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Stratospheric aerosol formed by intense volcanism–sea interaction during the 2022 Hunga Ha’apai eruption

Martinsson, Bengt G. LU ; Friberg, Johan LU and Sporre, Moa K. LU orcid (2025) In Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 25(18). p.10677-10690
Abstract

The Hunga Tonga eruption on 15 January 2022 (HT-22) induced vigorous volcano–sea interaction. Here we study the stratospheric aerosol and water vapor resulting from the eruption using satellite-based instruments: the CALIOP lidar and the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS). We investigate the stratospheric relative humidity following the record-breaking water vapor injections from the HT-22 eruption and the particle size of the aerosol. The HT-22 eruption injected its effluents into the deep Brewer–Dobson (BD) branch causing several years of stratospheric perturbation. The long duration and the aerosol concentration (among the highest) make the HT-22 eruption the strongest stratospheric aerosol event since the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption... (More)

The Hunga Tonga eruption on 15 January 2022 (HT-22) induced vigorous volcano–sea interaction. Here we study the stratospheric aerosol and water vapor resulting from the eruption using satellite-based instruments: the CALIOP lidar and the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS). We investigate the stratospheric relative humidity following the record-breaking water vapor injections from the HT-22 eruption and the particle size of the aerosol. The HT-22 eruption injected its effluents into the deep Brewer–Dobson (BD) branch causing several years of stratospheric perturbation. The long duration and the aerosol concentration (among the highest) make the HT-22 eruption the strongest stratospheric aerosol event since the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption despite a modest SO2 injection explaining only ∼ 30 % of the aerosol optical depth (AOD) from the HT-22 eruption according to our estimates. The stratospheric AOD level was established after 2 weeks, or possibly even earlier, which is a short time compared with the usual 2–3 months required to reach the maximum AOD following volcanic eruptions. We discuss the sources of the aerosol from the HT-22 eruption in relation to the low emission of SO2, its e-folding time, and volcanological observations of strong interactions with the sea containing not only water but also high concentrations of dissolved substances.

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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
volume
25
issue
18
pages
14 pages
publisher
Copernicus GmbH
external identifiers
  • scopus:105016728452
ISSN
1680-7316
DOI
10.5194/acp-25-10677-2025
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3d9a2afd-d72b-431d-8c7c-c00ec411e32f
date added to LUP
2025-11-26 15:50:55
date last changed
2025-11-26 15:51:54
@article{3d9a2afd-d72b-431d-8c7c-c00ec411e32f,
  abstract     = {{<p>The Hunga Tonga eruption on 15 January 2022 (HT-22) induced vigorous volcano–sea interaction. Here we study the stratospheric aerosol and water vapor resulting from the eruption using satellite-based instruments: the CALIOP lidar and the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS). We investigate the stratospheric relative humidity following the record-breaking water vapor injections from the HT-22 eruption and the particle size of the aerosol. The HT-22 eruption injected its effluents into the deep Brewer–Dobson (BD) branch causing several years of stratospheric perturbation. The long duration and the aerosol concentration (among the highest) make the HT-22 eruption the strongest stratospheric aerosol event since the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption despite a modest SO<sub>2</sub> injection explaining only ∼ 30 % of the aerosol optical depth (AOD) from the HT-22 eruption according to our estimates. The stratospheric AOD level was established after 2 weeks, or possibly even earlier, which is a short time compared with the usual 2–3 months required to reach the maximum AOD following volcanic eruptions. We discuss the sources of the aerosol from the HT-22 eruption in relation to the low emission of SO<sub>2</sub>, its e-folding time, and volcanological observations of strong interactions with the sea containing not only water but also high concentrations of dissolved substances.</p>}},
  author       = {{Martinsson, Bengt G. and Friberg, Johan and Sporre, Moa K.}},
  issn         = {{1680-7316}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{18}},
  pages        = {{10677--10690}},
  publisher    = {{Copernicus GmbH}},
  series       = {{Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics}},
  title        = {{Stratospheric aerosol formed by intense volcanism–sea interaction during the 2022 Hunga Ha’apai eruption}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-10677-2025}},
  doi          = {{10.5194/acp-25-10677-2025}},
  volume       = {{25}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}