Projected impacts of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption on UK airspace

Adam Burwell & Hannah Beirne

Overview & Aim:•Between the 2-6th May 2010, the Eyjafjallajökull

eruption generated a strong southerly stream of ash.• UK airspace was closed on 4th May.

‘Identify which major airports were actually in a region where ash levels were greater than the later decided safe limit. Create a plot showing the regions where ash level was too great to take off and the regions

where flight at 33,000 ft should be restricted.’

Procedure

Namelist Files• Latitude: 49• Longitude: -9•DX: 20000•DY:20000•From: 02/05/2010 00:00:00•Until: 07/05/2010 00:00:00• (Actually Until: 04/05/2010 00:00:00)•Runtime: 5 days, 0hours, 0mins, 0secs

ProcedureTrajectory Files•Xtraj: 16•Ytraj: 09•Ztraj: 01 and 3.3 (run twice)•Rtim: 000•Ctim:120

Conclusions: Airport closures

•Wind directions very important•7:00 4th May – N.Ireland and W.Scotland Airspace

Shut•Belfast and Derry Airports Closed