Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/M009416/1
DRIVE - CASE studentship
Training Grant Award
- Lead Supervisor:
- Professor J M Haywood, University of Exeter, Mathematics
- Grant held at:
- University of Exeter, Mathematics
- Science Area:
- Atmospheric
- Overall Classification:
- Atmospheric
- ENRIs:
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Pollution and Waste
- Science Topics:
- Radiative Processes & Effects
- Tropospheric Processes
- Geohazards
- Volcanic Processes
- Lasers & Optics
- Abstract:
- The economic cost of the Eyjafjallajokull eruption in Iceland in 2010 due to the closure of UK and European airspace has been estimated at around 200m GBP/day (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8624663.stm) for the airline industry with total subsequent impacts on the global economy of several billion GBP. The Met Office Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) is responsible for providing forecasts of volcanic ash from Icelandic volcanoes and initially produced forecasts of volcanic ash using a zero tolerance which was shifted to an aircraft dependent 2000-4000microgm-3 based on engine manufacturer recommendations. Considerable uncertainty exists in the forecast mass concentration and therefore validation is crucial, both in terms of the general horizontal and vertical distribution and concentration of volcanic ash. After the Eyjafjallajokull eruption, volcanic ash was first detected by LEOSPHERE lidars operating at the UK Met Office Cardington site and the Met Office HQ in Exeter. Measurements of the perturbation to the aerosol optical depth (AOD) and aerosol size distribution from a sun-photometer allowed estimation of the volcanic ash mass concentration. To increase the resilience of European airspace to future volcanic eruptions, the Met Office has established (via CAA funding) a series of 9 fixed sun-photometer and lidar sites and one mobile facility incorporating both lidar and sunphotometers across the UK. However, retrievals from these lidar and sun-photometer instruments require independent validation of aerosol size distribution, impacts of non-sphericity, and composite particle density to test the assumptions that are implicit within them. Thus the CAA working in partnership with the UK Met Office, has also instrumented a Met Office Civil Contingency Aircraft (MOCCA), which is able to make high quality aerosol size distribution and scattering measurements and has the benefits of a downward/upward pointing LEOSPHERE lidar. DRIVE have access to the unique data sets from both the surface network and from the MOCCA aircraft. Drive will utilise the frequent occurrence of mineral dust (typically 6-8 events per year) and is a good proxy for volcanic ash in terms of size distribution, density, non-sphericity and composition to launch a comprehensive validation of the lidar and sun-photometer instruments and retrievals. Methodology: The PDRA will utilise forecast of mineral dust that are routinely available from the Met Office global numerical weather prediction (NWP) model and others (http://sds-was.aemet.es/forecast-products/dust-forecasts/compared-dustforecasts), to assess when a Saharan dust outbreak is imminent (experience suggests a lead-time of between 48 to 72 hours). The student will direct the MOCCA aircraft to perform dedicated flights over selected cloud-free sites lidar/sunphotometer sites. The PDRA will analyse MOCCA measurements of the aerosol size distribution of the Saharan dust, the vertical profile of the scattering and AOD using both the on-board lidar and the in-situ nephelometer. The PDRA will assess the MOCCA measured size distribution and derive the aerosol specific extinction coefficient and assess similar quantities derived from almucantar and parallel-plane inversions from the sun-photometers. The DRIVE research methodology is a collaboration between the University of Exeter (Academic Institution), the Met Office (Non-Academic Institution), and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and will provide a systematic assessment of the retrieval accuracy of the combined sun-photometer and lidar network system in determining the concentration of volcanic ash for a future volcanic eruption. DRIVE will contribute to increased resilience of the UK airline industry and UK economy should UK airspace be threatened with closure subsequent to the next Icelandic volcanic eruption.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/M009416/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- DTG - directed
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Industrial CASE
This training grant award has a total value of £85,122
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Fees | Total - Student Stipend | Total - RTSG |
|---|---|---|
| £16,587 | £57,538 | £11,000 |
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