Ash clouds threaten air traffic
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Here's the official Icelandic government report. Emphasis in bold is mine, not theirs
Note that approximately 8 hours after this report was issued there was a string of seismic events within the volcano.
Eruption in Eyjafjallajökull
Status Report: 21:00 GMT, 02 May 2010
Icelandic Meteorological Office and Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Compiled by: MJR / MTG / FS / BO / SSJ / SH
Based on: IMO seismic monitoring; IES-IMO GPS monitoring; IMO hydrological data; web cameras of the eruption site from Vodafone, Mila, and Múlakot; IMO weather radar measurements; information from scientists at Gígjökull.
[No scientific overflight today.]
Eruption plume:
Height (a.s.l.): Estimated from web-camera views and observers on the ground at an elevation of 4–5.4 km (13–18,000 ft). Clouds of ash at lower elevations observed drifting south-east of the eruption site. No verifiable detections from the weather radar at Keflavík Airport.
Heading: South-east from the eruption site. Plume track visible at least 200 km from the eruption site on MODIS (12:35 GMT) and EUMETSAT
(17:15 GMT) satellite imagery.
Colour: Dark grey (ash) clouds observed over the eruptive site. White (steam)
plumes rising from Gígjökull, north of the eruption site.
Tephra fallout: Moderate ash-fall reported in the village of Vík (12:00 GMT),
located 40 km south-east of Eyjafjallajökull.
Lightning: No detections today over the eruption site (18:00 GMT).
Noises: Booming sounds heard during the night and throughout the day up to
40 km south-east of the eruption site.
Additional note: Plumes of white steam extend partway down Gígjökull. Lava appears to have advanced further down Gígjökull overnight.
Aerial observations at 18:25 GMT confirmed a dense cloud of ash between 3–3.3 km a.s.l. (10,000–11,000 ft) at 60° N, 16° W (~470 km south-east of Iceland). London VAAC have been informed about this sighting.
Meltwater: Before 16:00 GMT, discharge levels at the old Markarfljóts bridge, ~18 km downstream from Gígjökull, were noticeably lower than
yesterday's levels. Between 16:00–17:00 GMT, a meltwater pulse was
detected at the bridge; the flood was comparable in size to earlier
floods on 30 April. At 19:40 GMT, web-camera images of Gígjökull
showed plumes of steam rising from the glacier edge. Additionally,
steam is rising from the delta that occupies the lake basin, suggesting
the discharge of near-boiling meltwater.
Conditions at eruption site:
Explosive activity has increased somewhat over the last 2–3 days; mass flux in the plume is estimated at 10–20 tonnes s–1. A scoria cone continues to form at the eruption site. Lava is propagating down Gígjökull and most of its energy is being used to melt ice. As lava advances down-glacier, the size of the ice canyon increases. Large plumes of steam are
produced where lava is in contact with ice and meltwater.
Seismic tremor: During the last 30 hours, tremor levels have intensified. This
intensification could be due to lava-ice interactions within Gígjökull, or
conditions at the eruption site.
Earthquakes: No locatable seismicity detected beneath Eyjafjallajökull.
GPS deformation: Horizontal displacement towards the centre of the volcano, in addition to vertical subsidence. In the last couple of days increased subsidence has been observed at stations closest to the eruptive crater. These observations are consistent with deflation of a magma reservoir beneath Eyjafjallajökull, although the deformation pattern has changed
somewhat.
Magma flow: See overall assessment.
Other remarks: No measurable geophysical changes within the Katla volcano.
Overall assessment:
The eruption is mixed, with the lava-producing phase being larger than the explosive phase.
During the last 2–3 days, the plume has been darker and wider than in the preceding week.
Tephra fall-out in the vicinity of Eyjafjallajökull has increased. From the location of the steam plume over Gígjökull, lava has advanced over 3 km north of the eruption. Steam plumes over the glacier edge from 19:40 GMT suggest that lava may have advanced even further. A rough order-of-magnitude estimate of lava volume can be obtained from the
dimensions of the ice canyon. This estimate gives a lava production rate of-the-order 20 m3 s–1 (i.e. 50 tonnes s–1). The explosive phase may be 10–20 tonnes s–1. The explosive phase has increased somewhat in intensity during the last few days. Presently, there are no measurable indications that the eruption is about to end.
Status Report: 21:00 GMT, 02 May 2010
Icelandic Meteorological Office and Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Compiled by: MJR / MTG / FS / BO / SSJ / SH
Based on: IMO seismic monitoring; IES-IMO GPS monitoring; IMO hydrological data; web cameras of the eruption site from Vodafone, Mila, and Múlakot; IMO weather radar measurements; information from scientists at Gígjökull.
[No scientific overflight today.]
Eruption plume:
Height (a.s.l.): Estimated from web-camera views and observers on the ground at an elevation of 4–5.4 km (13–18,000 ft). Clouds of ash at lower elevations observed drifting south-east of the eruption site. No verifiable detections from the weather radar at Keflavík Airport.
Heading: South-east from the eruption site. Plume track visible at least 200 km from the eruption site on MODIS (12:35 GMT) and EUMETSAT
(17:15 GMT) satellite imagery.
Colour: Dark grey (ash) clouds observed over the eruptive site. White (steam)
plumes rising from Gígjökull, north of the eruption site.
Tephra fallout: Moderate ash-fall reported in the village of Vík (12:00 GMT),
located 40 km south-east of Eyjafjallajökull.
Lightning: No detections today over the eruption site (18:00 GMT).
Noises: Booming sounds heard during the night and throughout the day up to
40 km south-east of the eruption site.
Additional note: Plumes of white steam extend partway down Gígjökull. Lava appears to have advanced further down Gígjökull overnight.
Aerial observations at 18:25 GMT confirmed a dense cloud of ash between 3–3.3 km a.s.l. (10,000–11,000 ft) at 60° N, 16° W (~470 km south-east of Iceland). London VAAC have been informed about this sighting.
Meltwater: Before 16:00 GMT, discharge levels at the old Markarfljóts bridge, ~18 km downstream from Gígjökull, were noticeably lower than
yesterday's levels. Between 16:00–17:00 GMT, a meltwater pulse was
detected at the bridge; the flood was comparable in size to earlier
floods on 30 April. At 19:40 GMT, web-camera images of Gígjökull
showed plumes of steam rising from the glacier edge. Additionally,
steam is rising from the delta that occupies the lake basin, suggesting
the discharge of near-boiling meltwater.
Conditions at eruption site:
Explosive activity has increased somewhat over the last 2–3 days; mass flux in the plume is estimated at 10–20 tonnes s–1. A scoria cone continues to form at the eruption site. Lava is propagating down Gígjökull and most of its energy is being used to melt ice. As lava advances down-glacier, the size of the ice canyon increases. Large plumes of steam are
produced where lava is in contact with ice and meltwater.
Seismic tremor: During the last 30 hours, tremor levels have intensified. This
intensification could be due to lava-ice interactions within Gígjökull, or
conditions at the eruption site.
Earthquakes: No locatable seismicity detected beneath Eyjafjallajökull.
GPS deformation: Horizontal displacement towards the centre of the volcano, in addition to vertical subsidence. In the last couple of days increased subsidence has been observed at stations closest to the eruptive crater. These observations are consistent with deflation of a magma reservoir beneath Eyjafjallajökull, although the deformation pattern has changed
somewhat.
Magma flow: See overall assessment.
Other remarks: No measurable geophysical changes within the Katla volcano.
Overall assessment:
The eruption is mixed, with the lava-producing phase being larger than the explosive phase.
During the last 2–3 days, the plume has been darker and wider than in the preceding week.
Tephra fall-out in the vicinity of Eyjafjallajökull has increased. From the location of the steam plume over Gígjökull, lava has advanced over 3 km north of the eruption. Steam plumes over the glacier edge from 19:40 GMT suggest that lava may have advanced even further. A rough order-of-magnitude estimate of lava volume can be obtained from the
dimensions of the ice canyon. This estimate gives a lava production rate of-the-order 20 m3 s–1 (i.e. 50 tonnes s–1). The explosive phase may be 10–20 tonnes s–1. The explosive phase has increased somewhat in intensity during the last few days. Presently, there are no measurable indications that the eruption is about to end.
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sky news now running the story:
"The latest information we have is that some of the denser volcanic ash, that's the no-fly zone, is over the Donegal area," IAA's chief executive Eamon Brennan told RTE radio.
"We are concerned about the north-easterly winds moving this down over the rest of the country."
He went on: "At the moment we have a slither of denser ash over the midlands and if this continues for the next number of hours we have no option, based on the new regime imposed in Europe last week, except to impose a no-fly zone and a 60-mile buffer zone which would effectively close Shannon and Dublin airports."
"We are concerned about the north-easterly winds moving this down over the rest of the country."
He went on: "At the moment we have a slither of denser ash over the midlands and if this continues for the next number of hours we have no option, based on the new regime imposed in Europe last week, except to impose a no-fly zone and a 60-mile buffer zone which would effectively close Shannon and Dublin airports."
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Irish airspace closed from 7am
rte.ie/news reporting that Irish airspace will close from 7am.
RTÉ News: Irish airspace to close from 7am
RTÉ News: Irish airspace to close from 7am
Radio programme on the Ash debacle:
BBC - BBC Radio 4 Programmes - The Report
BBC - BBC Radio 4 Programmes - The Report
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Forget the current insignificant volcano........
Katla is probably imminent, and the ensuing ecological disaster
Katla | Ríkisútvarpið vefur
Katla is probably imminent, and the ensuing ecological disaster
Katla | Ríkisútvarpið vefur
Ash Cloud Returns-Ireland Closed.
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Quote from the Icelandic Met Office site. Sounds as if they're getting fed up of groundless conjecture:
Katla is NOT erupting and there are NO indications that Katla is about to erupt. Information on this page is for the Eyjafjallajökull eruption.
Katla is NOT erupting and there are NO indications that Katla is about to erupt. Information on this page is for the Eyjafjallajökull eruption.
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Katla
Not totally conjecture;
Re post 2505/Calvin Hobbes
28APR Page 2 of "Status Report"
Katla rumbled at 03.36 28APR 6km down
Just checked the site and apparently nothing since
Rod.
Re post 2505/Calvin Hobbes
28APR Page 2 of "Status Report"
Katla rumbled at 03.36 28APR 6km down
Just checked the site and apparently nothing since
Rod.
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Yes Katla is linked geologically to the volcano that's erupting now. When one goes so does the other. But time is very misleading in geology. Katla is due to erupt but that could be next year or in 500 years. Still a mere blink in geological terms. The behemoth of a volcano under yellowstone national park is overdue by a couple of centuries. Mount St Helens is due to erupt some time soon. But again what is soon in geological terms. 1000 years is just like a pico second in our relative terms
Yes the last 3 katla eruptions have happened soon ish (18 months to 2 years) after the current volcano but we only know of a definite link going back to the 10th century. Before then we're not sure.
I guess what I'm really saying is yes we must prepare but don't expect the bigun next week. It'll happen but first katla has to burn through 700' of glacial ice so we'll know about it. Even if the media isn't bothered to start with.
The Icelandic president's words are quite prophetic though. "this is but a small dress rehersal for the big event." As someone working in the industry I've never been worried about instant catostrophic engine failures but I am worried the general erosion of safety factors as are some egineers in my company. But hey political expediency is probably more important at the moment.
I'm no expert in engine design/ wear and tear/ damage but the politicians/ceo's/ bean counters aren't either and they'll probably have more say than anyone
Yes the last 3 katla eruptions have happened soon ish (18 months to 2 years) after the current volcano but we only know of a definite link going back to the 10th century. Before then we're not sure.
I guess what I'm really saying is yes we must prepare but don't expect the bigun next week. It'll happen but first katla has to burn through 700' of glacial ice so we'll know about it. Even if the media isn't bothered to start with.
The Icelandic president's words are quite prophetic though. "this is but a small dress rehersal for the big event." As someone working in the industry I've never been worried about instant catostrophic engine failures but I am worried the general erosion of safety factors as are some egineers in my company. But hey political expediency is probably more important at the moment.
I'm no expert in engine design/ wear and tear/ damage but the politicians/ceo's/ bean counters aren't either and they'll probably have more say than anyone
Last edited by cortilla; 3rd May 2010 at 23:00.
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Flights cancelled to Belfast International
Taken from belfast int website....
Disruption to Flights (Tue 04 May)
Following further movement in the ash cloud emanating from the Icelandic volcano and after consultation with the Met Office and National Air Traffic Services (NATS), the UK CAA has issued a notice closing airspace over Northern Ireland with effect from 7AM on Tuesday 04 May until further notice.
This will mean that no flights will be operating into or out of Belfast International Airport during this period.
Under these circumstances we would once again urge all intending passengers to check the status of their flight directly with their airline before committing to travel to the airport.
We will update our website as further information becomes available from the authorities.
Passengers travelling with Thomas Cook Airlines should contact 01274 724363.
Click here for airline contact numbers
Continue to the site
© Belfast International Airport 2010. All Rights Reserved.
Disruption to Flights (Tue 04 May)
Following further movement in the ash cloud emanating from the Icelandic volcano and after consultation with the Met Office and National Air Traffic Services (NATS), the UK CAA has issued a notice closing airspace over Northern Ireland with effect from 7AM on Tuesday 04 May until further notice.
This will mean that no flights will be operating into or out of Belfast International Airport during this period.
Under these circumstances we would once again urge all intending passengers to check the status of their flight directly with their airline before committing to travel to the airport.
We will update our website as further information becomes available from the authorities.
Passengers travelling with Thomas Cook Airlines should contact 01274 724363.
Click here for airline contact numbers
Continue to the site
© Belfast International Airport 2010. All Rights Reserved.