Are Volcanic Ash Clouds Still a Hazard to Aviation - Essay Example

Volcanic Ash Clouds are no longer a Hazard to Aviation” Name: Course: Tutor: Date: Introduction With the increasing level of technology in the world, it would be expected that some natural disasters would not be a threat to man. One such disaster is the occurrence of volcanic clouds, which have several implications for the world’s aviation industry. Many devices and mechanisms have been invented to deal the threat of volcanic ash clouds to flight vessels. Such equipment include a wide array of airborne and ground-based radar systems that are used in observation and monitoring of the occurrence and movement of volcanic clouds (Federal Aviation Administration & National Weather Service 2007). In spite of the momentous technological improvements in observation and monitoring of volcanic ash clouds, the fact that the phenomenon occurs naturally and may not be precisely predicted makes volcanic ash clouds pose a major challenge to the aviation industry globally (Federal Aviation Administration & National Weather Service 2007, Gad-el-Hak 2008). Although many research institutions are actively involved in more advanced studies to monitor volcanic ash clouds, to say that this natural phenomenon is no longer a threat to the aviation industry would be an overstatement. As it will be discussed in this paper, significant studies on volcanic ash clouds have been done by renowned bodies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) of the United States; and the World Meteorological Organization and the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand among others, but the findings have been unsatisfactory to rate volcanic ash clouds as “safe” with reference to aviation. The paper contains a description of volcanic ash clouds, their implications to the aviation industry, what has been done to contain them, and why they are still a threat to aviation. Overview of volcanic ash clouds Volcanic ash clouds are derived from are pulverized rock materials. The extruded rock materials usually have a large content of siliceous particles that occur in the form of minute glass slices. The temperature of the silica usually below the functioning temperatures of aeroplanes at their various cruise altitudes cruise altitudes. The high temperate of aeroplanes as they pass over volcanic ash clouds causes modification of the ash clouds into complex compound that have multiple effects as will be discussed in other sections of this paper (Krapivin & Varotsos 2008). Some of the changes in volcanic ash in which complex reactions are involved include the conversion of sulphur dioxide gas into sulphuric acid and many other deleterious substances (Krapivin & Varotsos 2008). Additionally, volcanic ash clouds per se have a resounding effect of causing physical damage to aeroplane parts. All these aspects make volcanic ash clouds a major challenge to aviation as discussed in the following section. Implications of volcanic ash clouds aviation Very few sources of literature, if any, have regarded volcanic ash clouds a normal occurrence that poses no current threat to aviation. It is inarguable that many studies are being done to mitigate the volcanic ash clouds to aviation, but many recent sources of information indicate that indeed the phenomenon is a current problem. Many research works indicate that volcanic ashes indeed pose a major threat to the aviation industry in the world. Very few authors such as Guffanti and Miller (2002) have indicated that the effects of volcanic ash clouds in aviation can be mitigated. Kite-Powell (2001) notes that volcanic ash clouds are on their own a major hazard to aviation in two notable ways. The first one and which is probably the more serious one, is when the ash clouds obstruct aircraft in flight. The second effect is associated with the formation of huge clouds of volcanic ash precipitates that bar the movement of aircrafts, implying that they have to be cleared before aircraft can resume normal operations (Kite-Powell 2001). To elaborate the first point, Kite-Powell notes that when jet engines ingest extremely large amounts of volcanic ash components, their functional components may be blocked and cause them to break down. This has an implication on other parts of the jets such as external sensors and windshields, which may as well malfunction, leading to a fatal plane crashes (Kite-Powell 2001). Guffanti (2007) notes that the extensive damage can be caused to an aircraft when it passes through air contaminated with volcanic ash clouds. The effects of the clouds on reflected on fan blades, windscreens, fuselage surfaces and so forth. In addition, ingested ash can accumulate in the engine, thus causing further damage. Physical damages Overall, numerous experimental studies have shown that have shown that the damages to aircraft parts necessitate closer monitoring of volcanic ash clouds as the damages are very costly. The damages include: (1) damage to the various hot section equipment of the aircraft; (2) damage to rotor blades and compressor blades; obstruction of fuel nozzles and other aeration passageways; (4) damage to the oil system through contamination; (5) clouding of landing lights and the windscreen; and (6) damage to electronic components such as the pitot-static system that functions in indicating the speed of the aircraft (Guffanti 2007). These factors combined pose a serious challenge to aviation. Visibility problems In addition to causing physical damage to aeroplane parts, huge clouds of volcanic ashes such the one that occurred when Grimsvotn erupted in 2004 (plate 1) present a major problem to visibility during flights. Plate 1: Preliminary eruption of Grimsvotn (November 1, 2004). Source: International Civil Aviation Organization (2009). The fact that volcanic ashes can rise to altitudes of 10,000 metres (which is the cruising altitude of many aircraft) and that the ashes can rise 50, 000 metres above sea level makes the hazard a fiery one. Most of the ashes (such as that in plate 1) appear as smoke and cannot be distinguished easily by pilots. This coupled with the invisibility caused by the clouds makes the ashes particularly hazardous to fast moving aircraft. But the most worrying issue with respect to aviation safety is that in spite of the many technological innovations, radar systems and other onboard monitoring devices currently available cannot effectively detect the presence of these ashes (Guffanti & Miller 2002; Albersheim and Guffanti 2008). The problem in detecting volcanic ash clouds arises from the fact that the ash particles are usually too tiny and have too low reflectance values that the detection equipment are unable to decipher them (Guffanti & Miller 2002). Thus, perhaps the most effective method to deal with the disaster is to carry out studies on areas with active volcanic mountains and application of appropriate avoidance mechanisms. To clearly elaborate the hazards associated with volcanic ash clouds, the International Civil Aviation Organization cited in its 1997 manual the results of eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991. This is one of the most highlighted volcanic ash disasters that affected aviation. The eruption affected aviation to large extend in that in just couple of days after the mountain erupted, a multiplicity of air traffic using the route near the mountain were grounded (International Civil Aviation Organization 1997). The jetliners were affected by the volcanic ashes had to undergo long periods of maintenance, which was not only costly but also caused significant inconvenience to travellers. The International Civil Aviation Organization furthermore notes that the period between 1980 and 1996 witnessed 167 volcanic eruptions that were of great concern to civil aviation because of their volcanic ash. The fact that there still are many active volcanic mountains in the world makes volcanic ash clouds a real current danger to aviation. In addition although it is possible to monitor some volcanic eruptions, others remain enigmas and their eruptions just occur as surprises to the aviation industry. Maps produced by the United States Geological Survey show that there are many volcanic mountains, whose eruptions and effects are unpredictable. In particular, most flight routes over the Pacific Ocean are subject to likely volcanic mountain eruptions (thus referred to as a “Ring of Fire”) as shown in figure 1. Figure 1: Key international flight routes passing through the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire”. Monitored volcanoes are shown in yellow while unmonitored ones are shown in red Source: United States Geological Survey The implications of the details in figure 1 are not anything to smile about with respect to transport. The occurrence of volcanic ash clouds from the highlighted areas means that air routes have to be changed constantly to cope with eruptions. Along this line, Albersheim and Guffanti (2008) note that volcanic ash clouds are a grave hazard, and their occurrence along travel routes means that aircraft have to be warned to avoid the ash-contaminated airspaces. In respect to this, the United States launched a National Volcanic Ash Operations Plan for Aviation to augment its air safety operations with regard to volcanic ash clouds (Albersheim and Guffanti 2008). This shows how serious the problem of volcanic ash clouds in aviation still remains. Evidence that volcanic ash clouds still pose threats to aviation can be noted from the losses in aviation attributed to delays caused by volcanic ash clouds. Figure 2 shows the world figures relating to average number of aircraft affected by volcanic ash clouds. On the other hand, table 1 shows the losses incurred at Anchorage International Airport after a major eruption experienced from Mt. Redoubt. Figure 2: Aircraft encounter with volcanic ash clouds (1973-2000). Source: Guffanti and Miller (2002) Table 1: Estimated economic impacts after the 1989/90 eruption of Mt. Redoubt Feature Estimated loss Domestic passenger traffic $1.7 million International passenger traffic Not quantified Domestic freight Minimal International freight $15.0 million Anchorage International Airport revenues $1.6 million Airport support industries $1.0 million Passenger waiting time $1.8 million Source: Adopted from Kite-Powell (2001). The Commonwealth region of Northern Mariana Islands is areas that present many threats to aircraft due to the prevalence of active volcanoes in the area. Anatahan region is ranked as one among the nine areas of the world that pose major threats to aviation due to volcanic ash clouds. In the period between 2003 and 2004, eruptions of the Anatahan caused a major delay in aircraft operations for three consecutive days (Guffanti et al 2004). The eruption that occurred between 10th and 13th May 2003 caused cancellation of many flights and implementation of many other ash avoidance mechanisms to keep operating aircraft safe (Guffanti et al 2004). The cancellation of flights was done in spite of the fact that the MODIS and TOMS methods of data analysis indicated that the ash was inconsequential to aircraft and that only minute amounts of sulphur dioxide were involved in the contamination process (Guffanti et al 2004). This contradiction between data equipment and common sense suggests that the monitoring devices cannot be wholly relied upon to tell the magnitude of a volcanic ash clouds, nor can they exactly tell the consequences of such clouds. What has been done to deal with volcanic ash clouds in aviation? Much research has being done about volcanic ash clouds and their impacts on aviation. Many organizations such as the Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC), the New Zealand Volcanic Ash Advisory System (NZVAAS), the NOAA, the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand and many others have done extensive studies on volcanic ash clouds, their properties, how they affect civil aviation (Guffanti et al 2004; Lechner 2009). Most findings have been based on the properties of the ash clouds and how they can affect aircraft but no real remedy to the problem has been cited. Studies on Anatahan volcanic activity In the Anatahan volcanic ash problem between 2003 and 2004, VAAC was among the first groups to carry out initial studies on the ashes. In its report, VAAC documented that the Anatahan problem was caused by a surprise eruption in a volcanic mountain that had no dedicated geophysical monitoring devices (Guffanti et al 2004). This description of volcanic activity implies that volcanic activity is unpredictable and the available methods of monitoring volcanoes are insufficient. In essence, Guffanti et al 2004 also create an impression that not all volcanoes can be monitored with respect to aviation. Therefore, since many volcanoes are bound to erupt without necessarily showing early signs, the effects of volcanic ash clouds to aviation remain a challenge to grapple with. VAAC did further analyses to determine the presence of volcanic ash clouds in high altitudes and found that indeed the ashes travel as high as between 10.7 km and 13.4 kilometres (that is between 35,000 ft and 44, 000 ft). Nevertheless, they are barely visible at such altitudes, which are used by many aircraft at their cruising speeds (Guffanti et al 2004; Lechner 2009). This makes volcanic ash clouds particularly hard to deal with, especially if they arise from volcanoes that are perceived to be dormant or “sleeping.” It its recommendations, VAAC noted that there was need to establish satellite monitoring equipment to provide real-time geophysical information concerning volcanic activity in order to facilitate volcanic ash problems (Guffanti et al 2004; Lechner 2009). Given that this was just about five years ago, it is unlikely that new equipment could have been developed to contain the volcanic ash menace. Studies on measures to mitigate impacts of volcanic ash clouds As noted in the issues so far addressed, most occurrences of volcanic ash clouds are unpredictable and this makes mitigation of their impacts considerably difficult. According to Guffanti and Miller (2002), volcanic eruptions have serious implications for the aviation industry, but the threats can be reduced through concerted efforts of players in the aviation industry, air operation control centres and so forth. Thus best strategy as noted by Guffanti and Miller (2002), is apply measures that detect encounters of ash clouds; which basically means that all players in air traffic operations must be taught about the various occurrences of volcanic eruption and be informed of the location of occurrence of ash clouds the world over. Other mitigation measures include monitoring and reporting of eruptions, detection of already-released volcanic ash clouds, forecasting the paths volcanic ash clouds are expected to follow, conveying the appropriate messages to those concerned in aviation, and training of air traffic staff appropriately to handle the phenomenon (Guffanti et al 2004). Notwithstanding the available mitigation techniques, there is no evidence that volcanic ash clouds can have ceased to be a threat the aviation industry, they still are. Inefficiency of detection and monitoring devices To help air traffic operators to avoid volcanic ash clouds, there are several advanced devices such as radar systems that detect and track volcanic ash from various sources. Such devices have been used largely in studies in areas such as Mt St Helens (Wells & Rodrigues 2003). The National Weather Service (NWS) of the United States uses magnetron systems that detect large amounts of volcanic ash clouds. However, most radar systems have limitations in that they cannot detect tiny ash clouds because of their low reflectivity, and this makes detection of volcanic ash clouds a horrendous task (Wells & Rodrigues 2003). NWS has also adopted the use of Doppler radars that have enhanced capacity and sensitivity to detect ash clouds and inform aircraft operators of potential danger zones. However, most radar detectors still lack the capacity to provide warning information about volcanic ash clouds. Other devices that have been developed and which prove to have higher efficacy in detecting and monitoring volcanic ash clouds include the WSR-88D (NEXRAD) that incorporates digital radar devices (Wells & Rodrigues 2003). The limitation of these devices however is that they have not been widely adopted and are therefore not readily available to airlines worldwide. Why volcanic ash clouds are still a threat to aviation According to Gad-el-Hak (2008), radar monitoring systems for detection of volcanic ash clouds function by determining a number of features such as (a) whether an eruption from a volcano is occurring, (b) the height reached by the debris from an erupted volcano (which also determines the rate of eruption), (c) volcanic ash cloud dimensions and the altitude of the clouds as a function of time expended to reach the height, (d) approximations of consecutive cloud positions (that is prediction and tracking), and (e) the time of the initial explosion or eruption. Although the aforementioned capabilities tackle a wide range of features of volcanic ash clouds, they do not single out the possibility of ensuring that aircraft are totally protected from volcanic ash threats. Gad-el-Hak (2008) further noted that effective ash cloud detection techniques must have capability of providing wide coverage to wider areas in order to relay information from diversity of areas simultaneously. This capacity has not been adopted in many aviation organizations and where it has been implemented, it is limited to specialised aviation departments such as the military. In addition, many volcanic eruptions spread volcanic ash material over a wide area and this limits the application of many radar devices whose level of operation lies within few hundred kilometres. Conclusion This paper has highlighted features volcanic ash clouds, how the ashes affect aviation and the mechanisms used in dealing with them. From the discussion, it is evident that many technological advances have been made to deal with the problem of volcanic ash clouds in aviation. Nevertheless, since many volcanic eruptions are unpredictable and confer different impacts, the devices used to monitor them cannot effectively address all potential threats. Thus, inasmuch as there are many measures to mitigate the impacts of volcanic ash clouds in aviation, the phenomenon remains a threat to the industry. References Albersheim, S & Guffanti, M 2008, The United States national volcanic ash operations plan for aviation, Natural Hazards, 2(1):15-25. Casadevall, T J Air Line Pilots Association, Geological Survey (U.S.), 1994, Volcanic ash and aviation safety: proceedings of the First International Symposium on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety, DIANE Publishing, New York. References and further reading may be available for this article. To view references and further reading you must purchase this article. Federal Aviation Administration, National Weather Service 2007, Aviation Weather Services Handbook, Skyhorse Publishing Inc., New York Gad-el-Hak M 2008, Large-Scale Disasters: Prediction, Control and Mitigation, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Guffanti, M & Miller, E K 2002, Reducing The Threat To Aviation From Airborne Volcanic Ash, Paper Presented at 55th Annual International Air Safety Seminar, 4-7 Nov. 2002, Dublin, available from http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/ash/trans/aviation_threat.html (11 May 2009). Guffanti, M 2007, USGS Perspectives on Volcanic Hazards to Aviation and Implementation of ICAO’s International Airways Volcano Watch, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia Guffanti, M; Ewert, J W; Gallina, G M; Bluth. G J S & Swanson, G L 2004, Volcanic-ash hazard to aviation during the 2003–2004 eruptive activity of Anatahan volcano, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 146 (1-3): 241-255. 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Wells, A T & Rodrigues C C 2003, Commercial aviation safety, McGraw-Hill Professional, New York. Read More