Ground breaking volcanic ash detector
Following the Eyjafjallajoekull eruption, the travelling population of Europe may have become acutely aware of the fact that fine ash from the volcanoes is hazardous to jet aircraft and can remain in the atmosphere for a long time as it is transported by the winds.
Technology developed at NILU might in the near future enable aircraft to detect the ash from the eruption up to 100 km away.
Fred Prata, Senior scientist at NILU.
Senior scientist Fred Prata has developed the ground-breaking volcanic ash detector that allows the aircraft to see the microscopic ash particles and avoid it.
The specially developed camera will be able to give five minute warnings both day and night about ash ahead. Even better detection through the models is being developed at NILU at this very moment, ensuring that such crisis can be avoided in the future.
“Using the infrared camera, satellite data and algorithms that convert data from satellites, aircrafts will be able to get the necessary notifications every time they approach a volcanic ash cloud. The aircraft will then be able to steer clear of clouds and continue the journey instead of being put on the ground for an indefinite amount of time, as they do today," Prata says.
He believes it could save airlines enormous costs, and save the passengers from cancellations and delays.
Easyjet have announced that they are trialling a system to detect volcanic ash from their aircraft.