Indonesian volcano disrupts air travel and worsens regional air pollution

The Sept. 4 eruption of the volcano, just 150 km from Jakarta, led to airport closures across Indonesia and the cancellation of thousands of flights. (In Indonesian, Anak Krakatau means “child of Krakatoa,” the volcano that erupted to catastrophic global effect in 1883.)

It’s not just airborne volcanic ash that has worsened air quality; lava flows release toxic gases and can incinerate forests and cropland.

We’ve charted “hotspots” tracked by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer – sensors on board NASA satellites that measure thermal anomalies. Hotspots in Kalimantan (Borneo) and Lampung (Sumatra) were already elevated in August amid forest fires sparked by hot, dry weather. After the eruption, Sumatra’s hotspots spiked again.