Unmasking the Climate Consequences of the Hunga-Tonga Volcanic Eruption

The recent volcanic eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano in the southern Pacific Ocean had significant short-term effects on the climate, including darkening the sky over the Polynesian Kingdom of Tonga, unleashing a tsunami that reached Peru, and causing a sonic boom heard as far as Alaska. The eruption also reshaped the seafloor, with volcanic debris traveling under the sea at record-breaking speeds, moving as much matter in a few hours as the world's rivers deliver into the oceans in a year. This event highlights the importance of understanding underwater volcanic eruptions and their potential global consequences.