http://envisat.esa.int/

According to a story in the January 18-24, 2003 Economist magazine, Envisat is equipped with interferometric synthetic aperture radar that can give ground elevation with millimeter scale accuracy. It should allow affordable, worldwide monitoring of the kinds of shifts that indicate magma pressure buildup precursors of eruptions. Envisat also has the ability to detect gases, such as sulphur dioxide linked to volcanic activity.

The NASA Landsat-7 and Terra satellites
http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/
http://terra.nasa.gov/

have instruments that provide data that could be used to monitor thermal hot and cold spots in volcanic areas, and could be used to detect thermal changes that may be predictive of volcanic activity.

Similarly, acoustic warning systems have been placed in operation in danger points around the world that to provide advanced warning in case of a lahar:
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/About/What/Monitor/Hydrologic/LaharDetect.html

As we think about knowledge for development, and about the role of information and communications technologies in providing information for development, there seems to be a tendency to focus on ICTs providing direct services to the poor. Telecenters providing shared access to telephone and internet service to the poor, telemedicine and distance education, e-government and e-commerce are all important. However, I suggest it is also important to recognize that the application of satellite remote sensing, combined with computer data processing of the masses of data generated by remote sensing, and combined with other advanced ICT applications has a major role in development.

Indeed, these kinds of advanced technologies have a critical role in poverty reduction, if you recognize one of the aspects of poverty to be powerlessness in the face of often disproportionate risk. After all, it tends to be the poor who are most endangered by volcano eruptions and similar “natural disasters”. Providing the information needed to predict and avoid such disasters empowers the poor, and thus reduces their poverty.