Reactive halogen chemistry in volcanic plumes

[1] Bromine monoxide (BrO) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) abundances as a function of the distance from the source were measured by ground-based scattered light Multiaxis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) in the volcanic plumes of Mt. Etna on Sicily, Italy, in August–October 2004 and May 2005 and Villarica in Chile in November 2004. BrO and SO2 spatial distributions in a cross section of Mt. Etna's plume were also determined by Imaging DOAS. We observed an increase in the BrO/SO2 ratio in the plume from below the detection limit near the vent to about 4.5 × 10−4 at 19 km (Mt. Etna) and to about 1.3 × 10−4 at 3 km (Villarica) distance, respectively. Additional attempts were …