Impact of the 2010 Icelandic Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruptions on the GPS signals

Abstract

This paper presents the impact of tropospheric ash cloud distribution on the GPS signal through precipitable water vapor (PWV) measurements during the sequence of 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption at Eyjafjöll in Iceland. The second phase event was occurred from 14 April to 25 May 2010 across western and northern Europe. GPS and the surface meteorological data for the period from 1 April to 31 May of 2010 at Husafell (HUSA) and Hoefn (HOFN) stations, both in Iceland together with Borowiec station (BOR1) in Poland are observed. Monitoring results showed that the lower atmospheric parameter (PWV) is increased during the volcanic ash cloud of about 11.35% (on average) in comparison to the average values before and after the eruptions.