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: (9 pages) 116099785 IAVWOPSG/2-WP/6 2. -2- 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 -3- IAVWOPSG/2-WP/6 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. -4- IAVWOPSG/2-WP/6 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. -5- 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. -6- IAVWOPSG/2-WP/6 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. ———————— 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