scholarly journals Aircraft observations and model simulations of concentration and particle size distribution in the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic ash cloud

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1277-1291 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. F. Dacre ◽  
A. L. M. Grant ◽  
B. T. Johnson

Abstract. The Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland emitted a cloud of ash into the atmosphere during April and May 2010. Over the UK the ash cloud was observed by the FAAM BAe-146 Atmospheric Research Aircraft which was equipped with in-situ probes measuring the concentration of volcanic ash carried by particles of varying sizes. The UK Met Office Numerical Atmospheric-dispersion Modelling Environment (NAME) has been used to simulate the evolution of the ash cloud emitted by the Eyjafjallajökull volcano during the period 4–18 May 2010. In the NAME simulations the processes controlling the evolution of the concentration and particle size distribution include sedimentation and deposition of particles, horizontal dispersion and vertical wind shear. For travel times between 24 and 72 h, a 1/t relationship describes the evolution of the concentration at the centre of the ash cloud and the particle size distribution remains fairly constant. Although NAME does not represent the effects of microphysical processes, it can capture the observed decrease in concentration with travel time in this period. This suggests that, for this eruption, microphysical processes play a small role in determining the evolution of the distal ash cloud. Quantitative comparison with observations shows that NAME can simulate the observed column-integrated mass if around 4% of the total emitted mass is assumed to be transported as far as the UK by small particles (< 30 μm diameter). NAME can also simulate the observed particle size distribution if a distal particle size distribution that contains a large fraction of < 10 μm diameter particles is used, consistent with the idea that phraetomagmatic volcanoes, such as Eyjafjallajökull, emit very fine particles.

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 22587-22627 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. F. Dacre ◽  
A. L. M. Grant ◽  
B. T. Johnson

Abstract. The Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland emitted a cloud of ash into the atmosphere during April and May 2010. Over the UK the ash cloud was observed by the FAAM BAe-146 Atmospheric Research Aircraft which was equipped with in-situ probes measuring the concentration of volcanic ash carried by particles of varying sizes. The UK Met Office Numerical Atmospheric-dispersion Modelling Environment (NAME) has been used to simulate the evolution of the ash cloud emitted by the Eyjafjallajökull volcano during the period 4–18 May 2010. In the NAME simulations the processes controlling the evolution of the concentration and particle size distribution include sedimentation and deposition of particles, horizontal dispersion and vertical wind shear. For travel times between 24 and 72 h a 1/t relationship describes the evolution of the concentration at the centre of the ash cloud and the particle size distribution remains fairly constant. Although NAME does not represent the effects of microphysical processes it can capture the observed decrease in concentration with travel time in this period. This suggests that, for this eruption, microphysical processes play a small role in determining the evolution of the distal ash cloud. Quantitative comparison with observations shows that NAME can simulate the observed column integrated mass if around 4% of the total emitted mass is assumed to be transported as far as the UK by small (<30 m diameter) particles. NAME can also simulate the observed particle size distribution if a distal particle size distribution that contains a large fraction of <10 m diameter particles is used, consistent with the idea that phraetomagmatic volcanoes, such as Eyjafjallajökull, emit very fine particles.


2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (12) ◽  
pp. 4206-4221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wanda Szyrmer ◽  
Stéphane Laroche ◽  
Isztar Zawadzki

Abstract The authors address the problem of optimization of the microphysical information extracted from a simulation system composed of high-resolution numerical models and multiparameter radar data or other available measurements. As a tool in the exploration of this question, a bulk microphysical scheme based on the general approach of scaling normalization of particle size distribution (PSD) is proposed. This approach does not rely on a particular functional form imposed on the PSD and naturally leads to power-law relationships between the PSD moments providing an accurate and compact PSD representation. To take into account the possible evolution of the shape/curvature of the distribution, ignored within standard one- and two-moment microphysical schemes, a new three-moment scheme based on the two-moment scaling normalization is proposed. The methodology of the moment retrieval included in the three-moment scheme can also be useful as a retrieval algorithm combining different remote sensing observations. The developed bulk microphysical scheme presents a unified formulation for microphysical parameterization using one, two, or three independent moments, suitable in the context of data assimilation. The effectiveness of the scheme with different combinations of independent moments is evaluated by comparison with a very high resolution spectral model within a 1D framework on representative microphysical processes: rain sedimentation and evaporation.


1993 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 19-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. I. Mackie ◽  
R. Bai

The paper examines the importance of size distribution of the influent suspension on the performance of deep bed filters and its significance with regard to modelling. Experiments were carried out under a variety of conditions using suspensions which were identical in every respect apart from their size distribution. The results indicate that the presence of coarse particles does increase the removal of fine particles. Deposition of fine particles leads to a greater headloss than deposition of large particles. Changes in size distribution with time and depth play an important role in determining the behaviour of a filter, and models of both removal and headloss development must take account of this.


2001 ◽  
Vol 123 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. K. Gandhi ◽  
S. N. Singh ◽  
V. Seshadri

The performance of two centrifugal slurry pumps has been reported for three solid materials having different particle size distribution (PSD) in terms of head, capacity, and power characteristics. The results have shown that the values of head and efficiency ratios are not only dependent on solid concentration but are also affected by PSD of the solids and properties of the slurry. The addition of fine particles in the slurry of coarser material leads to reduction in the additional losses that occur in the pumps due to the presence of solids. It is also observed that with the increase in the pump size, the additional losses due to presence of solids reduce.


2001 ◽  
Vol 40 (Part 1, No. 5A) ◽  
pp. 3433-3434
Author(s):  
Nobuki Kawashima ◽  
Kazuya Takeda ◽  
Takeharu Etoh ◽  
Kousei Takehara ◽  
Haruya Kubo ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Vol 587-588 ◽  
pp. 133-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abílio P. Silva ◽  
Ana M. Segadães ◽  
Tessaleno C. Devezas

The success of a refractory castable is largely due to the quality of its properties and ease of application. Self-flow refractory castables (SFRC), with high flowability index (>130%), can be easily accommodated in a mould without the application of external energy, being ideal for the manufacture of monolithic linings. SFRC castables without cement require a matrix of very fine particles, which guarantees improved rheological behaviour and performs the role of the binder in the absence of the refractory cement. The presence of the aggregate (coarse particles) hinders the flowability index, but improves the castable mechanical strength and reduces firing shrinkage, and also contributes to the reduction of the castable costs. The control of the maximum paste thickness (MPT) allows the reduction of the coarse particles interference, minimizing the number of contact points among the grains and avoiding the formation of an aggregate skeleton that impairs the flowability of the mixture. In the present work, 100% alumina SFRCs without cement were produced with a fixed matrix of fine particles, whose particle size distribution was optimized using statistical techniques (mixtures design and triangular response surfaces). Different aggregate particle size distributions were used, with several MPT values, with the objective of evaluating which was the mean distance that maximized the flowability index, simultaneously ensuring good mechanical strength for the refractory castable. Ensuring a minimum surface area of 2.22m2/g, the mixtures reach the self-flow turning point with a minimum water content and the maximum flowability is obtained for an aggregate particle size distribution modulus of q=0.22, and consequently an optimized MPT value. SFRC with high mechanical strength (>60MPa) were obtained.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 2190
Author(s):  
Fangfang Zhu ◽  
Yuchen Li ◽  
Jinhua Cheng

The particle size distribution characteristics of runoff sediments are vital for understanding the effect of the mechanism of soil erosion on slopes. The objective of this study was to investigate the particle-size distribution of sediments eroded from slopes covered by different litter coverage masses under artificial rainfall simulation. Litter was spread on the surface of a soil tank according to different biomasses (0 g·m−2, 100 g·m−2, 200 g·m−2 and 400 g·m−2). The mean weight diameter (MWD), fractal dimension (D) and enrichment ratio (ER) are characteristic parameters of sediment particle size. The MWD and D were more sensitive to soil erosion and had a significant negative correlation with the slope angle and rainfall intensity. The performance of the MWD on the slope (5°) was less than the MWD on the slope (10°). The relationship between eroded sediment distribution characteristic parameters and the litter coverage mass had a significant influence on the content of coarse particles. The content of fine particles accelerated, decreased and then stabilized, whereas coarse particles increased first and then stabilized. The litter diameter and surface area were the main parameters that affected the MWD and D. Under different rain intensities and slopes, the ER varied inconsistently with litter coverage mass. Coarse particles were eroded easily and selectively, and soil erosion had no sorting effect on fine particles. These findings support the quantitative study of the relationship between the amount of litter coverage mass and the particle size of soil sediments.


2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (11) ◽  
pp. 1684-1694
Author(s):  
Shijin Li ◽  
Adrian R. Russell ◽  
David Muir Wood

Internal erosion (suffusion) is caused by water seeping through the matrix of coarse soil and progressively transporting out fine particles. The mechanical strength and stress–strain behavior of soils within water-retaining structures may be affected by internal erosion. Some researchers have set out to conduct triaxial erosion tests to study the mechanical consequences of erosion. Prior to conducting a triaxial test they subject a soil sample, which has an initially homogeneous particle-size distribution and density throughout, to erosion by causing water to enter one end of a sample and wash fine particles out the other. The erosion and movement of particles causes heterogeneous particle-size distributions to develop along the sample length. In this paper, a new soil sample formation procedure is presented that results in homogeneous particle-size distributions along the length of an eroded sample. Triaxial tests are conducted on homogeneous samples formed using the new procedure as well as heterogeneous samples created by the more commonly used approach. Results show that samples with homogeneous post-erosion particle-size distributions exhibit slightly higher peak deviator stresses than those that were heterogeneous. The results highlight the importance of ensuring homogeneity of post-erosion particle-size distributions when assessing the mechanical consequences of erosion. Forming samples using the new procedure enables the sample’s response to triaxial loading to be interpreted against a measure of its initially homogenous state.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Violaine Piton ◽  
Frédéric Soulignac ◽  
Ulrich Lemmin ◽  
Graf Benjamin ◽  
Htet Kyi Wynn ◽  
...  

&lt;p&gt;River inflows have a major influence on lake water quality through their input of sediments, nutrients and contaminants. It is therefore essential to determine their pathways, their mixing with ambient waters and the amount and type of Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) they carry. Two field campaigns during the stratified period took place in Lake Geneva, Switzerland, in the vicinity of the Rh&amp;#244;ne River plume, at high and intermediate river discharge. Currents, water and sediment fluxes, temperature, turbidity and particle size distribution were measured along three circular transects located at 400, 800 and 1500 m in front of the river mouth. During the surveys, the lake was thermally stratified, the negatively buoyant Rh&amp;#244;ne River plume plunged and intruded into the metalimnion as an interflow and flowed out in the streamwise direction. Along the pathway, interflow core velocities, SPM concentrations and volumes of particles progressively decreased with the distance from the mouth (by 2-3 times), while interflow cross sections and plume volume increased by 2-3 times due to entrainment of ambient water. The characteristics of the river outflow determined the characteristics of the interflows: i.e. interflow fluxes and concentrations were the highest at high discharge. Both sediment settling and interflow dilution contributed to the observed decrease of sediment discharge with distance from the mouth. The particle size distribution of the interflow was dominated by fine particles (&lt;32 &amp;#956;m), which were transported up to 1500 m away from the mouth and most likely beyond, while large particles (&gt;62 &amp;#956;m) have almost completely settled out before reaching 1500 m.&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 151-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ratih Indri Hapsari ◽  
Masahiro Iida ◽  
Masahide Muranishi ◽  
Mariko Ogawa ◽  
Magfira Syarifuddin ◽  
...  

This paper reports a preliminary attempt to determine volcanic ash particle size distribution using the video drop size detector (VDSD) for estimating volcanic ash amount with X-band radar. The VDSD records an image showing the size and number of particles falling into the aperture by a charge coupled device camera. Size distribution spectra of a range of particles from fine ash to small lapilli were derived in discrete form from the VDSD observation. The parameterization of the particle size distribution following Gamma function was done using volcanic ash of eruptions at the Sakurajima Volcano between December 13–21, 2014. Three Gamma distribution parameters were determined analytically. The analytical results revealed a continuous distribution of particles characterized by shape, intercept, and slope. The distribution was used to determine volcanic mass concentration, ground deposit weight, and reflectivity. Verification of these results with X-band radar observations showed that the reflectivity obtained from analytical results is similar to that from radar observation. However, the ground deposit weight from analysis was overestimated, compared with the real weight of ash deposit on the ground. The algorithm proposed in this study is expected to provide a practical method for estimating ash distribution in the aftermath of a volcanic eruption using radar-reflectivity for cases where direct measurement at the location is not possible. An overview of the algorithm for volcanic ash retrieval from X-band radar observations is also presented.


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