EARLY LIDAR OBSERVATIONS OF THE JUNE 1991 PINATUBO ERUPTION PLUME AT MAUNA-LOA-OBSERVATORY, HAWAII

The June 1991 eruption of the Philippine volcano Pinatubo introduced a massive plume of volcanic ash and other aerosol material into a stratosphere containing only near-background concentrations of aerosol material. At Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii, the Pinatubo plume was first observed by lidar on 1 July 1991. During July and August the observable effects from this plume increased in intensity in terms of aerosol optical properties, plume height, and broad band solar radiation. Preliminary data analysis shows that the plume over Hawaii arrived in three generalized pulses or waves on approximately 3 July, 24 July, and 9 August. There was a decrease of about 13% in a broad band atmospheric transmission factor over Hawaii between June 1991 and Pinatubo affected conditions on 31 August 1991. At the end of August 1991, the Pinatubo plume over Hawaii exhibited characteristics similar in magnitude to what was observed at Mauna Loa after the El Chichon eruption in 1982. However, the early Pinatubo maximum plume heights were lower than were observed in the early months of the El Chichon plume dispersion. The Pinatubo plume was continuing to increase in magnitude and height at MLO at the end of August.