Hunga Tonga volcano eruption in 2022 might have cooled Earth: Study
Underwater volcano off Tonga
A team of researchers has been exploring the climate impact of the massive 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai (Hunga Tonga volcano) eruption, which is said to have even caused an extraordinarily large ozone hole. It was initially speculated that the volcano might have accounted for the extreme global warmth in 2023 and 2024, however, new research suggests that the underwater volcano might not have even been that bad.
The findings of the research, published on Wednesday (Jul 24) in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, revealed that the eruption actually contributed to cooling the Earth.
The team of researchers, consisting of Texas A&M University atmospheric scientist Dr Andrew Dessler and several others, analysed the challenging existing assumptions about the effects of the volcano.
Analysis and insights of Dessler, who is a professor in the Texas A&M Department of Atmospheric Sciences and the director of the Texas Center for Climate Studies, were published in the paper, titled "Evolution of the Climate Forcing During the Two Years after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai Eruption".
The dramatic explosion of the Hunga Tonga volcano was seen in satellite images as the eruption sent massive smoke and ash into the air. It sent tsunami waves across the Pacific and caused damages, knocking out communications for the nation of about 105,000 people.
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
The eruption sent an unparalleled volume of water vapour into the stratosphere, raising the overall water content of the stratosphere by almost 10 per cent.
As reported by phys.org, Dessler noted that it was believed that water vapour, which is a potent greenhouse gas, could be responsible for the dramatic global warming that occurred in 2023 and 2024.
However, the analysis revealed that the eruption caused the climate system to lose more energy than it gained, which is what caused the minor cooling effect.
"Our paper pours cold water on the explanation that the eruption caused the extreme warmth of 2023 and 2024. Instead, we need to focus primarily on greenhouse gases from human activities as the main cause of the warming, with a big assist from the ongoing El Niño," Dessler explained as quoted.
(With inputs from agencies)