Monitoring thermal changes of Damavand Volcano using Landsat images

Monitoring quiescent volcano such as Damavan is vital. In this research, we investigate the changes of land surface temperature (LST) around the Damavand volcano during 23 years period. The evaluations were done on the thermal anomaly areas related to geothermal activity and results compared with non-anomalously thermal areas. The surface thermal anomalies were detected on the basis of processing of Landsat day and night-time images and combination with geological information layers. The average of calculated values for geothermal heat flux (GHF) in the geothermal areas was 42 W/m2 (in the day-time image) and 20 W/m2 (in night-time image). The total radiant GHF in thermal anomaly areas estimated 50 MW (in night-time image) and 119 MW (in the day-time image). The thermal anomaly areas have a close spatial relationship with faults, hot springs, lithology, hydrothermal alterations, active deformation regions and subsurface high heat flow data. After determining thermal anomaly areas related to the geothermal activity, the changes of LST patterns were compared in the six TM and ETM+ images (captured from the same month and overpass time) during 1988- 2011. The highest temperatures were recorded in 2002 and 2007 images, that in line with seismic events and changes in hot springs chemistry. The thermal infrared remote sensing can be used as a cost effective and concise method for monitoring of quiescent and even dormant volcanoes of Iran.