IAVWOPSG/2-WP/6
International Civil Aviation Organization
2/8/05
WORKING PAPER
INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS VOLCANO WATCH OPERATIONS GROUP
(IAVWOPSG)
SECOND MEETING
Lima, Peru, 26 to 30 September 2005
Agenda Item 7: Matters related to the accidental release of toxic chemical and
radioactive material into the atmosphere
7.1: Development of international arrangements related to the
accidental release of radioactive materials into the atmosphere
7.2: Development of international arrangements for the exchange of
information on the accidental release of toxic chemicals into the
atmosphere
7.3: Study the need for a message format for the provision to aircraft of
information on radioactive and hazardous materials accidentally
released in to the atmosphere
7.4: Assessment of the need of provision of information on solar
radiation storms and other bio-hazards
MATTERS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENTAL RELEASE OF TOXIC CHEMICALS AND
RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL INTO THE ATMOSPHERE
(Presented by the Secretary)
SUMMARY
This working paper addresses all the tasks related to the accidental release of
radioactive material and toxic chemicals into the atmosphere.
1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1
The group will recall that it was tasked to assist the Secretariat in the monitoring and provision
of warnings to aircraft of radioactive debris and toxic chemical clouds. Under this agenda item the group
should undertake work on the following issues:
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2.
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a)
the development of international arrangements related to the accidental release of
radioactive materials and toxic chemicals into the atmosphere, respectively
(Conclusions 1/28 and 1/31 refer);
b)
the need for a message format for the provision to aircraft of information on
radioactive and hazardous materials accidentally released into the atmosphere
(Conclusion 1/32 refers); and
c)
the assessment of the need of provision of information on solar radiation storms
and other bio-hazards (Conclusion 1/33 refers).
DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
RELATED TO THE ACCIDENTAL RELEASE OF
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS INTO THE ATMOSPHERE
2.1
Regarding the international arrangements related to the accidental release of radioactive
materials into the atmosphere, the group will recall that in accordance with the arrangements in place, the
ACCs concerned should receive the information from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
through their associated MWOs; however, this information does not reach MWOs directly; it comes
through a number of other units (as a minimum, through the WMO regional specialized meteorological
centres (RSMCs), which inevitably leads to delays. It should also be noted, that the IAEA is reluctant to
advise more than one international aviation focal point. Therefore, the ICAO Secretariat has had informal
contacts with two States to assess whether it would be possible that an ACC under their jurisdiction be
designated as the global focal point for receiving the early notification of the accidental release of the
radioactive material provided by the IAEA and for being responsible for the dissemination of this
information to other ACCs concerned The results have not been positive due to the fact that in general,
ACCs do not seem to be prepared to accept this additional responsibility which is of a global scope and
far beyond their customary area of responsibility (i.e. the FIR).
2.2
Therefore, it is necessary to find an alternative for a task that per se is fairly simple: it consists
of forwarding the early notification provided by the IAEA without any modification or interpretation to
the ACCs concerned. The early notification includes the coordinates of the accident; therefore, the task
consistes of converting the geographical position to a FIR and to choose the ACCs which could be
affected. Under these circumstances, it could be postulated that almost any operational centre with an
ICAO AFS connection and 24-hour operations could accept the responsibility, provided that there were
semi-automated means of finding the correspondence between the geographical position contained in the
notification and the location of the ACCs.
2.3
In order to facilitate the implementation of the direct notification of ACCs concerned, the
Secretariat was tasked to undertake a study as to whether a data base converting positions expressed in
latitude and longitude into FIRs and their associated ACCs could be provided and kept up-to-date. The
group will be pleased to note that such a data base could be made easily available by ICAO AIS Section
to the centre designated to provide direct notification to the ACCs concered.
2.4
In the light of the availability of the above data base, the group may wish to concur that a
VAAC could be in a better position than an ACC to accept the responsibility of forwarding the direct
notification received from the IAEA of ACCs concerned; many VAACs are already RSMCs in the WMO
Emergency Response Activity (ERA) programme and receive direct notifications regarding nuclear
accidents from the IAEA. Under this circumstances, the group may wish to agree that a VAAC which is
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also a WMO RSMC should be designated as the focal point for the reception of information from IAEA
to disseminate this information to ACCs concerned and that Annex 3 should be amended accordingly.
The group will be pleased to endorse the offer by VAAC [……..]. It is suggested that, in parallel, the
requirement by the MWOs to provide data on nuclear accidents to its associated ACC/FIC should be
maintained as a back-up measure to the direct notification. In this regard the group may wish to
formulate the following conclusion:
Conclusion 2/xx ―
Development of international arrangements
related to the accidental release of radioactive
materials into the atmosphere
That,
a) VAAC ……………be designated as the focal point of the reception of
information provided by the IAEA regarding the accidental release of
radioactive materials into the atmosphere in view of its dissemination
to the ACCs concerned.
Note.― The VAAC will be provided by ICAO of appropriate data
bases/files to provide the correspondence between the geographical
position (of the accident) and FIR and ACCs concerned.
RSPP
3.
b) the proposal to amend Annex 3 given in Appendix A1 to this report be
included as part of Amendment 74.
DEVELOPMENT
OF
INTERNATIONAL
ARRANGEMENTS
FOR
THE
EXCHANGE
OF
INFORMATION ON THE ACCIDENTAL RELEASE OF
TOXIC CHEMICALS INTO THE ATMOSPHERE
3.1
The group will recall, that Conclusion 1/31 b) tasked an ad hoc working group, consisting of
members from Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom (Rapporteur), United States, IAEA, IATA,
IFALPA and WMO, to undertake a study related to the feasibility of the establishment of international
arrangements for the exchange of information on the accidental release into the atmosphere of toxic
chemicals. The conclusion also called for a the study on the feasibility of procedures to be used for the
transmission of such information to aircraft in flight The group may wish to review the report presented
by the Rapporteur in WP/18.
3.2
It may be noted that there are considerable shortcomings in the current warning system
regarding the accidental release of toxic chemical materials in the atmosphere. The main shortcomings
highlighted in the report by the ad hoc working group included, inter alia, a lack of understanding of
aeronautical meteorological offices, including MWOs, regarding this issue and of appropriate mechanism
in the States to inform the meteorological centres concerned of this type of accident. Furthermore, it was
considered that the guidance provided by the output of the current RSMC transport models are not always
useful. It was also noted that it was necessary, for safety and efficiency, to standardize the meteorological
1
The draft amendment is at the appendix to this working paper.
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warnings, at the maximum possible degree, which would avoid the proliferation of different types of
warnings. Therefore, the group may wish to agree in principle that SIGMET should be used to warn
international civil aviation for toxic chemical, in the atmosphere. The group may wish to concur that this
course of action has the advantage that it would align the proposed method with the actual way of
informing aviation for en-route weather phenomena which affect safety of aircraft operations and avoids
the proliferation of different types of meteorological warnings.
3.3
With regard to the implementation of the SIGMET for toxic chemicals, the group may wish to
agree that a lot of additional work is still required and that it would be unrealistic to expect that States
would be in a position to implement SIGMET for toxic chemicals as part of Amendment 74. The group
will be pleased to note that the issue of developing a warning system for toxic chemicals is being
addressed within the ERA Programme of the WMO CBS. In a recent ERA meeting (Geneva, December
2004), it was agreed that the ERA Programme be extended to include chemical emergencies. The group
may wish to agree that it would be beyond the resources of the IAVW to establish its own monitoring
infrastructure and that the progress of this task of the IAVWOPSG would depend on the international
arrangements being planned and established within the WMO ERA Programme.
3.4
To progress this task, the group may wish to concur that the WMO Member of the group would
be invited to monitor the progress made within the WMO ERA Programme concerning the development
of a warning system for toxic chemicals. The group may also wish to agree that, in principle, such
warnings should be issued as SIGMET, similar to SIGMET for volcanic ash, with an appropriate format
tailored for the toxic chemicals. In this regard, the group may wish to formulate the following conclusion:
Conclusion 2/xx ― Development of international arrangements for the
exchange of information on the accidental release of
toxic chemicals into the atmosphere
That,
a) the Secretariat, in coordination with the WMO Member, develop a
proposal for a warning system for toxic chemicals in the atmosphere
based on the use of SIGMET similar to volcanic ash, for inclusion in
Amendment 75 to Annex 3, for consideration by the IAVWOPSG/3; and
b) the WMO Member of the group be invited to monitor the progress being
made by the WMO ERA Programme related to the development and
implementation of a warning system for toxic chemicals and report back
thereon to the IAVWOPSG/3 Meeting.
Note. – It is assumed that the development work by the WMO ERA will be
completed in time for the applicability of Amendment 75 to Annex 3 in
November 2010.
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4.
IAVWOPSG/2-WP/6
NEED FOR A MESSAGE FORMAT FOR THE PROVISION
TO AIRCRAFT OF INFORMATION ON RADIOACTIVE
AND
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
ACCIDENTALLY
RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE
4.1
The group will recall that the need to develop an international format for advisories for all
radioactive and hazardous material accidentally released into the atmosphere had been agreed at the first
meeting of the IAVWOPSG. At that meeting, the group noted that currently MWOs were expected to
supply information to ACCs and AIS units on the location, time and date of the accident, and the forecast
trajectories of the radioactive materials (Annex 3, 3.4.2 g) refers) and that the format in which the
information was provided was not specified. In practice, it was understood that in most cases, the MWOs
would use the forecasts received from the WMO RSMCs and simply forward the information the the ATS
and AIS units concerned. The group agreed that for aeronautical users, it would be a step forward if the
most basic information, i.e. the location and date and time of the accident, could also be provided in a
message in abbreviated plain language well understood by all aeronautical users. Since the proliferation
of message types should be avoided, the group concluded that the best suited option would be a SIGMET.
4.2
The group agreed that the Secretariat should develop a draft amendment to Annex 3, for review
by the IAVWOPSG/2 meeting, related to the inclusion of basic information on radioactive materials
accidentally released in the atmosphere in the SIGMET format. Subsequent to the IAVWOPSG/1
Meeting, this issue has been discussed between WMO and ICAO Secretariats. As a result, it was
concluded that the SIGMET for radioactive materials accidentally released into the atmosphere should
contain the mandatory elements of Table A6-1 of Annex 3 together with the location (i.e. source of the
accident) and forecast position of radioactive materials, if available.
4.3
In this regard, it may be noted that the definition of SIGMET in Annex 3 refers to en-route
weather phenomena, Since the presence of radioactive materials in the atmosphere is not a meteorological
phenomena it could be argued that the definition should be amended accordingly. The group may wish to
note, however, that a, non-meteorological phenomenon (i.e. volcanic ash) is already included in SIGMET,
and that the importance is the safety impact of the phenomenon for aircraft operations, not whether it is
strictly speaking meteorological or not. It may be concluded, therefore, that since SIGMET is already
used for volcanic ash, the current definition could be considered appropriate. Regarding the warning
system for toxic chemicals accidentally released into the atmosphere, the group may wish to note that the
same reasoning was applied in 3.2 for these warnings.
4.4
The group is invited to review the draft amendment to Annex 3 developed by the Secretariat
and the IAVWOPSG WMO Member and to formulate the following conclusion:
RSPP
Conclusion 2/xx —
Amendment to Annex 3
That the proposal to amend Annex 3 given in Appendix1 to this report be
included as part of Amendment 74 to Annex 3.
1
The draft amendment is at the appendix to this working paper.
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5.
ASSESSMENT OF THE NEED OF PROVISION OF
INFORMATION ON SOLAR RADIATION STORMS AND
OTHER BIO-HAZARDS
5.1
The group will recall that the IAVWOPSG Member of the United States was requested to
present a report on developments related to solar radiation storms and other bio-hazards. It may be noted
that the requested report was submitted to the Secretariat and has been issued as WP/19. The group is
invited to review the report and take action, as appropriate.
6.
ACTION BY THE IAVWOPSG
6.1
The IAVWOPSG is invited to:
a) note the information in this paper; and
b) decide on the draft conclusion proposed for the group’s consideration.
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IAVWOPSG/2-WP/6
Appendix
APPENDIX
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
AND RECOMMENDED PRACTICES
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE
FOR INTERNATIONAL AIR NAVIGATION
ANNEX 3
TO THE CONVENTION OF INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION
FIFTEENTH EDITION — JULY 2004
...
PART I — CORE SARPS
...
CHAPTER 3. WORLD AREA FORECAST SYSTEM
AND METEOROLOGICAL OFFICES
...
3.5 Volcanic ash advisory centres
...
3.5.3
A volcanic ash advisory centre, designated by regional air navigation agreement shall
disseminate notification received from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), without
modifications, to ACCs/FICs concerned regarding the accidental release of radioactive material into the
atmosphere
Note. — The VAAC will be provided by ICAO with an up-to-date data base which
would indicate the ACCs/FICs concerned based on the geographical position of the accident provided in
the notification received from the IAEA.
...
IAVWOPSG/2-WP/6
A-2
Appendix
PART II — APPENDICES AND ATTACHMENTS
...
APPENDIX 6. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS RELATED TO
SIGMET AND AIRMET
INFORMATION, AERODROME WARNINGS
AND WIND SHEAR WARNINGS
(See Chapter 7 of this Annex.)
...
1. SPECIFICATIONS RELATED TO
SIGMET INFORMATION
1.1 Format of SIGMET messages
...
1.1.4 In accordance with the template in Table A6-1, only one of the following phenomena
shall be included in a SIGMET message, using the abbreviations as indicated below:
...
volcanic ash
— volcanic ash
(irrespective of altitude)
radioactive cloud
(accidentally released in the atmosphere)
VA (+volcano name,
if known)
RDOACT CLD
...
Table A6-1.
Key:
M =
C =
= =
Template for SIGMET and AIRMET messages and special air-reports (uplink)
inclusion mandatory, part of every message
inclusion conditional, included whenever applicable
a double line indicates that the text following it should be placed on the subsequent line
Note.— The ranges and resolutions for the numerical elements included in SIGMET/AIRMET messages and in special
air- reports are shown in Table A6-4 of this appendix.
IAVWOPSG/2-WP/6
A-3
Element as
specified in
Chapter 5 and
Appendix 6
Appendix
Detailed content Template(s)
Examples
SIGMET
SIGMET SST1
AIRMET
SPECIAL
AIR-REPORT2
...
IF THE SIGMET IS TO BE CANCELLED, SEE DETAILS AT THE END OF THE TEMPLATE.
Phenomenon
(M)8
Description of
phenomenon
causing the
issuance of
SIGMET/AIRME
T (C)
OBSC9 TS [GR10]
EMBD12 TS [GR]
FRQ13 TS [GR]
SQL14 TS [GR]
TC nnnnnnnnnn
SEV TURB11
SEV ICE19
SEV ICE (FZRA)20
SEV MTW21
HVY DS
HVY SS
VA[ERUPTION]
[MT nnnnnnnnnn]
[LOC
Nnn[nn] or Snn[nn]
Ennn[nn]
or
Wnnn[nn]] VA CLD
MOD TURB11
SEV TURB
ISOL15 CB16
OCNL18 CB
FRQ13 CB
SFC
nn[n]KMH
(or SFC
nn[n]KT)
SFC VIS
(nn)17
WSPD TS
TSGR
WSPD
SEV TURB
SEV ICE
nnnnM
SEV MTW
GR
VA[ERUPTION]
[MT nnnnnnnnnn]
[LOC
Nnn[nn]
or
Snn[nn]
Ennn[nn] or
Wnnn[nn]]
VA
CLD
RDOACT CLD
ISOL15 TS[GR]10
OCNL18 TS[GR]
MT OBSC
BKN CLD
nnn/[ABV]nnnnM
(or BKN CLD
nnn/[ABV]nnnnFT)
OVC CLD
nnn/[ABV]nnnnM
(or OVC CLD
nnn/[ABV]nnnnFT)
ISOL15 CB16
OCNL18 CB
FRQ13 CB
HVY SS
BKN
CLD
120/900M
(BKN CLD
400/3000FT)
MOD TURB11
GR10
CB16
...
Notes.—
...
22. Only for SIGMET messages for volcanic ash cloud, and tropical cyclones and radioactive clouds.
— END —
VA ERUPTION
MT ASHVAL
LOC S15
E073 VA CLD
VA
CLD
[FL
nnn/nnn]
MOD TURB
VA
[MT MOD MTW
nnnnnnnnnn]
ISOL CB
ISOL15 TCU16
OCNL18 TCU16
FRQ13 TCU
MOD TURB11
MOD ICE19
MOD MTW21
...
SEV TURB
FRQ TS
OBSC TSGR
EMBD TSGR
TC GLORIA
OVC CLD
270/ABV3000M
(OVC CLD
900/ABV10000FT
)
SEV ICE
RDOACT CLD