Hunga-Tonga Eruption: Strongest Volcanic Explosion of the Modern Era Based on Magnitude, Speed

A new study recently confirmed that the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai submarine volcano in January this year was one of the most combustive volcanic occurrences of the modern era.

Led by the University of Bath researchers, the research combines extensive satellite data with ground-level observations to show that the eruption was distinctive in observed science in its magnitude and speed and in the range of the fast-moving gravity and atmospheric waves it developed, a EurekALert! report specified.

After a series of smaller occurrences starting in December last year, Hunga Toga exploded in January this year, generating a vertical plume that expanded over 50 kilometers on top of the surface of Earth.

The heat released from the water and hot ash in the plume stayed in the biggest source of gravity waves on Earth for the next 12 hours.

A Truly 'Unique' Eruption

The volcanic eruption also produced ripple-like gravity waves, which satellite observations revealed extended across the pacific basin.

More so, the eruption stimulated waves too, in the atmosphere around the planet at least six times and reached near their theoretical maximum speeds, the quickest ever witnessed within the atmosphere at 720 miles an hour.

The fact that one occurrence dominated such a large region is described by the authors of the paper, published in the Nature journal, as extraordinary in the observational record and one that will help researchers enhance future "atmospheric weather and climate models."

According to a Royal Society University Research Fellow based at the Centre for Space Atmospheric and Oceanic Science at the University of Bath, Dr. Corwin Wright, this was a genuinely huge eruption "and truly unique" when it comes to what has been observed by science to date.

More Effects Expected from the Hunga Tonga Eruption

Wright, the lead author of the paper, also said they had never seen atmospheric waves going all over the world before, or at this speed, they were traveling very near the theoretical limit.

The volcanic eruption was an incredible natural experiment, explained the lead author, adding that the data they have gathered will enhance their understanding of the atmosphere, not to mention help improve the weather and climate models.

Dr. Scott Osprey, the study's co-author from the National Centre for Atmospheric Science, based within the Department of the University of Oxford, is expecting to see other effects of the Hunga Tonga eruption.

He added that their study nicely reveals how the "striking display of global waves is driven" by great amounts of seawater vaporized during the eruption.

For Better Predictions

Nonetheless, Scott continued, his gut feeling is that there is more expected from this explosion. As the exceptional amount of water vapor spreads all over the stratosphere, eyes will turn to the Antarctic ozone hole and just how serious it will be in the spring.

Scientists from Oxford University, the University of Bath, North West Research Associates, Virginia Tech, University of Colorado, and NASA, among others, worked on the study.

Moreover, according to a similar Eurasia Review report, the scientists were granted funding from the Royal Society, the Natural Environment Research Council, and NASA.

Lastly, the researchers are Bath is currently focusing on working with colleagues at the weather and climate forecasting centers to see how the information collected from the eruption can be employed to make better predictions in the future.

A recent report about the Hunga Tonga Volcano is shown on Science X's YouTube video below:

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