A Simulation Environment for Analyzing the Impact of Volcanic Ash on Trajectory-Based Air Traffic Management

Kurzfassung

Large areas of the European airspace have been affected by volcanic ash clouds during the past volcanic eruptions resulting in widespread disruption to air traffic. Future strategies for the air transportation system should reduce negative impacts during a volcanic eruption. To assist in these investigations this contribution shows an successful approach for a simulation environment which optimizes trajectories during a volcanic eruption. The existing simulation environment provided by DLR’s Institute of Flight Guidance is expanded with some newly developed components in order to meet the new requirements. It is described how the existing computation of realistic trajectories was associated with the new component for trajectory optimization. The optimization algorithm is illustrated by a single trajectory optimization. An exemplary air traffic analysis based on data which was recorded during the Grímsvötn eruption shows first results.