Stockholm Arlanda Research Articles

Impact of Mode-S Enhanced Surveillance Weather Observations on Weather Forecasts over the MetCoOp Northern European Model Domain

Abstract Meteorological Cooperation on Operational Numeric Weather Prediction (MetCoOp) is a northern European collaboration on operational numerical weather prediction based on a common limited-area, kilometer-scale ensemble system. The initial states of this model are produced using a three-dimensional, variational, data assimilation scheme utilizing a large number of observations from conventional in situ measurements, weather radars, global navigation satellite systems, advanced scatterometer data, and satellite radiances. Since 2019, the MetCoOp system was enhanced by utilization of observations based on selective mode (Mode-S) enhanced surveillance (EHS) reports that are broadcast by aircraft in response to interrogation from air traffic control radar. These observations, obtained from the European Meteorological Aircraft Derived Data Center, are used to derive indirect information of atmospheric wind speed and temperature. The use of these observations compensated for the considerably reduced number of direct aircraft observations encountered as an effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. The MetCoOp observation handling system is described, with emphasis on Mode-S EHS data. The quality of these observations is evaluated, and we show that they are suitable to be used in MetCoOp data assimilation. The impact on average forecast verification scores of the additional Mode-S EHS data is slightly positive. The benefit of using Mode-S EHS was demonstrated for an individual case and also a demonstration of utilizing the Stockholm Arlanda receiver data in assimilation has been performed.

Comparison of PFAS soil remediation alternatives at a civilian airport using cost-benefit analysis

Contamination of soil and water systems by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) due to uncontrolled use of aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) at firefighting training sites at civilian and military airports is a universal issue and can lead to significant human health and environmental impacts. Remediation of these sites is often complex but necessary to alleviate the PFAS burden and minimise the risks of exposure by eliminating the hotspot/source from which the PFAS spreads. This study presents a probabilistic cost-benefit analysis (CBA) for evaluating PFAS remediation alternatives, which includes monetisation of both direct costs and benefits as well as externalities. The method is applied for a case study to compare five remediation alternatives for managing PFAS contaminated soil at Stockholm Arlanda Airport in Sweden. The social profitability, or the net present value (NPV), of each remediation alternative was calculated in comparison to two reference alternatives – ‘total excavation’ of the site (Alt 0) or ‘do nothing’. Sensitivity analyses and model scenarios were tested to account for uncertainties, including small or large PFAS spreading and simulating different values for the magnitude of annual avoided cost of inaction (i.e., aggregate benefit) from PFAS remediation. In comparison to total excavation, four of the five studied remediation alternatives resulted in a positive mean NPV. Excavation and stabilization/solidification of the hotspot on-site combined with stabilization using activated carbon for the rest of site (Alt 2) had the highest NPV for both spreading scenarios, i.e., Alt 2 was the most socially profitable alternative. Simulations of the annual avoided cost of inaction enabled estimation of the breakeven point at which a remediation alternative becomes socially profitable (NPV > 0) compared to ‘do nothing’. Alt 2 had the lowest breakeven point: 7.5 and 5.75 millions of SEK/year for large and small spreading, respectively.

Aircraft Approach Noise Trials

This article presents the results from a series of aircraft approach trials that were conducted with the aim to investigate noise reduction procedures within the boundaries of a normal ILS approach. The significant decline in air traffic at Stockholm Arlanda, that occurred during the pandemic meant that the empty airspace and the availability of grounded aircrafts could be utilized to perform controlled flights - something that would have been difficult to achieve during normal traffic conditions. The approach trials were performed by two Airbus A321, which alternately carried out interrupted landing procedures starting 17 nautical miles (nm) from the runway threshold. During the trials, the aircraft speed and configuration (high lift devises and landing gear) were varied according to a predetermined schedule. To capture these variations, flight data (FDR) were recorded while the noise on ground was measured at positions approximately once every nautical mile along the flight track. Results suggest that speed and configuration recommendations can be effective to reduce noise, especially for the final 7 nautical miles of the flight track. However, whether a low speed is to be advocated during the entire approach is currently unclear.

Arrival flight efficiency in pre- and post-Covid-19 pandemics

Covid-19 pandemic affected aviation severely, resulting in unprecedented reduction of air traffic. While aviation is slowly re-gaining traffic volumes, we use the opportunity to study the arrival performance in the Terminal Maneuvering Area (TMA) in non-congested scenarios.Applying flight efficiency and environmental performance indicators (PIs) to the historical data of arrivals to Stockholm Arlanda and Gothenburg Landvetter airports, we discover noticeable inefficiencies, despite significant reduction of traffic intensity. We analyze the impact of such factors as weather and traffic intensity on arrival efficiency in isolated scenarios when only one factor dominates: isolated scenario with low traffic and isolated scenario with good weather conditions. Our analysis uncovers that weather has a stronger influence than traffic intensity on the vertical efficiency, while traffic intensity has stronger effect on the lateral efficiency. Impact of traffic intensity on the lateral efficiency might be explained by frequent hold-on patterns and flight trajectory extensions due to vectoring in high traffic conditions. Further investigation is needed to explain weather and vertical/lateral efficiency correlations, the conclusions might be country-specific.

Seasonal trends of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in river water affected by fire training sites and wastewater treatment plants

Fire-fighting training areas and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are potential sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) to the nearby aquatic environment. This study investigated seasonal variations of PFAS levels in two river catchments in Sweden; one impacted by Stockholm Arlanda Airport (Sites 1 and 2), and the other by WWTPs and a military airport (Uppsala) (Sites 3 and 4). ƩPFAS concentrations were up to 61 (Sites 1 and 2) and 4 (Sites 3 and 4) times higher compared to the reference site. Distinct different seasonal trends were observed in the two catchments with higher ∑PFAS concentrations during the high water flow season at Site 1 compared to the low water flow season, whereas Sites 3 and 4 showed an inverse seasonal trend. This demonstrates that the pollution is mobilized during periods of high flow in the first catchment (Stockholm Arlanda Airport), while it is diluted during high flow in the second catchment (Uppsala). Average annual loads for ∑PFASs were estimated at ∼5.2 and ∼3.7 kg yr−1 for the catchment in Uppsala and Stockholm Arlanda Airport, respectively. Thus, both catchments add PFASs to Lake Mälaren, which is Sweden's most important source area for drinking water production.

Feeling safe while being surveilled: the spatial semiotics of affect at international airports

ABSTRACT Departing from Lefebvre’s work on the social production of space, this paper explores the intersection between perceived and lived space from the perspective of spatial discourse analysis. Empirically, the paper studies how the spatiality of international airports performs affective discursive work and establishes prerequisites for air travelers’ feelings of being “in control” and “excited” vs. feelings of being “controlled” and “surveilled”. The concept of binding is applied in order to understand how affect is spatially afforded at Stockholm Arlanda Airport and Vienna International Airport. The analysis reveals that alternations between bound and unbound spaces construe the airports as distinctly ideological sites with different affective potentials. Accordingly, this article adds to the understanding of how airport atmospheres are construed by means of spatial resources such as the height, depth, and shape of walls and ceilings and by the transparency and opaqueness of the built material, as well as by more dynamic elements such as carpets, colors, signage, and retractable belt barriers.

Integer Programming–Based Airspace Sectorization for Terminal Maneuvering Areas with Convex Sectors

In this paper an airspace sectorization framework for terminal maneuvering areas based on mixed integer programming is presented. It incorporates an airspace complexity representation, as well as various constraints on the sectors’ geometry, for example, the requirement that points demanding increased attention from air traffic controllers should lie in the sector’s interior to allow for enough time to resolve possible conflicts. The method can enforce convex sectors. In contrast to earlier integer/constraint programming approaches, which used synthesis methods with variables per elementary airspace piece that were glued together to form sectors, the integer programming formulation uses a variable per potential edge on the sector boundary. It is also the first step toward an integrated design of routes, the resulting complexity, and a sectorization. This paper presents results for Stockholm Arlanda airport and compares the integer programming results to convex sectorizations obtained by enumerating all possible topologies for a given number of sectors. This yields a proof-of-concept for the application of this highly flexible approach to terminal maneuvering areas.

Electrodialytic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) removal mechanism for contaminated soil

Contamination of soils with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) is a global problem, in particular at fire-fighter training sites due to the usage of PFAS-containing aqueous fire-fighting foams (AFFFs). In this study, an electrodialytic remediation method was applied for the first time to remove PFASs from contaminated soil. The electrodialytic remediation system was evaluated in a laboratory-scale experiment with current densities of 0.19 mA cm−2 and 0.38 mA cm−2 over 21 days, using PFAS-contaminated soil from a fire-fighter training site at Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Sweden. Of the 23 PFASs targeted, significant (p < 0.05) PFAS electromigration towards the anode was observed for C3-C7 perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) (PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFOA) and C4, C6, and C8 perfluoroalkane sulfonates (PFSAs) (PFBS, PFHxS, PFOS) since these PFASs were predominantly negatively charged. In contrast to the electromigration of the charged PFASs, N-methyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide (MeFOSA), perfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid (FOSAA) and ethyl FOSAA (EtFOSAA) showed significant (p < 0.05) transport towards the cathode, which is probably attributed to electro-osmotic flow of these predominantly neutral PFASs. Mass balance calculations showed that for the shortest-chained PFASs (i.e., PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFBS, and PFHxS), up to 20% was extracted from the soil to the anolyte, which showed that electrodialysis is a possible in-situ remediation technique for PFAS-contaminated soil.

Plant Uptake of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances at a Contaminated Fire Training Facility to Evaluate the Phytoremediation Potential of Various Plant Species.

Fire training facilities and other areas suffer from serious per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination in soil, surface water, and groundwater due to regular practices with PFAS-containing aqueous firefighting foams (AFFFs). Therefore, the uptake of 26 PFASs in plants and the contamination of soil and groundwater has been investigated at a fire training site at Stockholm Arlanda airport, Stockholm (Sweden) in 2016. Elevated ∑26PFAS levels were detected in soil and groundwater ranging from 16 to 160 ng g-1 dry weight (dw) and 1200-34 000 ng L-1, respectively. Samples from different plant species and tissues (i.e., roots, trunk/cores, twigs, leaves/needles) of the local plant community were taken, namely silver birch (Betula pendula), Norway spruce (Picea abies), bird cherry (Prunus padus), mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia), ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria), long beechfern (Phegopteris connectilis), and wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca). The plants showed a high variability of concentrations with highest ∑26PFAS concentrations in vegetative compartments with up to 97 ng g-1 wet weight (ww) and 94 ng g-1 ww in birch leaves and spruce needles, respectively. Annual ground cover plants such as long beechfern and ground elder, and bushes like bird cherry showed concentrations up to 6.9, 23, and 21 ng g-1 ww, respectively. The bioconcentration factors (BCFs; plant/soil ratios) were highest in foliage, while the total tree burden of ∑26PFASs per tree was up to 11 mg for birch and 1.8 mg for spruce. Considering a shelterwood system with mixed stands of silver birch and spruce in combination with regular harvest of leaves and birch sap and an understory of ground elder, it is potentially feasible to remove 1.4 g of ∑26PFASs per year and hectare from (heavily) contaminated sites. An alternative approach is the coppicing of birch trees in combination with an understory of ground elder, potentially removing 0.65 g yr-1 ha-1 of ∑26PFASs, while a simple meadow with ground elder can remove 0.55 g yr-1 ha-1 ∑26PFASs.

Stockholm Arlanda Airport as a source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances to water, sediment and fish

Fire training facilities are potential sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) to the nearby environment due to the usage of PFAS-containing aqueous fire-fighting foams (AFFFs). The multimedia distribution of perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs), perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs), perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA) and 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (FTSA) was investigated near a fire training facility at Stockholm Arlanda Airport in Sweden. The whole body burden of PFASs in European perch (Perca fluviatilis) was 334±80μg absolute and was distributed as follows: Gonad>liver≈muscle>blood>gill. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) and sediment/water partition coefficient (Kd) increased by 0.6–1.7 and 0.2–0.5 log units, respectively, for each additional CF2 moiety for PFCAs and PFSAs. PFAS concentrations in water showed no significant decreasing trend between 2009 and 2013 (p>0.05), which indicates that Stockholm Arlanda Airport may be an important source for long-term contamination of the nearby environment with PFASs.

Aircraft noise and metabolic outcomes

Background: Long-term aircraft noise exposure may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, but no study has investigated chronic effects on the metabolic system. Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the associations between long-term aircraft noise exposure and body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and Type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, we aimed to explore the modifying effects of sleep disturbance. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we followed 5 411 Swedish men and women living in five municipalities in Stockholm County for up to ten years between 1992 and 2006. Time-weighted average aircraft noise exposure around Stockholm Arlanda airport was estimated during the follow-up period based on residential history. Baseline and follow-up surveys, including questionnaires and clinical examinations, provided information on outcomes and confounders. Subjects with prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes were identified by an oral glucose tolerance test. We used linear and logistic regression models to assess statistical associations and adjusted the results for individual as well as area-based confounders. Results: Mean increase in BMI between baseline and follow-up was 1.10 kg/m2 (SD 1.99) and for waist circumference 4.40 cm (SD 6.45). In total, we identified 434 cases of prediabetes and 172 cases of Type 2 diabetes, corresponding to cumulative incidences of 8 % and 3 %, respectively. In the fully adjusted model, we found a statistically significant association between aircraft noise and change in waist circumference, with a 1.24 cm (95 % CI 0.62 to 1.85) increase per 5 dB(A) rise. No clear associations were found for BMI or Type 2 diabetes, although the risk for diabetes tended to be elevated among women; OR=1.60 (95 % CI 0.94 to 2.70) per 5 dB(A) rise. Sleep disturbances did not appear to modify the association with aircraft noise. Conclusions: Long-term aircraft noise exposure may be linked to metabolic outcomes, in particular change in waist circumference.

Scheduling de-icing vehicles within airport logistics: a heuristic algorithm and performance evaluation

Most delays in the air transport occur at the airport. A particular reason is the complexity of managing the large number of supporting flows in airport logistics. We consider the optimisation problem of scheduling de-icing vehicles that is one of the key supporting logistic flows in the turn-around process of aircraft. The objective is to minimise the delay of flights due to de-icing, and the travel distance of the de-icing vehicles. We study the complexity of the problem, and develop a solution algorithm using greedy randomised adaptive search. A case study of real-life data from Stockholm Arlanda Airport shows that optimised schedule leads to significantly better performance in comparison to intuitive and simple scheduling strategies. The benefit of optimisation in reducing the waiting time for de-icing is further demonstrated via dynamic simulations.

Airport logistics – A case study of the turn-around process

This paper studies the effects of different optimization objectives when scheduling de-icing services at Stockholm Arlanda airport. The optimized schedule is tested using a simulation model of the turn-around process. The results demonstrate that the schedule taking into account overall airport performance results in less delay than one targeted solely at the performance of the de-icing process.

The Arlanda Airport Rail Link: Lessons Learned from a Swedish Construction Project

The Stockholm – Arlanda airport rail link is a public-private partnership opened for traffic in 1999. This paper addresses costs and benefits of giving a private company control over one section of the otherwise public railway network. The project has reduced the pressure on the public sector’s budget and reduced the need to raise efficiency distorting tax revenue. The number of passengers has been below expectations. Track capacity may, however, be sufficient to negotiate an increase the supply of rail services by way of extending existing commuter trains, in that way attracting more passengers.

Aircraft Noise and Incidence of Hypertension

An association between aircraft noise exposure and hypertension prevalence has been suggested but there are no longitudinal studies of this association. Our aim was to investigate the influence of aircraft noise on the incidence of hypertension. A cohort of 2754 men in 4 municipalities around Stockholm Arlanda airport was followed between 1992-1994 and 2002-2004. The cohort was based on the Stockholm Diabetes Preventive Program; half of the study subjects had a family history of diabetes. Residential aircraft noise exposure (expressed as time-weighted equal energy and maximal noise levels) was assessed by geographical information systems techniques among those living near the airport. Incident cases of hypertension were identified by physical examinations, including blood pressure measurements, and questionnaires in which subjects reported treatment or diagnosis of hypertension and information on cardiovascular risk factors. Analyses were restricted to 2027 subjects who completed the follow-up examination, were not treated for hypertension, and had a blood pressure below 140/90 mm Hg at enrollment. For subjects exposed to energy-averaged levels above 50 dB(A) the adjusted relative risk for hypertension was 1.19 (95% CI = 1.03-1.37). Maximum aircraft noise levels presented similar results, with a relative risk of 1.20 (1.03-1.40) for those exposed above 70 dB(A). Stronger associations were suggested among older subjects, those with a normal glucose tolerance, nonsmokers, and subjects not annoyed by noise from other sources. These findings suggest that long-term aircraft noise exposure may increase the risk for hypertension.

Moving away from a traditional airport security set-up to a new integrated security model

This paper summarises the experiences behind the transformation of airport security at Stockholm Arlanda (Sweden), moving from a traditional manpower-based security model characterised by limited technology to a new set-up that benefits from the integration of technology and staffing. The paper provides a structured approach to analysing the current situation; a step-by-step process to move from a traditional set-up to an integrated airport security model; an overview of the efficiencies and cost-savings that such a model allows; and a concrete implementation plan. The paper is partially based on a public procurement performed by the LFV Group. As such, it includes material from a variety of authors.

One Day in the Life of a City (21 July, 2006)

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Notes 1. Raoul Vaneigem, The Revolution of Everyday Life [1967], trans. Donald Nicholson‐Smith (London: Left Bank Books and Rebel Press, 1983), p.15. 2. Gilles Deleuze, Negotiations, 1972–1990 [1990], trans. Martin Joughin (New York: Columbia University Press, 1995), p.10. 3. Alain Badiou, On Beckett, ed. Alberto Toscano, trans. Alberto Toscano and Nina Power (Manchester: Clinamen Press, 2003), p.64. 4. John Protevi, ‘Love’, in Between Deleuze and Derrida, eds. Paul Patton and John L. Protevi (London: Continuum, 2003), p.188. 5. Alain Badiou, On Beckett, p.67. 6. George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty‐Four [1949] (London: Penguin, 1990), p.247. 7. Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, Anti‐Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia [1972], trans. Robert Hurley, Mark Seem and Helen R. Lane (London: Athlone Press, 1984), p.116. 8. Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, Anti‐Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia, p.116. 9. Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, A Thousand Plateaus [1980], trans. Brian Massumi (London: Athlone Press, 1988), p.481. 10. Georg Simmel, ‘The Metropolis and Mental Life’ [1903], in Art in Theory 1900–1990: An Anthology of Changing Ideas, eds. Charles Harrison and Paul Wood (Oxford: Blackwell, 1992), p.132. 11. Deleuze and Guattari, Anti‐Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia, p.239. 12. Deleuze and Guattari, Anti‐Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia, p.239. 13. Deleuze and Guattari, Anti‐Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia, p.240.

HEALTH EFFECTS OF AIRCRAFT NOISE AROUND STOCKHOLM ARLANDA AIRPORT WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO HYPERTENSION

The number of people living in the vicinity of large airports is steadily increasing and the number of aircraft movements is continuously growing. Strong public health consequences of environmental pollution due to aircraft noise is thus to be expected. Beside general annoyance and sleep problems, serious psychosocial consequences cannot be excluded. Cardiovascular effects, such as development of high blood pressure has also been reported although the epidemiological evidence is still limited in this respect. Our objective is to study cardiovascular effects, such as elevation of blood pressure in relation to exposure to aircraft noise. Life quality changes expressed as general annoyance and sleep problems will also be taken into account. The study will be based on a selected sample of about 8.000 subject, 3.100 men and 4.800 women in the age span 42–65 years living in 5 municipalities outside Stockholm City. All study subjects have previously answered a questionnaire, men in 1992–94, and women in 1996–98 respectively. At the same time a baseline health examination and assessment of blood pressure and oral glucose tolerance test was performed as well as height and weight measurements. The questionnaire provided information on lifestyle factors, such as smoking, cost preferences and habits of physical activity. Advice was given regarding healthy lifestyles intended to reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. A ten-year follow-up of the study subjects with a similar questionnaire and a new health examination is now commencing. The preventive efforts will be evaluated and the importance of environmental noise pollution on blood pressure and life quality will be assessed through questions about annoyance due to noise and blood pressure measurements. Information of residential settings from 1992 and onwards will be collected and all addresses are given geographical coordinates. About 10 percent of the study population are living in the vicinity of Stockholm Arlanda airport. Using available noise dispersion models from the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration, time weighted equal energy and maximum aircraft noise levels will be assigned to the addresses of the study subjects from 1992 to 2002. Differences in blood pressure levels, prevalence of coronary heart disease and use of medication for cardiovascular diseases will be analysed in relation to aircraft noise exposure. In the analysis, exposure to road-and rail traffic noise as well as occupational noise exposure will be taken into account. Potential confounding factors for hypertension collected via the questionnaire is also to be controlled for. Interim evaluation is planned and each time 1.000 study subjects shall be examined.

Increased prevalence of hypertension in a population exposed to aircraft noise

OBJECTIVESTo investigate whether there is a relation between residential exposure to aircraft noise and hypertension.METHODSThe study population comprised two random samples of subjects aged 19–80 years, one including 266 residents...

Transportation and logistics in a joint systems context: a conceptual model and case study of fuel supply to an airport

Over a period of thirty years transportation science has moved its focus from traffic to transport and then on to mobility. Similarly logistics has changed its focus from the single shipment to material flows and finally to complete supply chains. An approach is presented which joins the four concepts of land use, accessibility, transport and traffic into a single systems model, which should be equally applicable to passengers and freight and serve as a tool of improving the understanding among individuals dealing with transportation and logistics problems, respectively. The model is applied to a case involving transportation of jet kerosene from the West and East coast of Sweden to the Stockholm Arlanda international airport. The existing transportation system is heavily criticised, since it involves frequent lorry trips through central Stockholm and the use of an oil harbour that has no permanent concession. As an alternative a railway based solution is discussed. Calculations show that even without consideration of external costs, this would offer lower transport costs.