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The volcanic eruption of Tonga disturbed the atmosphere

author:Baiyan Workshop

Author; Andrew Grant

Compilation: Pure Jane

The volcanic eruption of Tonga disturbed the atmosphere

Image credit: GOES-West NOAA/RAMMB/CIRA

Volcanoes have triggered waves up to the ionosphere at unprecedented speed and lifetime.

Hunga Tonga – The eruption of the Hunga Ha'apai volcano was captured by NOAA's GOES-West satellite on Jan. 15. Although the volcano's underwater origins extinguished some sparks, the January 15, 2022 eruption of The Hungga Tonga-Hunga Hapai Volcano near the South Pacific island of Tonga was one of the most powerful eruptions in recent history. Seismic, infrasonic and satellite imaging data show that the volcano released more energy than the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, and that it produced the highest eruptive plume of the satellite era, reaching a height of about 55 kilometers. Now, Corwin Wright of the University of Bath in the UK and an international team have shown that the impact of volcanic eruptions on the atmosphere is equally impressive.

The researchers collected data from multiple satellites and ground stations to track the effects of the eruption from the surface to space. Observations suggest that the visible plumes rush upwards immediately after eruption, while large numbers of powerful atmospheric waves also propagate in all directions. The Lamb waves propagating along the Earth's surface reach a speed of about 320 m/s, comparable to the speed of the waves produced by the infamous Krakatoa eruption of 1883. Satellite imaging (an example in the animation below) captures these initial waves spinning around the Earth at least three times and distorted by geographic features such as the Andes Mountains.

The volcanic eruption of Tonga disturbed the atmosphere

Image credit: Mathew Barlow, using data from the GOES-West satellite

A vibrant atmospheric lamb wave propagates outward from the eruption site.

At greater altitudes, gravitational waves (not to be confused with gravitational waves) are triggered by the gravitational resistance and buoyancy of the air pushed vertically during eruptions. Satellite data show that waves move at close to their maximum speed in the troposphere and the stratosphere. To explore higher altitudes, the researchers analyzed the delay of navigation satellite signals, tracking the propagation of waves at speeds of up to 667 m/s in the high-charge ionosphere.

Although the absolute energy of the eruption played an important role in the subsequent atmospheric vortex, Wright and his colleagues also highlighted the surrounding conditions of the volcano. The researchers say the eruption occurred in a relatively shallow underwater basin, meaning the seawater had little use to slow the explosion. Instead, the water is "flashed" and, as part of the visible plume, is "pushed into the stratosphere," where it releases a large amount of latent heat as it condenses. This explains the detection of initial atmospheric waves and low-amplitude wave streams that last for hours above the volcano's position, possibly due to the continuous condensation of seawater in the plume.

Overall, the hunga Tonga eruption disrupted the global atmosphere, a natural or man-made event not seen in recent history. By studying its unprecedented impact on the system, the researchers hope to better understand the more subtle perturbations that occur regularly in the atmosphere.

Article Source: https://physicstoday.scitation.org/do/10.1063/PT.6.1.20220713a/full/

The volcanic eruption of Tonga disturbed the atmosphere

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