The Instituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV), Italy has recently launched a revolutionary portable observatory system, SKATE. This new and innovative tool is poised to revolutionize the way we monitor and observe volcanic eruptions. This suitcase-sized technology documents eruptions at hundreds of frames per second, while simultaneously documenting the accompanying sounds and heat. SKATE is ultimately designed to be a powerful and comprehensive tool to document explosive activity. It aims to build a rich contextual reference library, which will train automated systems to identify early warning signs in real-time data streams.
SKATE has recently been put through the test at some of the world’s most famous volcanoes, including Stromboli, Mount Etna, and Guatemala’s Fuego and Santiaguito volcanoes. As a next step, the team hopes to test the system at Mount Yasur in Vanuatu in the coming years. The developers set aside €50,000 (roughly $58,000) to develop SKATE. Needless to say, this new model is a radical upgrade from its predecessor—the Fast Multiparametric Setup (FAMoUS).
Advanced Technology for Enhanced Monitoring
The SKATE system, on the other hand, is a testament to the brilliance of modern engineering. It has the most advanced technology on the planet to analyze eruptions in real-time. It hosts high-speed cameras, able to capture up to several hundred thousand frames per second, which allow scientists to visualize, measure and fully characterize explosive events. SKATE is outfitted with high-tech instruments that can see, hear, and feel eruptions simultaneously. This new capability allows for a holistic view of evolving volcanic activity.
One of the most unique features of SKATE is its ultraviolet camera. It quantifies sulfur dioxide emissions, offering unprecedented information that sheds important light on volcanic activity. The system includes a laser rangefinder that measures distances to the volcano’s plume or crater rim, tracking moving slopes at a frequency of ten times per second.
“The real challenge wasn’t plugging in cameras and sensors,” said Alessia Longo, reflecting on the development process behind SKATE. Still, the team encountered a ton of challenges in honing off-the-shelf technologies for volcano research.
Autonomy and Data Management
In good conditions, SKATE is able to operate completely autonomously for 24 hours. It runs entirely off the sun thanks to solar panels and replaceable batteries to keep things going non-stop. This modular design enables scientists to deploy SKATE to remote or hazardous locations that can’t be monitored continuously by a human operator.
Data storage SKATE’s functionality is heavily dependent on data storage. The system, which uses two solid-state drives (SSDs), can provide a combined capacity of up to 6 terabytes. This configuration enables storage of terabytes of data captured over multiple hours during monitoring surveys. Running from 2019 to 2024, SKATE studied more than one thousand boom-bang-whoosh-type eruptions recorded on Stromboli. This work has provided startling and invaluable lessons in describing volcanic behavior.
“Working in such extreme conditions, with humidity, gases, and sudden temperature changes, is the real test for any technology,” noted Piergiorgio Scarlato, emphasizing the challenges faced during testing.
Training Automated Systems
SKATE’s main focus is not just measurement. Its primary focus is to develop these characterization libraries, which train automated systems to detect early warning signs from the constant stream of real-time data. By capturing consistent patterns in eruption behavior, researchers hope to enhance predictive capabilities and improve safety measures for populations living near active volcanoes.
Piergiorgio Scarlato elaborated on the importance of depth in data analysis: “Depth is what turns a spectacular image into a measurement.” Through powerful imaging and data analysis, SKATE is set to change how scientists monitor volcanoes and their hazards.