International Civil Aviation Organization 6/11/09 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 BUENOS AIRES VAAC MANAGEMENT REPORT (Presented by Argentina) 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 During the period Advisories (VAAs). July 2008-October 2009 the BA-VAAC issued 492 Volcanic Ash 2. INTRODUCTION, BA-VAAC GENERAL OPERATIONS 2.1 BA VAAC is operated by the Servicio Meteorològico Nacional (SMN) of Argentina; it is located at the SMN`s headquarters (Weather Forecasting Dept.) in down town Buenos Aires. BA VAAC area of responsibility (6 pages) IAVWOPSG.5.WP 012.5.en.docx
- 2-2.2 VAAC`s staff is composed by the Remote Sensing Meteorological Watch (RSMW) Operator on duty, the Second Weather Forecaster on duty, and a Forecaster`s Assistant. VAAs are transmitted from the SMN to the Aeronautical Authority (Administracíón Nacional de Aviación Civil ANAC-) Communication facilities for its broadcasting to MOWs, NOFs, ATSs and ACCs in the BA VAAC area or responsibility as well as to the associated VAACs. (It is worth pointing out that the SMN does not have a communication system of its own for this purpose). 2.3 A Forecaster`s Assistant is responsible to check SIGMET messages and to inform the RSMW Operator on duty every time a SIGMET message containing volcanic ash information is received. 2.4 The RSMW operator on duty, on his/her part makes a continuous check for volcanic reports and surveillance on the geostationary/polar satellite imagery in order to detect / follow up volcanic eruptions. 2.5 The satellite imagery detection/follow up is shared with the SMN HRPT station located some miles away from the SMN headquarters. 2.6 In case a volcanic ash cloud is observed on satellite images, or informed in AIREPs, SIGMET messages and/or by vulcanological Institutions, the RSMW operator on duty runs (at 6 sixhours intervals or when necessary) the HYbrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) volcanic ash dispersion model to forecast the motion and dispersion of the volcanic ash cloud. 2.7 The Second Weather Forecaster on duty writes the corresponding VAA message which is immediately sent to the Aeronautical Authority (ANAC) communication facilities for its transmission via AFTN and AMHS to the Meteorological Watch Offices (MWOs) in charge of producing the corresponding VA SIGMET reports; also to ACCs, to ATSs, and to the Notam Offices (NOFs) that have the responsibility to produce the ASHTAM reports; all located in the BA-VAAC area or responsibility. The VAA message is also transmitted to the associated VAACs and all others concerned. 2.8 This cycle is discontinued when ash clouds are no longer detected on satellite imagery, when AIREPs or SIGMET messages stop reporting volcanic ash clouds, and/or when no new volcanic eruptions are reported by vulcanological centers. 3. ISSUANCE OF VAAS 3.1 During the period July 2008-October 2009 the BA-VAAC issued 492 VAAs for 4 (four) volcanoes. Chaitén volcano ranked at the top with a total of 392 VAAs issued during this period. January and April 2009 were the months with more volcanic activity along the Andes mountain range with 3 volcanoes erupting each month; on the other hand, it was July 2008 the month during which the issuance of volcanic advisories reached its peak with 74 VAAs (62 for the Chaitèn volcano and 12 for the Ubinas). 3.2 The quantity of VAAs issued is shown in the Table and Graphic of Annex ALFA. 3.3 Volcanoes for which VAAs were issued: a) Ubinas 1504-02: Located at 16º 21 S; 70º 54 W. Height: 5672 m. Weak and sporadic eruptions from April 2006 up to the present;
- 3 - b) Llaima 1507-11: Located at 38º 41 S; 71º 44 W. Height: 3125 m. Erupted during the period May 26th-31st,2007; on June 2007; on August 8th,2007; from January 1st to 11 th, 2008; on 10th and 11th February, 2008 and again on July 1 st, 2008. New eruptions were observed on April 2009; c) Chaitén 1508-041: Located at 42º 50 S; 72º 39 W. Height: 962 m. Violent eruptions started on May 2 nd, 2008; its activity, even though has weaken, continues up to the present, the emissions now are water vapor mostly reaching FLs 60 to 100 at the most; and d) Nevados del Chillán 1507-07: Located at 36,63º S; 71,37º W. Height: 3212 m. Weak emissions were detected in January 2009. 4. TESTS 4.1 In order to comply with the GREPECAS (ICAO) regulations, two (2) biannual periodical SIGMET WV tests were run during the period July 2008-October 2009: the first started at 10:00 UTC December 17 th 2008 and finished at 20:00UTC December 18 th 2008; the second started at 10:00UTC May 30 th 2009 and was completed at 20:00UTC May 31 st 2009. As usual, both followed the procedures stated by Doc. 9766-AN/968 Handbook on the international airways volcano watch (IAVW). The results were submitted to the 10 th Meeting of the GREPECAS Aeronautical Meteorology Subgroup (AERMET/10) held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 19-23 October 2009. 5. RELATION BETWEEN THE BA-VAAC AND VULCANOLOGICAL/METEOROLOGICAL AGENCIES 5.1 The BA-VAAC keeps continuous contact with the SEGEMAR (Secretarìa de Minerìa y Geologìa de Argentina). 6. RELATION BETWEEN THE BA-VAAC AND NATIONAL/PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS AND USERS INVOLVED 6.1 The BA-VAAC keeps continuous fluid contact in Argentina with the Defense, Environmental and Tourism Ministries, the Aeronautical Authority (ANAC), the National Regulatory Agency for Airports (ORSNA), Airports Management Co. (Aeropuertos Argentina 2000); Argentine, Brazilian and Chilean Airlines and the communications media, among others concerned. 7. WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING EVENTS 7.1 A very positive result was obtained in response to the request of training for BA- VAAC operators submitted to ICAO in the previous report. During the second half of 2008 the BA-VAAC staff took advantage of the following lectures/training events:
- 4-7.2 Lectures/Seminars 7.3 Workshops a) lectures delivered by Dr. Marianne Guffanti and Dr. Thomas J. Casadevall from the U.S. Geological Survey (SMN headquarters); b) lecture delivered by Prof. Vulcanologist William I. Rose, from the Michigan Technology Institute (SMN headquarters); c) seminar on the use of the HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single-Particle Lagragian Integrated trajectory) model delivered by Dr. Ariel Stein, (SMN headquarters); and d) lecture delivered by Dr. Arnau Folch, from the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (Spain) on volcanic eruptions and the prediction systems, (SMN headquarters). 7.3.1 NOAA and the USGS invited the BA-VAAC staff to the Washington VAAC for training with Grace Swanson (supervisor of the W-VAAC) and her staff. Two operators from BA-VAAC visited the W-VAAC from 19 to 29, June 2009. The operational training consisted on subjects such as: Volcanic eruptions/clouds, detection methods and follow up; volcanic ash dispersion methods; preparation and issue of advisory information in the format of VAA messages; use of satellite images related products. 7.3.2 This on-the-job training has enabled the personnel to have a better understanding of the many procedures under its responsibility as well as to familiarize with the activities performed in the W-VAAC. This is the first time BA-VAAC personnel is able to attend an operational training workshop since the National Weather Service of Argentina obtained status of VAAC in 1998. 8. SUGGESTIONS 8.1 It is suggested the publication of ICAO IAVW information/handbooks in Spanish language, to contribute to the Spanish speaking VAAC operators better understanding of the operational procedures/techniques. 9. NEW CAPACITIES 9.1 As of March 2009, a new version of the HYbrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) volcanic ash dispersion model is run autonomously at the SMN facilities enhancing the operational and timing results of the Center. (It is worth pointing out that during the period1991-2008, the HYSPLIT model had to be executed remotely using a web page interface provided by the Air Resources Laboratory (NOAA) atwww.arl.noaa.gov/ready/ash/conc.htm, being that the only source for a numerical model of such characteristics). 9.2 In addition, the new HYSPLIT version is better adapted to the characteristics of the region by using a local version of the ETA meteorological numerical model operational at the SMN since 2004. The ETA SMN model has also allowed enhancing the grid resolution and provides a better representation of the topography as well. Some local adjustments of the dispersion model are being evaluated, in particular parameters involving the emission profile. The local version of
- 5 - the HYSPLIT model will allow more suitable display options and applications such as Google Earth, Arcview, adapted reduction levels and Flight Levels. 9.3 The new HYSPLIT version provides also the option of being run using the GFS(Global Forecast System, NCEP), numerical model as the former HYSPLIT version did (only option available for the region up to this new development). 9.4 In parallel, the BA VAAC operational capacity was also improved thanks to the installation of the FALL 3D model by Dr. Arnau Folch, (from the Barcelona Supercomputing Center) in joint work with local meteorologists. The FALL 3D isan Eulerian dispersion model for volcanic ash clouds that can be run on global models (GFS or MNN) or local mesoscale models (WRF or ETA). This model is run on experimental basis (the execution time is 15 min at the present capacity of the SMN computing system). 9.5 The SMN has developed a VAAC BA section in its Internet web site www.smn.gov.ar to concentrate all related information (operational and informative) of interest to users. 9.6 As of 2008, a public file server ftp account- containing VAAs issued for the Chaitén eruptions is available. This ftp account facilitates the rapid/direct access of all Airline operators concerned. 10. ON-GOING DEVELOPMENTS 10.1 It is planned the installation of the McIdas software. It will enable the follow up of volcanic ash plumes through the use of satellites images and the overlapping of the different prediction numerical models as an extra tool to the dispersion models presently in use. ANNEX ALFA VAAS ISSUED AT THE BA-VAAC DURING THE PERIOD JULY 2008-OCTOBER 2009. VOLCANOS 2008 2009 J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O TOTAL UBINAS 12 6 16 15 1-2 2 6-13 14 1 2 - - 90 CHAITEN 62 36 42 29 22 24 27 15 20 13 11 18 13 19 25 16 392 LLAIMA - - - - - - - - - 7 - - - - - - 7 NEVADOS CHILLAN TOTAL DEL - - - - - - 3 - - - - - - - - - 3 74 42 58 44 23 24 32 17 26 20 24 32 14 21 25 16 492
- 6 - Nev.CHILLAN LLAIMA CHAITEN UBINAS 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 VAAs 350 400 11. ACTION BY THE IAVWOPSG 11.1 The IAVWOPSG is invited to note the information in this paper. END