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| Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation | |
|---|---|
| Name | Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation |
| Abbreviation | VONA |
| Issued by | United States Geological Survey Volcano Observatory network, British Geological Survey, Geological Survey of Japan, Alaska Volcano Observatory, NOAA coordination |
| First issued | 20th century |
| Purpose | Aviation safety during volcanic eruptions |
Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation
A Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation is an operational bulletin promulgated by specialized observatories and agencies to warn airlines, air traffic control centers, civil aviation authorities and military aviation commands about airborne hazards from eruptive volcano activity. Notices synthesize monitoring from observatories such as the United States Geological Survey, Alaska Volcano Observatory, Smithsonian Institution researchers, Geological Survey of Japan, British Geological Survey, and international coordination bodies including International Civil Aviation Organization and World Meteorological Organization partners to protect commercial airlines, cargo airlines, general aviation and cargo cultures in global airspace.
VONAs are part of a multi-agency hazard communication framework involving Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers, Meteorological Office services, and national aviation regulators like the Federal Aviation Administration, Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom), and Japan Civil Aviation Bureau. Observatories integrate data from networks such as Global Positioning System geodesy, seismic networks, infrasound arrays, satellite remote sensing platforms like MODIS, GOES and Sentinel-2, and field teams from institutions such as the University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Cambridge, and University of Tokyo.
The primary aim is to provide timely hazard information to protect passenger airliners, cargo freighters, military transports and helicopter operations from airborne particulates including volcanic ash, sulfur dioxide plumes, and ballistic ejecta. Scope includes coordination with air navigation service providers, airport operators like Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and Heathrow Airport, airline operations centers such as those at United Airlines and British Airways, and research organizations like USGS Volcano Science Center and the Icelandic Meteorological Office.
A typical notice contains the volcano name, coordinates, activity description, plume height and direction, ash concentration or gas loadings, effective times, and recommended flight-level constraints. Language conforms to templates used by Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers operated by Met Office London VAAC, Washington VAAC, Tokyo VAAC, Wellington VAAC, Toulouse VAAC, Buenos Aires VAAC, Santiago VAAC, and Istanbul coordination where applicable. Notices reference observational inputs from radar networks, LIDAR stations, aircraft reconnaissance sorties such as those by NOAA Hurricane Hunters, and laboratory analyses from institutions including the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History.
Issuance follows protocols at observatories like Cascades Volcano Observatory, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, Icelandic Meteorological Office, and national agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and the European Space Agency when satellite data are essential. Coordination occurs with ICAO regional offices and IATA operations to ensure alignment with air traffic control centers like Eurocontrol and FAA Air Traffic Organization.
VONAs often reference alert systems like the Aviation Color Code and observatory alert levels employed by the USGS and counterparts in Japan Meteorological Agency and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). Color codes such as Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red correspond to increasing likelihood and severity of ash emissions and eruption intensity, and are aligned with guidance from ICAO and World Meteorological Organization for harmonized international aviation response.
Notices are distributed via multiple channels including NOTAMs issued through ICAO systems, messaging to air traffic control networks, direct notifications to airline operations centers, and postings on observatory web portals maintained by entities like the USGS and British Geological Survey. Satellite-based dissemination leverages COSPAS-SARSAT concepts and data-sharing agreements among VAACs, and coordination occurs through multinational exercises involving NATO air assets, European Commission civil protection mechanisms, and regional civil aviation fora.
VONAs inform route-planning, altitude restrictions, airframe inspections, and temporary airport closures at hubs including Narita International Airport and Reykjavík Airport. Historic disruptions involved airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, and KLM adjusting schedules and flying time contingencies. Aircraft engine manufacturers like Rolls-Royce, General Electric, and Pratt & Whitney provide guidance on ash ingestion risks; inspections and maintenance procedures are coordinated with aviation safety regulators including the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Federal Aviation Administration.
Notable events include VONAs during the Eyjafjallajökull eruption (2010) that disrupted European air traffic, VONAs for the Mount Pinatubo eruption (1991) affecting trans-Pacific routes, and advisories issued for Mount St. Helens and Kīlauea activity impacting Pacific flight corridors. Case studies involve cross-agency responses during the Grímsvötn and Sakurajima episodes, and analyses by research teams from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and University of Oxford on plume dispersion modeling and operational decision-making. These events prompted advances at organizations like the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center network and drove policy reviews at ICAO and IATA.
Category:Volcanology Category:Aviation safety Category:Risk communication