Graphic product explanation.
Monitoring Volcanic ash cloudsEarly detection of volcanic eruptions is crucial for VAAC operations. Volcanic activities in Japan are monitored by five Volcanic Observations and Information Centers of JMA located in Sapporo, Sendai, Tokyo, Fukuoka and Kagoshima. Tokyo VAAC can receive the volcanic activity report from these centers when eruption or explosion occuer in domestic volcanoes. Tokyo VAAC also receives information on volcanic activities outside Japan from the Meteorological Watch Offices(MWOs) within Tokyo VAAC's area of responsibility and relevant organizations such as the Kamchatkhan Volcanic Eruptions Response Team (KVERT), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) , and adjacent VAACs (Washington, Anchorage and Darwin). pilot reports on volcanic eruptions from cruising airplanes and satellite imagery from the geostationary meteorological satellite (MTSAT-1R) and polar orbiting satellite (NOAA) are also important information sources.
Issuance of the Volcanic Ash Advisory (VAA)VAACs issue Volcanic Ash Advisories (VAAs), which describe the latest extent and forecast trajectories of volcanic ash clouds in both text and graphical formats defined in ICAO Annex 3, to assist MWOs in preparing SIGMETs on volcanic ash clouds. VAA is updated normally every 6 hours (00, 06, 12, and 18 UTC) as long as ash clouds are identified by satellite imagery. If remarkable changes occur in the ash clouds, VAA is updated at any time. In case that the extent of volcanic ash clouds are recognized on satellite imagery, the volcanic ash graphic information and the volcanic ash dispersion forecast charts are issued as well. VAAs are disseminated to twenty-eight MWOs and eight VAACs and are also provided to the offices of the Civil Aviation Bureau and airline companies both in Japan and overseas through the airport branches of JMA and avivation authorities.
Sakurajima, Japan
Kliuchevskoi, Kamchatka
Mayon, Philippine
Sheveluch,
Kamchatka
