I will simulate the ash dispersal from Eyjafjallajokull using HYSPLIT. By simulating the ash dispersal during different times in the year I hope to determine the ash dispersal variation given different atmospheric circulation patterns.
Eyjafjallajokull Background Info
| Country | Latitude | Longitude | Elevation | Eruption Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iceland | 63.633 degrees North | 19.633 degrees West | 1651 m | April 14, 2010 |
Plume Height
Image 1:
Source: NASA, https://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/iceland-volcano-plume-archive1.html
Ash Dispersal
Image 2:
Source: NASA, https://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/iceland-volcano-plume-archive1.html
HYSPLIT Simulations for Eyjafjallajokull (Varying Eruption Date)
April 14-16, 2010
Image 3: 3-day ash dispersal simulation for Eyjafjallajokull for actual eruption date of April 14, 2010. The plume initially moves north-eastward and then south-westard. As the plume moves northward it deflects to the east and as it moves southward it deflects to the west as predicted by the rightward deflection of the coriolis force in the northern hemisphere. The two layers closest to the Earth's surface spread the furthest.
Image 4: 3-day Ash dispersal by arrival time for Eyjafjallajokull for actual eruption date of April 14, 2010. Shows that the plume either moves northeastward or southwestward.
April 7-9, 2010
Image 5: 3-day ash dispersal simulation for Eyjafjallajokull for eruption date of April 7, 2010, a week earlier from its actual eruption date. The plume initially moves north-eastward and then south-westard. As the plume moves northward it deflects to the east and as it moves southward it deflects to the west as predicted by the rightward deflection of the coriolis force in the northern hemisphere. As opposed to the dispersal for the prior week, part of the northward plume was swept into the polar regime. In contrast to what we would expect from theoretical predictions, the plume in the polar region moved clockwise when due to the coriolis force in the northern hemisphere, we would have anticipated it to move cyclonically.
January 1-3, 2010
January 8-10, 2010
July 1-3, 2010
July 8-10, 2010
