Resuspension of Relic Volcanic Ash and Dust from Katmai: Still an Aviation Hazard (Abstract Only)

The volcanic ash from the Katmai Volcano Cluster and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes was continuously resuspended on September 20-21, 2003, because the northwest winds were strong. The volcanic ash cloud rose to over 1600 meters and ranged over 230 kilometers into the Gulf of Alaska. A number of things influenced the resuspension of the volcanic ash. These include the following: (1) the land surface and atmosphere were very dry before the eruption, encouraging the resuspension and atmospheric transportation of the relic volcanic ash that followed; (2) existence of strong enough winds to lift the ash over 1600 meters into the atmosphere; (3) complicated terrain with many mountains that were interspersed with gaps, valleys, and channels; (4) super adiabatic lapse rate for the troposphere below 850 mb; and (5) a strong subsidence inversion of about 1400-1600 meters. This presentation offers the forecaster an ability to: (1) detect the conditions necessary for resuspension of relic volcanic ash; and (2) immediately respond to that kind of an event.

• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Coordinator, Meteorological Services & Support Research

  8455 Colesville Road, Suite 1500
  Silver Spring, MD  United States  20901
• Authors:
  • Hadley, David
  • Hufford, Gary L
  • Simpson, James J
• Conference:
  • 2nd International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety
  • Location: Alexandria, Virginia
  • Date: 2004-6-21 to 2004-6-24
• Publication Date: 2004-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Pagination: 1p
• Monograph Title: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety, June 21-24, 2004, Alexandria, Virginia

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adiabatic conditions; Atmosphere; Aviation safety; Channels (Waterways); Clouds; Dryness; Hazards; Mountains; Subsidence (Geology); Suspensions (Chemistry); Terrain; Troposphere; Valleys; Volcanic ash; Volcanic eruptions; Wind
• Uncontrolled Terms: Inversions; Resuspensions
• Geographic Terms: Gulf of Alaska; Katmai volcano cluster
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01000872
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 9 2005 2:02PM