The first hour of the paroxysmal phase of the 2022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai volcanic eruption as seen by a geostationary meteorological satellite

Abstract

Abstract online onlyDuring the late afternoon (local time) of 15 January 2022, the Hunga‐Tonnga Hunga‐Ha'apai islands were destroyed by a cataclysmic volcanic eruption. A sequence of images from a geostationary meteorological satellite, Himawari‐8 is presented showing the early evolution of the resulting eruption column and ash cloud. The ash‐rich umbrella cloud reached to over 30km in height and up to 400km in diameter. A smaller area of over‐shooting cloud tops appears to have reached a much higher altitude, greater than 50km, well into the upper stratosphere. The explosion also produced at least one major shock wave, evidence for which can be seen by subtracting visible channel images at 10‐minute intervals.