Tech Desk
May 30, 2024
In January 2022, a large underwater volcano called HungaTonga-Hunga Ha'apai erupted in the Pacific state of Tonga. The eruption created a tsunami and sent sound waves multiple times worldwide.
Scientists are studying the effects of this eruption on the climate. And a new study published in the Journal of Climate has some surprising findings. Unlike normal volcanic eruptions, HungaTonga produced very little smoke but a large volume of water vapour equivalent to 60,000 Olympic swimming pools.
The water vapour was suspected of having entered the stratosphere, a dry layer of the atmosphere that is usually too dry for clouds or rain and is 15 to 40 km above the Earth's surface.
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Water vapour has two main effects: it helps destroy the ozone layer and acts as a powerful greenhouse gas. Scientists use climate models to study the effects of water on our weather.
They found that the eruption contributed to the unusually large hole in the ozone in 2023. Models also predict that the eruption will have lasting effects on our climate for years to come, including the following:
- Colder and Wetter Winters in Northern Australia by 2029
- Warm Winters in North America
- Cold winter in Scandinavia
The overall effect of the HungaTonga eruption on global temperatures is very small, only 0.015 degrees Celsius, meaning that the eruption cannot be attributed to the high temperatures experienced globally over the past year.
The study further highlighted the significant impact of the HungaTonga eruption, while the long-term effects are still uncertain.
