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1 International Civil Aviation Organization 20/11/09 WORKING PAPER INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS VOLCANO WATCH OPERATIONS GROUP (IAVWOPSG) FIFTH MEETING Lima, Peru, 15 to 19 March 2010 Agenda Item 5: Operation of the IAVW 5.1: Implementationn of the IAVW, including the IAVW management reports UPDATE ON TESTING OF THE VOLCANO OBSERVATORY NOTICE FOR AVIATION (VONA) (Presented by IUGG) SUMMARY This paper presents results of a successful, extended test by the Alaska Volcano Observatory to implement use of the Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA). A few minor changes to the VONA templatee are recommended before inclusion in the ICAO Doc 9766 Handbook on the International Airways Volcano. Use of VONA is being consideredd by countries in addition to the United States. It is recommended that the World Organization of World Volcano Observatoriess continue to educate Volcano Observatories about the use of the VONA.. 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Since 2005, the IAVWOPSG systematicallyy has been addressing the development and application of a new message format for the provision by Volcano Observatories (VO) of information regarding significant pre-eruptive activity, eruptions, and/or ash in the atmospheree to Area Control Centers (ACC), Meteorological Watch Offices (MWO), and Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAAC). At the IAVWOPSG/2 meeting in Lima in 2005, it was agreed under Conclusion 2/5 that the Secretariat in coordination with the International Union Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) member would develop a message template. A emplate was developed and presented at the IAVWOPSG/3 meeting in Bangkok in 2007, after receiving endorsement at the APANPIRG CNS/MET meeting in Bangkok in July 2006 and at the AERMET SG/8 meeting in Santiago in October The group at the IAVWOPSG/3 meeting reviewed and endorsedd the template with minor revisions, and Conclusion 3/9 called for the template, renamed Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) to be includedd in ICAO Doc 9766 Handbook (5 pages) IAVWOPSG.5.WP en.docx

2 - 2 - on the International Airways Volcano Watch. As described in Working Paper 10 at the IAVWOPSG/3 meeting, the VONA should be issued by a VO when a volcano s aviation colour code is changed (up or down) at a volcano or when significant change in volcanic activity occurs within a colour-code level. Timely dissemination of VONA would occur by or telefax directly to the pertinent ACC, MWO, and VAAC as appropriate, because VO do not have a communication link via the Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network (AFTN). 1.2 At the IAVWOPSG/4 meeting in Paris in 2008, results of preliminary testing of the VONA in the United States by the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) were presented, and Conclusion 4/10 called for (a) further testing to assess the suitability of VONA in providing timely information to ACC, MWO, and VAAC and (b) identification of needed improvements and assessment of acceptance and implementation of the VONA by the VO worldwide. This paper serves as the report of that further testing and evaluation. 2. DISCUSSION 2.1 AVO has developed a software system to streamline creating and disseminating VONA as well as other (non-aviation) volcano-hazard messages issued by the Observatory. The system (a) has a user interface that allows a scientist to enter the relevant volcanic information into an underlying database (b) pulls information from that database to automatically construct the VONA in the correct format, (c) s the VONA to predetermined recipients, (d) posts the VONA to the AVO web site, and (e) archives the VONA in the database. The USGS will make the software freely available to the World Organization of Volcano Observatories for use by other VO if they choose. 2.2 For the AVO test, a group of VONA recipients was selected that includes the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center, Anchorage VAAC, Anchorage MWO, Federal Aviation Administration Headquarters, Air Line Pilots Association, Montreal VAAC, Wellington VAAC, Darwin VAAC, and selected dispatchers and meteorologists at U.S. carriers with North Pacific air routes. From November 2007 through September. 2009, 77 VONA were issued by AVO for volcanic activity at six Alaskan volcanoes: Cleveland volcano in 2008, Veniaminof volcano in 2008 and 2009, Okmok volcano in 2008, Kasatochi volcano in 2008, Redoubt volcano in 2009, and Shishaldin in Feedback from test recipients was positive. The new VONA format is much more concise and understandable to aviation users, although it was noted that Observatory scientists still tended to include unnecessary volcanological detail in their summary statements. Two specific changes are recommended: (1) use lower case type for VONA item # 5, previous colour code, while using bolded upper case type for item #4, current colour code, (2) in items #12 and #13, delete the suggestion to use the term NIL. Instead, recommend using UNKNOWN if information about cloud height, etc. is not available and NO ASH CLOUD PRODUCED when that situation occurs. A revised template is given in the Appendix to this Working Paper. 2.4 Awareness and use of the VONA is beginning to expand beyond the United States. New Zealand s Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences is adopting use of the VONA and is consulting with AVO to obtain the software system described in section 2.1 above. As part of a volcanicash test in 2008 involving the Toulouse VAAC region, the Centre of Volcanology and Geological Risks Assessment issued test VONA for a hypothetical eruption of Agua de Pau volcano in the Azores. Briefings about the use of VONA have been given to representatives of the Volcanological Survey of Indonesia, Guatemala s National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology and Nicaragua s Institute of Territorial Studies, as well as at volcanological meetings in Japan and Iceland.

3 The World Organization of Volcano Observatories is posting information about use of the VONA on its Web site at Widespread implementation of the VONA will require continued education and outreach. 3. CONCLUSION 3.1 The group may wish to formulate the following conclusion: Conclusion 5/.. USE OF VONA FOR NOTIFICATION PRE-ERUPTION AND VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS That, a) in support of the provision of notification on pre-eruption and volcanic eruptions, the Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA): 1) be included in the ICAO Doc 9766 Handbook on the International Airways Volcano Watch; and 2) be adopted as the revised template the version included in the Appendix A; and b) the IUGG be invited to continue its effort to educate Volcano Observatories on the use of the VONA via the World Organization of Volcano Observatories. 4. ACTION BY THE IAVWOPSG 4.1 The IAVWOPSG is invited to: b) note the information in this paper; and c) decide on the draft conclusion proposed for the group s consideration.

4 Appendix A APPENDIX A FORMAT OF VOLCANO OBSERVATORY NOTICE FOR AVIATION (VONA) Explanation of the format of a Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) which is issued by a VO when a colour code changes (up or down) or within a colour-code level when an ash-producing event or other significant change in volcanic behaviour occurs. (1) VOLCANO OBSERVATORY NOTICE FOR AVIATION--VONA (2) Issued: Universal (Z) date and time (YYYYMMDD/HHMMZ). (3) Volcano: Name and number (per Smithsonian database at (4) Current Aviation Colour Code: GREEN, YELLOW, ORANGE, OR RED in upper case bold font (5) Previous Aviation Colour Code: Lower case font, not bold (6) Source: Name of Volcano Observatory (volcanological agency) (7) Notice Number: Create unique number that includes year (8) Volcano Location: Latitude, longitude in NOTAM format (N or S deg min W or E deg min) (9) Area: Regional descriptor (10) Summit Elevation: nnnnn FT (nnnn M) (11) Volcanic Activity Summary: Concise statement that describes activity at the volcano. If known, specify time of onset and duration (local and UTC) of eruptive activity. (12) Volcanic Cloud Height: Best estimate of ash-cloud top in nnnnn FT (nnnn M) above summit or AMSL (specify which). Give source of height data (ground observer, pilot report, radar, etc.). UNKNOWN if no data available or NO ASH CLOUD PRODUCED if applicable. (13) Other Volcanic Cloud information: Brief summary of relevant cloud characteristics such as colour of cloud, shape of cloud, direction of movement, etc. Specify if cloud height is obscured or suspected to be higher than what can be observed clearly. UNKNOWN if no data available or NO ASH CLOUD PRODUCED if applicable.

5 Appendix A A-2 (14) Remarks: Optional; brief comments on related topics such as monitoring data, observatory actions, volcano s previous activity, etc. (15) Contacts: Names, phone numbers (voice and fax), addresses. (16) Next Notice: A new VONA will be issued if conditions change significantly or the colour code is changes. Indicate if final notice for an event. Include URL of Web site where latest volcanic information is posted. END