Science Alert July 1, 2022
The initial explosion and subsequent plume triggered atmospheric waves which propagated around the world multiple times. An international team of researchers (UK, USA – industry, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Virginia Tech, University of Colorado Boulder, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Catholic University of America, Germany, Australia, France)
show the details of this response, using a comprehensive set of satellite and ground-based observations to quantify it from surface to ionosphere. A broad spectrum of waves was triggered by the initial explosion, including Lamb waves propagating at phase speeds of 318.2±6 ms-1 at surface level and between 308±5 to 319±4 ms-1 in the stratosphere, and gravity waves propagating at 238±3 to 269±3 ms-1 in the stratosphere. Gravity waves at sub-ionospheric heights have not previously been observed propagating at this speed or over the whole Earth from a single source. Latent heat release from the plume remained the most significant individual gravity wave source worldwide for >12 hours. The Hunga Tonga eruption represents a key natural experiment in how the atmosphere responds to a sudden point-source-driven state change, which will be of use for improving weather and climate models…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLEÂ
Credit: NOAA/NESDIS