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Projecte llegit

Títol: WRF simulation of the atmospheric conditions in some aircraft accidents

Estudiants que han llegit aquest projecte:

Director/a: MAZÓN BUESO, JORDI

Departament: FIS

Títol: WRF simulation of the atmospheric conditions in some aircraft accidents

Data inici oferta: 06-02-2013     Data finalització oferta: 06-10-2013


Estudis d'assignació del projecte:
    Tipus: Individual
     
    Lloc de realització: EETAC
     
    Paraules clau:
    WRF simulation, Meteorology, Aeronavigation, Turbolence, Aircraft, Accident
     
    Descripció del contingut i pla d'activitats:
    El treball consisteix en tres parts. En la primera, es farà un recull de les principals causes meteorològiques que poden representar un risc per a l'aeronavegació. En una segona, es farà un recull exhaustiu dels principals accidents i incidents en l'aeronavegació en què els factors meteorològics han estat el factor principal. En la tercera part, se seleecionaran aquells accidents més rellevants i es farà una simulació numèrica mitjançant el model WRF per a determinar l'estat de l'atmosfera en el moment i el nivell de vol (FL) on es va produir l'accident/incident.
     
    Overview (resum en anglès):
    Aviation, probably more than any other mode of transportation, is greatly affected by weather. Commercial aviation must deal with storms, fogs, windshears, ash from the volcanoes, intense rain, turbulences and other weather phenomena regularly. In this document are exposed in detail the effects of these phenomena on the aircraft’s performance and on the airport facilities. Additionally, it is performed too, a study of the impact that these weather phenomena have had in aviation in the period from 1967 to 2010 at global level. The study shall, in particular, analyze the impact of these phenomena on the number of accidents per year and the number of fatalities per year, according to the phase of flight, the climatic zone and the meteorological seasons. As result of the analysis, it is necessary to note, that the number of accidents due to unfavorable weather conditions represent 40,7 % of the events, which occurred during this period and has a clear descending evolution since the 1990s. Most accidents and fatalities take place during the take-off, climb, approach and landing stages. During these phases aircrafts are close to the ground and in a more vulnerable configuration than during other flight phases, also a external perturbation induced by low visibility, fog, or rain can crash the aircraft.
    During the enroute phase of flight, turbulences, CATs and storms are especially hazardous to modern jet aircrafts structures. The probability to suffer an accident increases in temperate zones during the approach phase in winter.
    The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, which raised the number of accidents for meteorological reasons in 1993 to 47, altered the Earth's climate (Arctic Oscillation) specifically in the high latitudes of the temperate zones, leading to the appearance and disappearance of meteorological phenomena on atypical regions. The study of the University of Reading, which used the same turbulence models that air traffic controllers use every day, found that the frequency of turbulence on the many flights will double by 2050 and its intensity increase by 10-40%. That’s a reason to investigate more; we have to know better our atmosphere.
    Additionally it is studied the case of the accident of AF447 of June 1, 2009 with the help of the WRF model, remarking through this relatively current example, the affect of the weather phenomena on the modern aircraft. Therefore, the primary aim of this study is to prove, that aircraft remain dependent on weather conditions.

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