Hunga eruption changes the atmosphere: researchers show effects
Less than a week ago, lava began to bubble up from the earth again in Iceland. In Sicily, Mount Etna does not come to rest. The eruption of a volcano can have massive consequences for a region. But its breath can also reach far beyond. During the eruption of Hunga in January 2022, the largest volcanic event of the 21st century to date, an unprecedented amount of water vapour was released into the upper atmosphere. Researchers from the Wegener Center at the University of Graz, in collaboration with colleagues from the USA, have investigated the changes in these high layers of air. They found an exceptional cooling of the stratosphere. This has far-reaching effects on the atmosphere and the climate. The study has recently been published in Communications Earth & Environment.