Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

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Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

May 8, 2010

Volcano ash cloud shuts airports in Spain

<!-- Remove following <div> to not show photographer information -->(Paul Souders/Corbis)
Renewed eruptions of the Eyjafjallaj?kull volcano spewed ash up to 30,000ft high this week

Martina Lees

Spain closed 19 airports and transatlantic flights were delayed as the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland drifted south.

Barcelona, Spain?s second biggest airport, was among those closed, while Portugal also saw at least 125 flights grounded.

French weather forecasters expected the cloud to cross the Pyrenees overnight, which would disrupt flights over southern France.

Ryanair today cancelled some 30 flights from Britain to the region, stretching as far south as the Canary Islands. EasyJet suspended at least seven flights.

Renewed eruptions of the Eyjafjallaj?kull volcano this week spewed ash up to 30,000ft high. The plume has now curved across the Atlantic in a half-moon shape down towards Spain ? but not covering Britain.

A second, higher cloud is forcing planes to and from North America to fly around the ash. As a result the flights were 90min to two hours longer, American Airlines said.

The Spanish airport authority Aena said 650 flights were cancelled up to 2pm local time today.

Northerly winds, expected from tomorrow, could blow the cloud back over western Scotland and Ireland, forecasters from MeteoGroup said.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article7120541.ece

 

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Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

Update on activity

Eruption in Eyjafjallaj?kull, Iceland

Assessment - 08 May 2010 18:30

The eruption is still in an explosive phase. The tephra- and splatter cone continues to build up and is now reaching the rim of the ice edge around the crater. Little or no steam is observed at G?gj?kull.

Tephra fallout may be expected in the nearest vicinity of the volcano, but much less than during the first days of the eruption.

The plume doesn't rise vertically from the crater, but bends SE-wards due to wind; measured at around 5 km hight this morning. For more detailed information, see the status report issued collectively by the Icelandic Meteorological Office and the Institute of Earth Sciences at 14:00 today.

Eyjafjallaj?kull 8th May 2010

Eyjafjallaj?kull eruption at noon 8th May 2010. Photo: Gunnar B. Gu?mundsson.
http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/articles/nr/1884

 

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Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

Update on activity

Eruption in Eyjafjallaj?kull, Iceland

Assessment - 09 May 2010 15:00

The eruption plume is grey or light gray and mostly 4-5 km in hight (14-17,000 ft) but sometimes shoots up to 6 km (20,000 ft). It is heading southeast but low level winds are easterly.

Tephra fallout is further west now. Black ashfall was detected at Sk?gar this morning and also at ?orvaldseyri, just south of the eruption site.
Noise was reported from Vestmannaeyjar-islands (35-40 km southwest of erutpion), Vatnsdalur (190-200 km to the north), and Borgarfj?r?ur (~150 km to the northwest).

Deflation of the Eyjafjallaj?kull volcano contiues. Compared to last seven days, the output from the volcano has been slowly decreasing but the activity has been pulsating and further changes in overall activity can be expected. Presently there are no indications that the eruption is about to end.

The above is based on a status report issued collectively by the Icelandic Meteorological Office and the Institute of Earth Sciences at 12:00 today.

http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/articles/nr/1884

 

[mixin]

Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

My bad screen capture from yesterday so we can see if there is a change in the infrared shots.

 

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Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

M?rdalsj?kull - earthquakes during the last 48 hours (Preliminary results)

• Map
• Table

Earthquake location 10 May 13:00 GMT

Time and magnitude of earthquake 10 May 13:00 GMT

http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/earthquakes/myrdalsjokull/

 

[Vibrant62]

Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

Looking at the infrared pictures now, it seems that the volcano is erupting with increased force and vigour.

Being a technological idiot, cant work out screen capture but something interesting. In your screen capture, there is a small bright spot quite a long way south of the main eruption. The IR marker is located on the heat source generating the most heat - and at the moment, it is dotting between the main eruption and this spot. At first I thought it might be lava flow, but it was there yesterday too, without change or movement.

I wonder if a new vent is opening up and developing?

 

[mixin]

Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

My screen capturing abilities lack, too. This one is a little better from this morning.

Last night it was spewing fire. This morning the area at the bottom of the pic was as white hot as what was coming out of the top of the volcano. Can the run-off still be that hot?

 

[Vibrant62]

Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

Eruption appears to be getting larger and more violent

 

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Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

<TABLE class=storycontent cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2>Page last updated at 16:14 GMT, Tuesday, 11 May 2010 17:14 UK

Volcano ash cloud: UK and Irish air safety rules eased






</TD></TR><TR><TD class=storybody><!-- S BO --><!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=226 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA --><!-- S SF -->Safety rules governing flights in UK and Irish airspace have been eased following the Iceland volcano, the Civil Aviation Authority has announced. It said it had cleared the way for more flights by lifting the 60-mile no-fly buffer zone imposed around dense ash.

Passengers, meanwhile, have been facing more disruption as the ash forced parts of Spain, Portugal, Morocco and the Canary Islands to close their airspace.

UK airports remain open, but dozens of flights were cancelled and delayed.
<!-- E SF -->

A CAA spokesman said its decision to remove the buffer zone was taken with the Irish Aviation Authority after three weeks of evidence gathering.

He said: "Following in-depth and evidence based studies a larger amount of air space can now be allowed to remain open when there are very small amounts of volcanic ash at acceptable levels in the atmosphere.

Long delays

"This will reduce the impact of volcanic ash on airports, and ease some restrictions on flight operations, enabling more flights to resume."

The CAA, the UK's safety regulator, said its goal is to allow as much flying as safely possible.

But both Ryanair and Easyjet confirmed they had been forced to scrap flights to Europe as the problems from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano continued.

Airlines and airports urged passengers to check updated information before travelling.

London's two main airports both reported a handful of cancellations - 19 arrivals and 17 departures at Gatwick, and seven arrivals and four departures at Heathrow.

A Gatwick spokesperson also said 20 arrivals and 25 departures out of the 688 flights scheduled on Tuesday had been delayed by the ash.
Ryanair said it had cancelled flights to and from the Canary Islands, Faro and Madrid.

Flights to and from Granada, Jerez, Malaga, Seville and Tangier have also been cancelled.

Easyjet spokesman Andrew McConnell said the "vast majority" of its flights were operating normally.
Passengers travelling to and from Madrid, Faro, Funchal, Marrakesh and Tenerife should check their flight status before travelling, he said.

British airports operator BAA has also warned of delays to transatlantic services and cancellations by airlines.

British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are among the carriers whose passengers suffered long delays on Tuesday.

/.../ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8674704.stm


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

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Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

Update on activity

Eruption in Eyjafjallaj?kull, Iceland

Conditions - 11 May 2010 18:45

The grey eruption plume is heading southsoutheast and it?s hight is similar to previous days. Observations from air and web cameras show similar activity to yesterday. In the afternoon there was an increase in explosive activity, giving darker and slightly higher plume.

No major changes are seen in the activity, but small variation can still be expected. Presently there are no indications that the eruption is about to end.

For further information, see the status report issued collectively by the Icelandic Meteorological Office and the Institute of Earth Sciences at 15:00.
Ash on ice

Eyjafjallaj?kull, and G?gj?kull in front, at 10:58 today, 11 May 2010. Photo: Sigurlaug Hjaltad?ttir.

http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/articles/nr/1884

 

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Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

Update on activity

Eruption in Eyjafjallaj?kull, Iceland

Assessment - 13 May 2010 19:45

The eruption plume is gray and heading southeast. The hight is mainly 6 km (20,000 ft) but shoots intermittently up to ~ 9 km (30,000 ft). Wind is calm over the eruption site and unstable air south of it, which does affect the height of the ash cloud.

Ashfall has been reported since 6 o?clock this morning from various farms in the vicinity; the ash is somewhat finer today than yesterday. Twenty lightnings were recorded on the ATDnet since last night (UK Met Office).

Only the upper part of the ash cloud and the lower part of Eyjafjallaj?kull could be seen during air surveillance, see photos below; ordinary clouds obscured the view.

No major changes are seen in the activity, although the ash plume has increased in hight since yesterday. Presently there are no indications that the eruption is about to end. The above is based on a status report issued collectively by the Icelandic Meteorological Office and the Institute of Earth Sciences at 16:00.
Ash cloud over clouds

Flight over Eyjafjallaj?kull 13 May 2010. Photo: ?rni Sigur?sson.

G?gj?kull

Flight over Eyjafjallaj?kull 13 May 2010. Photo: ?rni Sigur?sson.

http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/articles/nr/1884

 

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Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

Flights stranded in Iceland <TABLE style="WIDTH: 405px; HEIGHT: 44px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=caption style="WIDTH: 180px">May 14 2010 at 05:06PM </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Reykjavik - Volcanic ash forced Iceland's main Reykjavik-Keflavik airport to close on Friday, aviation authorities said, adding that the closure five hours before schedule had stranded a number of international flights.

The airport had said late Thursday it planned to close at 7.00am until midnight due to the ash cloud and that departures would be brought forward to allow flights to leave before the closure.

But the situation deteriorated quicker than expected, and the airport shut down at 2.00am (02.00 GMT), stranding many flights were stranded at Keflavik.

"At midnight it was evident that the closure would be sooner than expected," Hjordis Gudmundsdottir, a spokeswoman for Icelandic aviation authority Isavia, told AFP.

Iceland's two other international airports, Akureyri (nearly 400 kilometres/250 miles north of the capital) and Egilsstadir (650 kilometres east of Reykjavik), remained open.

However, the country's main airline Icelandair was hoping for a quick resolution of the problem and had so far not moved their staff there, meaning no international or domestic flights were leaving the island nation.

Flights arriving from the US Friday morning had however been permitted to land at Akureyri, and passengers had been taken by bus on to Reykjavik.

"We are hoping the forecast at noon will be more positive," referring to the next official forecast of the ash cloud movement.

Icelandair was scheduled to issue its next outlook of the situation at 13.00GMT.

Ash from the Eyjafjoell volcano was on Friday falling as far west of eruption site as Selfoss, just 50 kilometres from the capital, according to residents. - Sapa-AFP

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=3&art_id=nw20100514163357582C885173&set_id=

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

Source: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100515/D9FNBQO80.html

UK, Germany eye possible ash travel disruptions
May 15, 11:27 AM (ET)
By JENNIFER QUINN


LONDON (AP) - Volcanic ash from Iceland could disrupt air travel in both Britain and Germany in the next few days, officials said Saturday.

The British Department of Transport said there was a risk that parts of British airspace could be closed beginning Sunday and those problems could continue through Tuesday. The predictions are based on the continuing eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokul volcano and current wind and weather conditions.

It said different parts of British airspace - including England's southeast, home to Europe's busiest airport at Heathrow as well as Gatwick, Stansted and other top airports - could close at different times through the next few days.

In Germany, air traffic control spokesman Axel Raab told The Associated Press that German air travel could face possible disruptions starting Monday but cautioned that indicators were still "very, very vague..."

 

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Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

Update on activity

Eruption in Eyjafjallaj?kull, Iceland

Assessment - 16 May 2010 19:15

The eruption plume is gray and the height is mainly ~ 7 - 9 km / 24,000 - 30,000 ft. It is heading southeast and east-southeast. There wind is calm over the volcano, with wind speed ~10 m/sec at height over 7 km / 24,000 ft.

Ash fall is reported southeast of Eyjafjallaj?kull, from Sk?gar to P?tursey on M?rdalssandur.

No major changes are seen in the activity. The ash cloud has been of variable height the last days and is higher today than yesterday, influenced by the calm weather. Unusually many lightning have been detected. Presently there are no indications that the eruption is about to end.

Details in status report issued collectively by the Icelandic Meteorological Office and the Institute of Earth Sciences at 17:00.

http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/articles/nr/1884

 

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Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

Volcanic ash to close London's Heathrow airport

AP foreign, Monday May 17 2010

JENNIFER QUINN

Associated Press Writer= LONDON (AP) ? Europe's busiest airport was set to close early Monday morning as a dense crowd of volcanic ash drifts across England from Iceland, aviation authorities said.

The airspace over London's Heathrow Airport will be closed at 1 a.m. Monday (0000 GMT; 7 p.m. EDT), Britain's National Air Traffic Service said in a statement late Sunday night.

The restrictions affecting Heathrow ? as well as Gatwick, Stansted, and London City airports ? will be in place until at least 7 a.m. Monday, the aviation authority said.

Airports across Britain and Ireland were closed for much of Sunday because of the drifting ash. The shifting of the no-fly zone southward will allow airports in northern England ? including the key cities of Manchester and Liverpool ? to reopen after 1 a.m.

But all airports in Northern Ireland, as well as some Scottish facilities, will remain shut.

In Ireland, Dublin's international airport closed early Sunday evening until at least 12 p.m. Monday (1100 GMT, 7 a.m. EDT). Some airports in Ireland's west were closed and will reopen at different times Monday, but Shannon and southern Cork were open "until further notice."

The British air traffic agency said the ash cloud was changing shape and moving south, toward Oxford, England, 60 miles (100 kilometers) northwest of London. Britain's weather service says the northwest winds should shift midweek, redirecting the ash away from Britain.
German authorities sent up two test flights Sunday to measure the ash cloud, one from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the other from Lufthansa, the country's biggest airline.

The DLR plane flew to southern England then continued north, collecting data from between 10,000 to 23,000 feet (3,000 to 7,000 meters). The Lufthansa Airbus A340-600, equipped with special scientific gear, left Frankfurt to fly over northern Germany, the United Kingdom and parts of Scandinavia.

All the data from both flights was immediately sent to aviation authorities in the U.K, the Netherlands and Germany, said aerospace center spokesman Andreas Schuetz.

Ash can clog jet engines. The April 14 eruption at Iceland's Eyjafjallajokul volcano forced most countries in northern Europe to shut their airspace between April 15-20, grounding more than 100,000 flights and an estimated 10 million travelers worldwide. The shutdown cost airlines more than $2 billion.

In southern Iceland, activity at the volcano fluctuated Sunday but did not get more intense, civil protection official Agust Gunnar Gylfason said. He blamed the closures on shifting winds.
"What really changes the situation is the weather pattern," he said.
.../

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/9081152

 

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Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

Volcanic Ash Advisory from London - Issued graphics

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/aviation/vaac/vaacuk_vag.html

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

Two Dutch airports closed, partial restrictions at British airports

The Hague/London - Rotterdam and Schiphol airports in the Netherlands were closed Monday from 6 am to 2 pm due to a new stream of ash from Iceland's volcano, air traffic officials announced.

The ash flow has also affected airports in Britain. Restrictions continued Monday at regional airports in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Heathrow and Gatwick, London's two main airports partially reopened early Monday as disruption continued for travellers as a result of the volcanic ash cloud, the air traffic control service said.

more : http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/...partial-restrictions-at-british-airports.html

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

Europe: 1,000 flights affected due to volcanic ash

By JENNIFER QUINN (AP)

LONDON ? Three of Europe's busiest airports reopened Monday afternoon after a dense volcanic ash cloud from Iceland dissipated and a no-fly zone was lifted. Up to 1,000 flights in Europe were affected by the closures.

Flights were landing and taking off from London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports and Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, but all three warned travelers it would take time for airlines to clear the backlog of delayed flights and to contact their airlines before going to the airport.

Eurocontrol, the continent's air traffic control agency, said 28,000 flights were expected Monday in Europe, about 1,000 less than normal, mainly due to the disruptions in Britain and the Netherlands.

Icelandic civil protection official Agust Gunnar Gylfason said the ash cloud was traveling to the north, forcing airports in Keflavik and Reykjavik to close. He said seismic activity at the volcano was unchanged.

Full article: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jh7lQ-qBxQMPzPd3Iap7_s3YDBfQD9FOLCA80

 

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Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

Update on activity

Eruption in Eyjafjallaj?kull, Iceland

Assessment - 17 May 2010 18:05

Ash trail 6 - 17 May

Satellite image (SEVIRI BTD) showing ash from Eyjafjallaj?kull, see animation. Origin and technique described 7 May (below).


The height (a.s.l.) of the eruption plume is about 6-7 km according to radar, occasionally pulsating to 9 km (27,000 ft). Winds around the volcano are slightly increasing, resulting in lower plume height. The plume is drifting east and is dark-gray.

Ash has fallen in the Gn?pverjahreppur area, on the road to Sultartangi power station and in the Biskupstungur area (very fine particled and gray). Constant lightning has been detected, up to 10 flashes per hour. The ash plume rises straight up from the site.

The volcanic activity is explosive, but there are indications that it has somewhat lessened since the maximum on 13 May. Considerable ashfall is in the nighbouring communities and is expected to continue. Fluctuations in the strength of the eruption and in ashfall can still be expected. Details in status report issued collectively by the Icelandic Meteorological Office and the Institute of Earth Sciences at 17:00.

http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/articles/nr/1884

 

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Re: Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud - European flights hampered

Update on activity

Eruption in Eyjafjallaj?kull, Iceland

Assessment - 18 May 2010 18:05


According to radar observations, the eruption plume has been mostly at 7 km (21,000 ft) hight. Over the volcano, south and southwesterly winds blow. Near the surface, the wind was easterly, blowing ash from the ground towards west and northwest. The plume is gray and drifting northeast.

Ash has fallen in the Gn?pverjahreppur area, Hrauneyjar and in the northeast and east part of Iceland (from Laugar in S-?ingeyjars?sla to Sey?isfj?r?ur). Higher aerosol concentrations have been recorded in Reykjav?k around midday, due to ash drifting over the area. More than 70 lightning strikes from midnight to midday have been detected.

A powerful explosive eruption is ongoing and the height of the plume suggests that the eruption rate is over 200 tonnes per second.

Details in status report issued collectively by the Icelandic Meteorological Office and the Institute of Earth Sciences at 17:00.


http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/articles/nr/1884