VOLCANIC ERUPTION: A volcano in southwestern Japan is erupting for the first time in six years, spewing ash over nearby farms, cities and towns. Japanese TV showed elementary school students wearing helmets and masks Thursday on the way to their school at the foot of the Shinmoedake volcano. http://abcn.ws/2yiOKHY | ABC World News Tonight with David Muir

Volcano eruptions can wreak havoc on airplanes that fly through the clouds of ash and sulfur dioxide. The ash, in particular, can destroy a jet engine and even cause it to fail mid-flight. However, it can be difficult to detect the ash clouds, because they often look like ordinary rain clouds on radar and to the pilot's eye. To be cautious, volcanic eruptions are given a wide berth, leading to costly delays and cancellations. NASA scientist Nickolay Krotkov is developing a new way to map the ful