Feb. 24, 2009
7 p.m. in the Westmark Gold Room
Lecture Description
Volcano Detectives: Locating, Predicting and Avoiding Ash Clouds
Volcanic eruptions produce clouds of ash that pose danger to population centers and the aviation community. Ash clouds consist of particulates that can cause aircraft engines to fail. The same particulates can also pose serious health issues. The ability to detect these ash clouds—then provide an assessment of their potential movement—is essential for hazard assessment and mitigation. In this lecture, Dr. Webley will discuss the composition of ash then describe some of the techniques used to detect volcanic ash clouds, predict their movement and warn of any potential hazards. He will also describe how the ash clouds from Kasatochi and Okmok eruptions in 2008 were detected through satellite remote sensing data.
Lecturer Biography
Peter Webley, Post Doctoral Fellow, Arctic Region Supercomputing Center and Geophysical Institute, UAF
Peter Webley is a Post Doctoral research fellow at the Arctic Region Supercomputing Center and the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks. Webley developed the Puff dispersion model for tracking ash clouds released during volcanic eruptions and continues to maintain and upgrade the Puff model Web site. As part of the UAF-Alaska Volcano Observatory Remote Sensing Group, he is involved in daily monitoring of the volcanoes of Alaska. Webley represents America and the Caribbean for the World Organization of Volcano Observatories.
Originally from Paignton, Devon in the United Kingdom, Webley moved to Alaska in December 2005. Since then, he has been involved in volcanic ash prediction, Google Earth applications and satellite detection of ash clouds.