Time-lapse camera systems were placed surrounding active target volcanoes and were also synchronized with satellite radar observations from the TerraSAR-X satellite and complemented by the European Space Agency's Copernicus program. The multi-dimensional data is allowing a view day and night, even through thick volcano eruption plumes and at high resolution. The target volcanoes initially proposed (Colima, Popocatepetl, Chaiten, Lascar, Bezymianny, Merapi) were an ideal choice, regularly visited and measurements realized in the field. Time-lapse camera systems were placed in the field, locally accessed by helicopter or drones. These cameras were also synchronized with satellite radar observations from the TerraSAR-X satellite, allowing a view day and night, even through thick volcano eruption plumes. Deformation data, changes in camera image features, and tracking of moving objects allowd the study of dome growth, its collapse and the early stages of hazardeous pyroclastic flows. An important element of the VOLCAPSE project is the training of early career scientists. Besides the large number if Bachelor, Master and PhD students working in the VOLCAPSE team, student qualification training was further supported by joint supervision and media training at the HI that allows improving communicating results to news/press and television. This became also relevant during volcanic crisis; for instance the ongoing La Palma eruption led to 122 Media Reports (print and television) following VOLCAPSE team member interviews in September / October 2021 allone. Peer review publications were numerous, with increasing impact factor journal papers towards the ending of the VOLCAPSE project. Also earliest careers are attracted, such as the PI wrote 3 children books on Volcanology with important mentioning of dome building volcanoes and modern monitoring approaches.
Within the VOLCAPSE consolidator project evidence is mounting that many different types of external forcing mechanisms play a significant to dominant role in triggering volcanic eruptions, especially at the dome-building volcanoes. These factors include: (a) dynamic or static stress changes caused by e.g. earthquakes, (b) topographic variations, (c) interaction with groundwater or meteorological factors, and (d) internal structure of a volcanic edifice. The innovative element of the project is to simultaneously monitor slow and fast ground motions by combining satellite radar data with ground based webcam arrays situated around a volcano. Both data together allow displacement measurements on multiple temporal and spatial dimensions, covering the rates of motion expected at most dome building volcanoes.
