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Okmok Volcano July 13, 2008. Volcanic ash enclosed in red polygon.
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About the Project:
VACT explores collaborating, briefing, and disseminating data
describing volcanic ash events used by operational forecasters and decision makers
over the internet (Network Enabled Operations (NEO)). The VACT is a true
interagency collaboration and coordination tool, allowing experts
from the National Weather Service's (NWS) Anchorage Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) and
Anchorage Center Weather Service Unit (CWSU) to combine their talents with the
U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) in assessing,
creating, and disseminating a more accurate and consistent volcanic ash dispersion forecast.
VACT allows each agency to share their relevant data sets (distributed databases)
to help with this assessment. The VACT integrates only the data required for
volcanic ash forecasting and is easily tailored for each agencies specific needs making it
a light weight agile application tailored for each end-users specific
requirements. Briefings highlighting impacts tailored for the recipient can be given to the
FAA, DOD, emergency managers, and other agencies using the VACT application running on each agencies
operational systems tailored for their particular needs.
The VACT extends the capabilities of the
FX-Collaborate (FXC)
application and the
Advanced Weather Information Processing System (AWIPS)
to include volcanic ash data sets, dispersion models, volcanic ash impact
displays, and tools for generating volcanic ash products to meet
the goal of reducing societal impact from volcanic ash by creating more consistent and
accurate volcanic ash advisories and warnings through interagency collaboration and coordination.
VACT prototype systems
Collaborators:
Alaska Region HeadQuarter's (ARHQ),
Environmental Sciences and Services Division's (ESSD), Volcanic Ash Program
Manager, Jeff Osiensky had the idea of using FXC for collaborating, coordinating,
forecasting, and briefing volcanic ash events after attending a presentation on FXC
capabilities given by Lynn Sherretz, Chief of the Aviation Program Development
Section at GSD. ARHQ is responsible for championing VACT
development efforts and helping to define and evaluate VACT requirements.
The Alaska Aviation Weather Unit (AAWU)
is home of the Anchorage Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) and is responsible
for issuing volcanic ash advisories and SIGMETs when ash is within the Anchorage
VAAC's area of responsibility. The AAWU coordinates with the Tokyo, Canadian, and
Washington VAAC's as ash passes from one VAACs area of responsibility to the next.
The Anchorage Center Weather Service Unit (CWSU)
briefs the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center's (ARTCC) traffic managers on
volcanic ash dispersion whenever there is an eruption in or around the Anchorage
ARTCC air space. The CWSU is responsible for issuing Center Weather Advisories (CWA)
and Meteorological Impact Statements (MIS) to help aviation users avoid impacted
airspace.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory monitor
and study volcanoes so that more accurate warnings on anticipated and impending
volcanic ash hazards can be given. The AVO is responsible for monitoring and alerting on volcanic
ash events and describing the type and intensity of the volcanic eruption.
Collaboration by the AAWU, CWSU, and AVO during volcanic ash events has led to
more consistent and accurate ash hazard advisories and warnings being disseminated
to local, state, and federal agencies and the public.
Sponsored By:
Participating Agencies:
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