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Volcanic Ash Hazards to Aviation

Volcanic Ash Hazards to Aviation. Jeff Osiensky NWS National Volcanic Ash Program Manager Alaska Regional Aviation Meteorologist.

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Volcanic Ash Hazards to Aviation

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  1. Volcanic Ash Hazards to Aviation Jeff Osiensky NWS National Volcanic Ash Program Manager Alaska Regional Aviation Meteorologist Southwest Aviation Weather Safety (SAWS) III Phoenix, Arizona April 22, 2010

  2. Outline • Introduction to the ash hazard • Examples of eruptions • Potential damage/impacts • Why be concerned in the Southwest? Yellowstone and Long Valley Caldera! • Volcanic ash resources • Summary

  3. What is volcanic ash? • small tephra, which are bits of pulverized rock and glass created by volcanic eruptions Ash from Mt. St. Helens eruption May 18, 1980

  4. Why is it a hazard to aviation? • Abrasive (can severely scratch airframe and windscreen) • clogs intakes and filter • restricts visibility • foul odor (in the presence of SO2) • glass will melt at high temps then solidify causing jet engine flameout

  5. Recent major encounter

  6. Air Routes

  7. Examples of eruption • Fourpeaked Volcano, Alaska • Last erupted 10,000 years ago • Unexpected eruption on Sept. 17, 2006

  8. Chaiten Volcano • Southern Chile May 2008 • Erupted unexpectedly after 9000+ years of dormancy

  9. Long Valley Caldera • Caldera formed ~730k yrs ago • Many eruptions since • Most recent eruptions along • Mono and Inyo chain (last • ~550 years ago)

  10. Impacts beyond imagination…

  11. Super Volcanoes Long Valley and Yellowstone Super Volcanoes: ash production could cover 1/3 to 1/2 of U.S. or more

  12. Who Does What… • Volcano Observatories • Provide information on the volcano itself (e.g. seismicity, behavior, etc.) • VAAC (Washington) • Run dispersion models, issue VAAs • MWO (AWC Kansas City) • Issue SIGMETs • CWSU/ARTCC • Issue CWAs and MISs, provide advice to ATMs

  13. Modeling

  14. Web Resources • NOAA Air Resources Laboratory (HYSPLIT) http://ready.arl.noaa.gov/ready2-bin/ashhypo.pl • Aviation Weather Center (SIGMETs) http://aviationweather.gov/ • Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/washington.html • OFCM National Volcanic Ash Plan http://www.ofcm.gov/p35-nvaopa/pdf/FCM-P35-2007-NVAOPA.pdf • USGS Volcanoes Hazard Program http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/

  15. Summary • Volcanic ash is a well documented hazard to aviation • Although historically active volcanic sources are thousands of miles away from the Southwest U.S….a Long Valley Caldera or Yellowstone event is a possibility • It is important to consider all weather and environmental risks that impact the aviation community

  16. ? ? Sarychev Peak June 2009

  17. Thank You Jeff Osiensky National Weather Service Alaska Region Headquarters Anchorage, Alaska jeffrey.osiensky@noaa.gov 907.271.5132

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