1. Detection of the ash cloud of the Eyjafjöll volcano
Detection of the ash cloud of the Eyjafjöll volcano* by a ceilometer network, its forecast by dispersion models and boundary layer impacts 
Stefan Emeis
„eyja – fjalla – jökull“ means: „island mountain glacier“

2. this has been investigated in teamwork by:
Stefan Emeis1, Klaus Schäfer1, Renate Forkel1, Wolfgang Junkermann1, Wolfgang Fricke2, Harald Flentje2, Stefan Gilge2, Werner Thomas2, Ludwig Ries3, Frank Meinhardt3, Annette Peters4, Jürgen Schnelle-Kreis4, Mike Pitz4,8, Heinz-Erich Wichmann4, Friedl Obleitner5, Wolfram Birmili6, Kay Weinhold6, Matthias Wiegner7, Volker Freudenthaler7, Silke Groß7, Jens Soentgen8, Josef Cyrys4,8, Christoph Münkel9, Jürgen Diemer10, Ralf Zimmermann11, Christian Freuer12, Peter Suppan1
1IMK-IFU, KIT
2DWD, Hohenpeißenberg
3UBA, Dessau
4Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health
5Universität Innsbruck
6Leibniz Institut für Troposphärenforschung, Leipzig
7Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
8Universität Augsburg
9Vaisala GmbH, Hamburg
10Bayerisches Landesamt für Umwelt, Augsburg
11Universität Rostock
12DWD, München
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

3. Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano stefan.emeis@kit.edu
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

4. Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano stefan.emeis@kit.edu
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

5. Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano stefan.emeis@kit.edu
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

6. Were model-based dispersion forecasts realistic?
Questions:
Can the propagation of the ash cloud be observed by surface-based remote sensing?
Were model-based dispersion forecasts realistic?
Was ash mixed into the planetary boundary layer?
Can volcanic material be analysed from air quality network data?
Is it distinguishable from „normal“ pollution?
Was there a threat to the population due to mixing volcanic into the PBL?
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

7. IMK-IFU ultralight aircraft
Bild: IMK-IFU
Jenoptik CHM 15k
Bild: Jenoptik
Bild: W. Carnuth
MULIS LMU Munich
Vaisala CL31
Bild: Vaisala
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

8. Model MCCM (based on MM5)
Orography
Land use
Soil Texture
Anthropogenic
Emissions
Global Weather
forecast models
Observations
Global
Climate Models
Interpolation
Analysis
Meteorological
Data Assimilation
Runoff / Routing
Model (e.g. WASIM)
Detailed hydrological Model
Dynamic Vegetation
Model (MOBILE)
Bio-Geo-Chemistry
Model
Micro-scale Model (e.g. GRAL)
regional
MCCM or WRF/chem
Meteorology, Climate, Aerosols,
Air Chemistry, Soil-Vegetation
Biogenic
Emissions
Simulation
of Air Quality
Air Pollution
Control Strategies
Critical Levels
and Loads
Simulation of
Regional Climate
Extreme
Events
Soil-Vegetation-
Atmosphere
Feedback Effects
local
Climate Changes
and Air Quality
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

9. normal, aged polluted air
ultralight results
ash
normal, aged polluted air
MULIS results
large depolarisation
indicates ash particles
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

10. MCCM simulation for April 17, 2010 00 GMT
Ceilometer results
MCCM simulation for April 17, GMT
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis - Eyjafjällajökull

11. ceilometer results (dots) and MCCM simulations (colours)
Comparison of
ceilometer results (dots)
and
MCCM simulations (colours)
model too slow
model too fast
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

12. interaction of the ash cloud with the PBL:
CL31 observations at Augsburg
clouds
ash
boundary layer
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

13. Daily mean particle concentration Daily mean particle concentration
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

14. Titanium in PM10
Andechs/Rothenfeld (ADRO),
Augsburg (AUBÜ, AUHS),
München (Landshuter Allee) (MÜLA),
Oberaudorf (OBIA),
Tiefenbach/Altenschneeberg (TBAL)
Innsbruck (IBK)
Schauinsland (SSL)
Hohenpeißenberg (HPB)
Zugspitze (ZFS)
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

15. Other substances were enhanced either
Andechs/Rothenfeld (ADRO),
Augsburg (AUBÜ),
München (Landshuter Allee) (MÜLA),
Oberaudorf (OBIA),
Tiefenbach/Altenschneeberg (TBAL)
Other substances were enhanced either
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

16. and other lidars and ceilometers (in cloudfree areas).
Conclusions:
The propagation of the ash “front” was traced by the Ceilonet of the German Weather Service
and other lidars and ceilometers (in cloudfree areas).
The propagation of the ash cloud was well simulated by the Eulerian model MCCM.
Thus, this study contributed to a validation of this model.
Ash was mixed into the planetary boundary layer, when the daytime CBL reached the ash layers.
Orography strongly enhances downward mixing of ash. Earliest reports on near-surface ash
measurements were from Alpine stations.
The ash contributed to about 25% of the near-surface PM10 on April 19 and April 20, 2011.
The volcanic nature of air pollutants could be proofed from their optical backscatter
characteristics (e.g., depolarisation) and from chemical analyses (e.g., titanium).
Fortunately, this outbreak did not have measurable influence on public health, but stronger
outbreaks in the past did so. Therefore, an accurate forecast of ash dispersion and downward
mixing into the PBL is mandatory.
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

17. The full story is available from the following two publications:
Emeis, S., R. Forkel, W. Junkermann, K. Schäfer, H. Flentje, S. Gilge, W. Fricke, M. Wiegner, V. Freudenthaler,
S. Groß, L. Ries, F. Meinhardt, W. Birmili, C. Münkel, F. Obleitner, P. Suppan, 2011:
Measurement and simulation of the 16/17 April 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcanic ash layer dispersion
in the northern Alpine region.
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 2689–
DOI: /acp
Schäfer, K., W. Thomas, A. Peters, L. Ries, F. Obleitner, J. Schnelle-Kreis, W. Birmili, J. Diemer, W. Fricke,
W. Junkermann, M. Pitz, S. Emeis, R. Forkel, P. Suppan, H. Flentje, H. E. Wichmann, S. Gilge, F. Meinhardt,
R. Zimmermann, K. Weinhold, J. Soentgen, C. Münkel, C. Freuer, and J. Cyrys, 2011:
Influences of the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcanic plume on air quality in the northern Alpine region.
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 11,
Accepted for Atmos. Chem. Phys.
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

18. aerosol, climate, and health in Southern Germany. Partners:
Acknowledgement:
This investigation and the two papers have been a joint effort of the newly-formed consortium on
aerosol, climate, and health
in Southern Germany.
Partners:
University of Augsburg
Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health
German Weather Service
Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich
Federal Environmental Agency
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

19. Thank you very much for your attention

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Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano

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Prof. Dr. Stefan Emeis – Eyjafjöll volcano