<p> IAVWOPSG/4-WP/25 International Civil Aviation Organization 8/7/08 </p><p>WORKING PAPER</p><p>INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS VOLCANO WATCH OPERATIONS GROUP (IAVWOPSG)</p><p>FOURTH MEETING </p><p>Paris, France, 15 to 19 September 2008 </p><p>Agenda Item 5: Operation of the IAVWOPSG 5.2: Improvement of the format and content of all volcanic ash related messages</p><p>GUIDANCE FOR VOLCANO OBSERVATORIES IN SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS VOLCANO WATCH</p><p>(Presented by the United States)</p><p>SUMMARY This paper presents results of a test by the Alaska Volcano Observatory to implement use of the Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation and recommends further testing and evaluation by the World Organization of Volcano Observatories.</p><p>1. INTRODUCTION</p><p>1.1 At the IAVWOPSG/2 meeting in Lima in 2005, it was agreed under conclusion 2/5 that the Secretariat in coordination with the International Union Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) member would develop a template for the provision of information by Volcano Observatories (VO) regarding significant pre-eruptive activity, eruptions, and/or ash in the atmosphere to Area Control Centers (ACC), Meteorological Watch Offices (MWO), and Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers (VAAC). A format was developed and presented at IAVWOPSG/3 meeting in Bangkok in 2007, after receiving endorsement at the APANPIRG CNS/MET meeting in Bangkok in July 2006 and at the AERMET SG/8 meeting in Santiago in October 2006. The group at the IAVWOPSG/3 meeting reviewed and endorsed the template with minor revisions, and Conclusion 3/9 called for the template, renamed Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) to be included in ICAO Doc 9766 Handbook on the International Airways Volcano Watch. </p><p>1.2 As described in Working Paper 10 at the IAVWOPSG/3 meeting, the VONA should be issued by a VO when a volcano’s aviation colour code is changed (up or down) at a volcano or when significant change in volcanic activity occurs within a colour-code level. Timely dissemination of VONA</p><p>(3 pages) 0cbc795a63bf142beee6a32b413bc917.doc IAVWOPSG/4-WP/25 2 would occur by email or telefax directly to the pertinent ACC, MWO, and VAAC as appropriate, as VO do not have a communication link via the Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network (AFTN). Following the IAVWOPSG/3 meeting, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) undertook a test of the utility of VONA within its region. This paper reports on the results of that test.</p><p>2. DISCUSSION</p><p>2.1 AVO first undertook development of a software system to streamline creating and disseminating VONA as well as other (non-aviation) volcano-hazard messages issued by the Observatory. The system (1) has a user interface that allows a scientist to enter the relevant volcanic information into an underlying database (2) pulls information from that database to automatically construct the VONA in the correct format, (3) e-mails the VONA to predetermined recipients, (3) posts the VONA to the AVO web site, and (4) archives the VONA in the database. When the software system for constructing and disseminating VONA is finalized, the USGS will make the software freely available to the World Organization of Volcano Observatories for use by other VO if they choose. </p><p>2.2 A group of test recipients was selected that includes the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center, Anchorage VAAC, the Anchorage MWO, Federal Aviation Administration Headquarters, Air Line Pilots Association, Montreal VAAC, Wellington VAAC, Darwin VAAC, and selected dispatchers and meteorologists at US carriers with North Pacific air routes. From November 2007 through May 2008, four VONA were issued:</p><p>8 Feb.2008 – Aviation colour code raised to ORANGE at Cleveland volcano 13 Feb. 2008 – Aviation colour code lowered to YELLOW at Cleveland volcano 22 Feb. 2008 – Aviation colour code raised to YELLOW at Veniaminof volcano 3 May 2008 – Aviation colour code lowered to GREEN at Veniaminof volcano</p><p>2.3 Feedback from test recipients was positive. The new message format is much more concise and understandable to aviation users, although it was noted that Observatory scientists still tended to include unnecessary volcanological detail in their summary statements. </p><p>2.4 The USGS will continue to help the IUGG to coordinate the broader use of the VONA. Because only a few VONA have been issued during the AVO test to date, the USGS recommends that the test period continue and that the VONA be tested outside of Alaska.</p><p>3. CONCLUSION</p><p>3.1 The group may wish to formulate the following conclusion:</p><p>Conclusion 4/.. — Testing of the Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) for notification of significant pre-eruption volcanic activity, volcanic eruptions, and/or volcanic ash in the atmosphere</p><p>That, </p><p> a) the IUGG be invited to continue testing the applicability of the VONA to determine its use by VO in providing timely information 3 IAVWOPSG/4-WP/25</p><p> to ACC, MWO, and VAAC; </p><p> b) the IUGG member provide a report at IAVWOPSG/5 which:</p><p>1) identifies areas of improvement to the VONA based on the testing conducted;</p><p>2) identifies the acceptance of the VONA by the World Organization of Volcano Observatories; and</p><p>3) evaluates the implementation efforts required by VO worldwide.</p><p>4. ACTION BY THE IAVWOPSG</p><p>4.1 The IAVWOPSG is invited to:</p><p> a) note the information in this paper; and</p><p> b) decide on the draft conclusion proposed for the group’s consideration.</p><p>— END —</p>