Westdahl’s upper flanks are typically covered with snow
and ice from October through June, and the summit of the
volcano remains covered throughout the year. Therefore,
mapping lava flows on Westdahl’s upper flanks requires
acquisitions of satellite data (either radar or optical imagery)
during or shortly after an eruption. Persistent cloud
cover makes obtaining a useful optical satellite image at
such times unlikely, but SAR sensors can provide timely
imagery regardless of weather conditions. It is therefore
possible to separate fresh lava from the surrounding snow
and ice in the summit and upper flanks of the volcano using
SAR imagery. However, young lava flows (e.g., extruded in
1991–1992) on the lower flanks and at the base of the
volcano can have a surface roughness similar to adjacent
older flows (e.g., extruded in 1964). For this reason, it is
generally difficult to differentiate flows on the lower parts
of the volcano if only single-frequency, single-polarization
SAR data are used. In contrast, the multispectral capabilities
of optical satellite imagery allow for the discrimination
of lava flows based on differences in the flow composition
and/or vegetation characteristics. If optical images are
acquired a few years after an eruption, the youngest lava
flow should be distinguishable from other relatively young
flows based on differences in vegetation cover. By utilizing
both SAR and optical imagery, we were able to differentiate
and map the extent of young lava flow fields on both the
upper and lower parts of Westdahl Volcano. We used this
approach to map the 1991–1992, 1964, and pre-1964
flows. In addition, we differenced two DEMs, representing
the topography of the volcano before and after the 1991–
1992 eruption, to estimate the thickness of the 1991–1992
lava flow.