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We report CO2 emission rates and plume δ13C during the July 2023 eruption at Litli Hrútur in the Fagradalsfjall region of the Reykjanes Peninsula. The CO2 emission rates were measured by UAV utilizing a new method of data extrapolation that enables obtaining rapid flux results of dynamic eruption plumes. The δ13C values are consistent with degassing-induced isotopic fractionation of the magma during and after the eruption. Our results show that rapid, real-time CO2 flux measurements coupled with isotopic values of samples collected at the same time provide key insights into the dynamics of volcanic eruptions and have the potential of forecasting the termination of activity. 

Abstract. We report in-plume carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations and carbon isotope ratios during the 2021 eruption of Tajogaite volcano, island of La Palma, Spain. CO2 measurements inform our understanding of volcanic contributions to the global climate carbon cycle and the role of CO2 in eruptions. Traditional ground-based methods of CO2 collection are difficult and dangerous, and as a result only about 5 % of volcanoes have been directly surveyed. We demonstrate that unpiloted aerial system (UAS) surveys allow for fast and relatively safe measurements. Using CO2 concentration profiles we estimate the total flux during several measurements in November 2021 to be 1.76±0.20×103 to 2.23±0.26×104 t d−1. Carbon isotope ratios of plume CO2 indicate a deep magmatic source, consistent with the intensity of the eruption. Our work demonstrates the feasibility of UASs for CO2 surveys during active volcanic eruptions, particularly for deriving rapid emission estimates. 

We present methods for autonomous collaborative surveying of volcanic CO 2 emissions using aerial robots. CO 2 is a useful predictor of volcanic eruptions and an influential greenhouse gas. However, current CO 2 mapping methods are hazardous and inefficient, as a result, only a small fraction of CO 2 emitting volcanoes have been surveyed. We develop algorithms and a platform to measure volcanic CO 2 emissions. The Dragonfly Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platform is capable of long-duration CO 2 collection flights in harsh environments. We implement two survey algorithms on teams of Dragonfly robots and demonstrate that they effectively map gas emissions and locate the highest gas concentrations. Our experiments culminate in a successful field test of collaborative rasterization and gradient descent algorithms in a challenging real-world environment at the edge of the Valles Caldera supervolcano. Both algorithms treat multiple flocking UAVs as a distributed flexible instrument. Simultaneous sensing in multiple UAVs gives scientists greater confidence in estimates of gas concentrations and the locations of sources of those emissions. These methods are also applicable to a range of other airborne concentration mapping tasks, such as pipeline leak detection and contaminant localization. 

In the search for life beyond Earth, distinguishing the living from the non-living is paramount. However, this distinction is often elusive, as the origin of life is likely a stepwise evolutionary process, not a singular event. Regardless of the favored origin of life model, an inherent “grayness” blurs the theorized threshold defining life. Here, we explore the ambiguities between the biotic and the abiotic at the origin of life. The role of grayness extends into later transitions as well. By recognizing the limitations posed by grayness, life detection researchers will be better able to develop methods sensitive to prebiotic chemical systems and life with alternative biochemistries.