It may be easier to reach property in France in the future if an eruption like that seen in Iceland in April 2010 occurs again in Europe.
Should the skies over the continent again be filled with volcanic ash, as they were for a number of weeks this year when Eyjafjallajokull erupted, lightning could hold the solution to gauging the risk posed to aircraft.
When lightning strikes, it can be detected thousands of miles away using sensors operating in the very low frequency range, between three and 30 kHz.
Research published by the Institute of Physics in Environmental Research Letters indicates how this could help to keep flights operating to property in France.
By measuring how often lightning strikes within an ash cloud – where the motion of the particles can create the static electricity required for a bolt to form – scientists can estimate the height of the plume.
This could ultimately allow air traffic routes to be adjusted to avoid ash clouds and instead fly through the clearer and lightning-free air around them.
