Researchers at NASAs Langley Research Center analyzed data from NOAAs Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 17 (GOES-17) and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agencys (JAXA) Himawari-8, which both run in geostationary orbit and carry very comparable imaging instruments. The group determined that the plume from the January 15 volcanic eruption rose to 58 kilometers (36 miles) at its acme. Gas, steam, and ash from the volcano reached the mesosphere, the third layer of the atmosphere.
Prior to the Tonga eruption, the largest recognized volcanic plume in the satellite period came from Mount Pinatubo, which gushed ash and aerosols as much as 35 kilometers (22 miles) into the air above the Philippines in 1991. The Tonga plume was 1.5 times the height of the Pinatubo plume.
” The strength of this occasion far surpasses that of any storm cloud I have actually ever studied,” said Kristopher Bedka, an atmospheric researcher at NASA Langley who focuses on studying severe storms. “We are lucky that it was seen so well by our latest generation of geostationary satellites and we can use this information in ingenious ways to record its advancement.”
According to these observations, the initial blast quickly rose from the ocean surface to 58 kilometers in about 30 minutes. Quickly afterward, a secondary pulse rose above 50 kilometers (31 miles), then separated into 3 pieces.
Usually, climatic scientists compute cloud height by utilizing infrared instruments to determine a clouds temperature level and after that comparing it with model simulations of temperature and altitude. This technique relies on the assumption that temperature levels decrease at greater elevations– which is true in the troposphere, but not necessarily in the middle and upper layers of the atmosphere. The scientists needed a various approach to calculate the height: geometry.
Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haapai is situated in the Pacific Ocean roughly midway in between Himawari-8, which is in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 140.7 ° East, and GOES-17, in geostationary orbit at 137.2 ° West. “From the 2 angles of the satellites, we were able to recreate a three-dimensional photo of the clouds,” explained Konstantin Khlopenkov, a researcher on the NASA Langley group.
January 15, 2022.
This series of still images from GOES-17 shows the plume at various phases on January 15. Note how the tallest parts of the plume in the stratosphere and mesosphere cast shadows down on the lower parts.
Khlopenkov and Bedka used a technique that they originally designed to study severe thunderstorms that penetrate the stratosphere. Their algorithm matches synchronised observations of the very same cloud scene from 2 satellites, and after that uses stereoscopy to build a three-dimensional profile of raised clouds. (This is similar to the method the human brain views things in 3 dimensions using 2 images from our eyes.) Khlopenkov then verified the stereoscopic measurements utilizing the length of the shadows that the tallest plumes cast on the broad ash clouds below. They likewise compared their measurements with a NASA GEOS-5 design analysis to identify the local height of the stratosphere and troposphere that day.
The uppermost part of the plume sublimated almost instantly due to extremely dry conditions in the mesosphere. An umbrella of ash and gas spread out in the stratosphere at an elevation of about 30 kilometers (20 miles), ultimately covering an area of 157,000 square kilometers (60,000 square miles), bigger than the state of Georgia.
” When volcanic product goes this high into the stratosphere, where the winds are not as strong, the volcanic ash, sulfur dioxide, co2, and water vapor can be transported all over Earth,” said Khlopenkov. Within two weeks, the main plume of volcanic product circled around the world, as observed by the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) satellite, as well as the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite on the Suomi-NPP satellite.
Aerosols from the plume have actually continued in the stratosphere for almost a month after the eruption and could remain for a year or more, said climatic scientist Ghassan Taha of NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center. Volcanic emissions can possibly impact local weather condition and worldwide environment. Nevertheless, Taha noted that it presently seems not likely the Tonga plume will have considerable climate effects since it was low in sulfur dioxide content– the volcanic emission that causes cooling– however high in water vapor, which represents its outstanding height.
” The combination of volcanic heat and the amount of superheated wetness from the ocean made this eruption unprecedented. “The plume went 2.5 times higher than any thunderstorm we have actually ever observed, and the eruption created an unbelievable amount of lightning.
NASA Earth Observatory images and video by Joshua Stevens, using information thanks to Kristopher Bedka and Konstantin Khlopenkov/NASA Langley Research Center, and GOES-17 imagery courtesy of NOAA and the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS). Story by Sofie Bates, NASAs Earth Science News Team, with Mike Carlowicz.
The group computed that the plume from the January 15 volcanic eruption rose to 58 kilometers (36 miles) at its highest point. Khlopenkov then confirmed the stereoscopic measurements using the length of the shadows that the highest plumes cast on the broad ash clouds below. Aerosols from the plume have persisted in the stratosphere for almost a month after the eruption and could remain for a year or more, stated atmospheric researcher Ghassan Taha of NASAs Goddard Space Flight. Taha kept in mind that it presently seems unlikely the Tonga plume will have substantial climate results since it was low in sulfur dioxide content– the volcanic emission that causes cooling– however high in water vapor, which accounts for its impressive height.
“The plume went 2.5 times greater than any thunderstorm we have actually ever observed, and the eruption created an amazing amount of lightning.
The plume from Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haapai behaved like a mega-thunderstorm that rose 58 kilometers (38 miles) into the atmosphere.
When an undersea volcano erupted near the small, uninhabited island of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haapai in January 2022, 2 weather satellites were uniquely positioned to observe the height and breadth of the plume. Together they recorded what is most likely the greatest plume in the satellite record.