[Rockhounds] A Massive Underwater Volcano Literally Shook the Edge of Space

[Kreigh Tomaszewski]

When the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha‘apai volcano blew its top
<https://gizmodo.com/tonga-eruption-was-so-powerful-scientists-propose-new-1848410774>
in
2022, it wasn’t just one of the most powerful eruptions in modern
history—it literally made waves in space.

The explosion sent a towering plume of ash and gas over 31 miles (50
kilometers) into the atmosphere, punching far above where commercial jets
cruise and most weather lives. But what really blew scientists’ minds? The
ripple effect didn’t stop there. It kept going—all the way to the upper
atmosphere, where our satellites circle the planet.

A new study published <https://doi.org/10.1029/2024AV001470> in AGU
Advances explains how the gargantuan eruption managed to rattle a part of
the planet most volcanoes never touch. Using satellite data and atmospheric
modeling, the researchers tested two culprits: lamb waves—pressure waves
that “hug” Earth’s surface—and secondary gravity waves, which are generated
when the first wave of, uh, waves, break apart high in the sky.

https://gizmodo.com/a-massive-underwater-volcano-literally-shook-the-edge-of-space-2000594092