In 2022, Hunga Tonga sent water vapour into the stratosphere, altering ozone and radiation
The 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcanic eruption injected massive amounts of water vapour into the stratosphere, significantly altering global atmospheric circulation and ozone levels. Scientists found that the moisture persisted for years, influencing climate patterns until late 2023.
Why it matters
Understanding the atmospheric impact of such eruptions is crucial for climate modeling and predicting long-term environmental changes.
On 15 January 2022, an underwater volcano in the South Pacific sent an extraordinary amount of water vapour into a part of the atmosphere that is normally very dry. The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai eruption pushed the moisture high into the stratosphere, with the plume reaching as far as about 53 kilometres above Earth. Scientists estimated that around 146 teragrams of water entered the stratosphere, equivalent to roughly 10% of the water already held there. The unusual injection did not simply fade after the eruption. The vapour spread around the globe and remained detectable through 2022 and 2023, while influencing temperatures, atmospheric circulation, ozone and the way radiation moved through the atmosphere.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in