On May 2-7, 7,000 researchers from all of Europe gather in Vienna for European Geosciences Union. This is a great opportunity to exchange information and experiences on the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano. A scientist from Risoe DTU seized the opportunity and organized a special session at the conference.
It is bad for the air traffic in Europe. But research can learn a lot from the ash cloud from Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland that has been floating around in the atmosphere. It gives an opportunity to compare the models you use to predict the course of such an emisision with the actual movements of the cloud.
Senior Scientist Charlotte Hasager, who is President of the Division on Atmospheric Sciences at the European Geoscience Union, did not hesitate to seize the opportunity and arrange a special session at the annual meeting of the union.
Researchers in various fields and from different countries have been invited to make presentations or present posters on their particular experiences regarding the ash cloud. In this way actual observations and measurements can be compared with the models used to predict how particles move around in the atmosphere.
"7,000 participants have registered for the conference and this session is the only one that stretches over three nights. So we expect a lot from this event and hopefully it will result in a new network for scientists who make measurements and those who work with models. The ash cloud is simply a perfect chance to test the models, "says Charlotte Bay Hasager.