Thick black clouds of ash, lightning, and toxic gases choked the skies as the underwater #HungaTonga volcano violently erupted over the weekend… the largest recorded eruption in over 30 years.
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The blast triggered a tsunami and sent a visible shock wave around the world.
The plume of toxic gas and ash shot 12 miles into the air with a 161+ mile radius, according to @NOAA.
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The plume of toxic gas and ash shot 12 miles into the air with a 161+ mile radius, according to @NOAA.
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Here you can see the ash and large amounts of sulfur dioxide (SO2) injected into the atmosphere.
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Local authorities have issued warnings for potential acid rain that could contaminate water supplies and harm crops.
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In large enough quantities, SO2 can cool the planet.
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The last time this happened was the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines that temporarily lowered global temperature 1° F.
The question is, will the #Tonga eruption have an impact on Earth’s climate?
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The question is, will the #Tonga eruption have an impact on Earth’s climate?
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Volcanologist @simoncarn says 0.5 Tg SO2 would have to be injected in the atmosphere to have a measurable effect.
So far, less than 0.05 Tg SO2 has erupted from #HungaTonga, according to @NASA measurements.
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So far, less than 0.05 Tg SO2 has erupted from #HungaTonga, according to @NASA measurements.
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But more data is being taken. Experts say there are no signs the eruption cycle will end anytime soon.
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