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Stratospheric Circulation Changes Associated with the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai EruptionThe 15 January 2022 eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai underwater volcano (20.5°S, 175.4°W) injected a record amount of water directly into the stratosphere. This study attempts to quantify this impact on the temperature, as well as the subsequent changes to the stratospheric circulation, during the months following the eruption based on reanalysis fields. The extreme nature of the temperature, wind, and circulation changes are tracked through comparisons of the first six months of 2022 with the previous 42 years. Examination of the data assimilation process shows that at 20 hPa the thermal observations are forcing significant cooling, compensating for the absence of the excess stratospheric moisture in the model used for the reanalysis. In response to this cooling the atmosphere adjusts by creating strong westerly winds above the temperature anomaly and large changes to the downward and poleward mean meridional circulation.
Document ID
20220016070
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Accepted Manuscript (Version with final changes)
Authors
L. Coy ORCID
(Science Systems & Applications, Inc. Hampton, VA, USA)
P. A. Newman ORCID
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
K. Wargan ORCID
(Science Systems and Applications (United States) Lanham, Maryland, United States)
G. Partyka
(Science Systems and Applications (United States) Lanham, Maryland, United States)
S. Strahan ORCID
(University of Maryland, Baltimore County Baltimore, Maryland, United States)
S. Pawson ORCID
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Date Acquired
October 25, 2022
Publication Date
November 7, 2022
Publication Information
Publication: Geophysical Research Letters
Publisher: AGU/Wiley Online
Volume: 49
Issue: 22
Issue Publication Date: November 28, 2022
ISSN: 0094-8276
e-ISSN: 1944-8007
Subject Category
Geosciences (General)
Geophysics
Funding Number(s)
WBS: 802678.02.80.01.01
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG17HP01C
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80NSSC22M0001
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Use by or on behalf of the US Gov. Permitted.
Technical Review
External Peer Committee
Keywords
Volcano
Eruption
Tonga
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