Using data insertion with the NAME model to simulate the 8 May 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcanic ash cloud

A data insertion method, where a dispersion model is initialized from ash properties derived from a series of satellite observations, is used to model the 8 May 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcanic ash cloud which extended from Iceland to northern Spain. We also briefly discuss the application of this met...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of geophysical research. Atmospheres 2016-01, Vol.121 (1), p.306-323
Main Authors: Wilkins, K. L., Watson, I. M., Kristiansen, N. I., Webster, H. N., Thomson, D. J., Dacre, H. F., Prata, A. J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amplitude
Ashes
atmospheric dispersion
Availability
Cloud structure
Clouds
Computer simulation
Data
data insertion
Data processing
Dispersion
Figure of merit
Geophysics
Insertion
Mathematical models
Meteorological satellites
Methods
modeling
Modelling
Parameters
Properties
Regional analysis
Satellite observation
Satellites
Volcanic activity
Volcanic ash
Volcanic eruptions
Volcanoes
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Summary:A data insertion method, where a dispersion model is initialized from ash properties derived from a series of satellite observations, is used to model the 8 May 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcanic ash cloud which extended from Iceland to northern Spain. We also briefly discuss the application of this method to the April 2010 phase of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption and the May 2011 Grímsvötn eruption. An advantage of this method is that very little knowledge about the eruption itself is required because some of the usual eruption source parameters are not used. The method may therefore be useful for remote volcanoes where good satellite observations of the erupted material are available, but little is known about the properties of the actual eruption. It does, however, have a number of limitations related to the quality and availability of the observations. We demonstrate that, using certain configurations, the data insertion method is able to capture the structure of a thin filament of ash extending over northern Spain that is not fully captured by other modeling methods. It also verifies well against the satellite observations according to the quantitative object‐based quality metric, SAL—structure, amplitude, location, and the spatial coverage metric, Figure of Merit in Space. Key Points Eyjafjallajökull ash cloud is simulated using data insertion Captures regional‐scale ash cloud structure Results evaluated using spatial metrics
ISSN:2169-897X
2169-8996
DOI:10.1002/2015JD023895