Impacts of the January 2022 Tonga Volcanic Eruption on the Ionospheric Dynamo: ICON‐MIGHTI and Swarm Observations of Extreme Neutral Winds and Currents

Harding, Brian J.; Wu, Yen‐Jung; Alken, Patrick; Yamazaki, Yosuke; Triplett, Colin; Immel, T. J.; Gasque, L. Claire; Mende, S. B.; Xiong, Chao

doi:10.1029/2022gl098577

Cited by 84 publications

(101 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…This was also reported in Harding et al. ( 2022 ) and agrees approximately with the timing of volcano‐induced atmospheric Lamb waves as they swept across the American sector. The zonal wavelength was estimated to be 3,500–4,500 km, assuming the wave does not change appreciably over the ∼10 min required for the satellite to traverse one wave cycle.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 89%

“…Harding et al. ( 2022 ) reported ICON‐MIGHTI wind measurements over two orbit passes and analyzed the dayside ionospheric dynamo response to the volcano eruption. Although Figures 2b and 2c have already shown dusktime wind measurements over a concentrated area, we extend this information by providing global wind measurements for six consecutive ICON‐MIGHTI orbits in order to comprehensively investigate the possible prolonged dynamic and electrodynamic effects of volcano‐induced waves.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, Harding et al. ( 2022 ) reported that both Swarm A satellite data and ground‐based magnetometers observed an eastward EEJ in the leading edge of the volcano‐induced wavefront and a strong westward counter electrojet (CEJ) after the wave arrival. The ICON MIGHTI wind results therein and in our study also show strong oscillations, especially thermospheric zonal winds, that are in‐phase with the appearance of EIA variation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We assert that the response to such an event points to a new mechanism for efficient vertical coupling between explosive lithospheric disturbances and upper atmospheric changes. Such a connection was possible because of substantial global propagation of eruption‐related atmospheric waves such as Lamb waves (e.g., Themens et al., 2022 ; Zhang et al., 2022 ) and their huge impact on thermospheric dynamics and therefore ionospheric electrodynamics (Harding et al., 2022 ). Ionospheric responses, the focus of this study, were characterized by a unique suppression and deformation of EIA crests with an X‐shaped spatial pattern (Daniell et al., 2021 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pronounced Suppression and X‐Pattern Merging of Equatorial Ionization Anomalies After the 2022 Tonga Volcano Eruption

Zhang

Wang

et al. 2022

JGR Space Physics

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Following the 2022 Tonga Volcano eruption, dramatic suppression and deformation of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) crests occurred in the American sector ∼14,000 km away from the epicenter. The EIA crests variations and associated ionosphere‐thermosphere disturbances were investigated using Global Navigation Satellite System total electron content data, Global‐scale Observations of the Limb and Disk ultraviolet images, Ionospheric Connection Explorer wind data, and ionosonde observations. The main results are as follows: (a) Following the eastward passage of expected eruption‐induced atmospheric disturbances, daytime EIA crests, especially the southern one, showed severe suppression of more than 10 TEC Unit and collapsed equatorward over 10° latitudes, forming a single band of enhanced density near the geomagnetic equator around 14–17 UT, (b) Evening EIA crests experienced a drastic deformation around 22 UT, forming a unique X‐pattern in a limited longitudinal area between 20 and 40°W. (c) Thermospheric horizontal winds, especially the zonal winds, showed long‐lasting quasi‐periodic fluctuations between ±200 m/s for 7–8 hr after the passage of volcano‐induced Lamb waves. The EIA suppression and X‐pattern merging was consistent with a westward equatorial zonal dynamo electric field induced by the strong zonal wind oscillation with a westward reversal.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Pronounced Suppression and X‐Pattern Merging of Equatorial Ionization Anomalies After the 2022 Tonga Volcano Eruption

Zhang

Wang

et al. 2022

JGR Space Physics

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“…Previous studies reported considerable penetration electric field even without severe IMF B z fluctuations (e.g., D'Angelo et al, 2021;Piersanti et al, 2020). Harding et al (2022) proposed that if the penetration electric fields were the main cause of the EEJ variation, strong correlations between the IEF E y and DH would be expected. A correlation coefficient as high as 0.6 was observed in the Peru and Brazil sectors during the post-volcanic-eruption hours.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Unseasonal super ionospheric plasma bubble and scintillations seeded by the 2022 Tonga Volcano Eruption related perturbations

Sun

Ajith

et al. 2022

J. Space Weather Space Clim.

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The Hunga-Tonga volcano eruption at 04:14:45 UT on 15 January 2022 produced various waves propagating globally, disturbing the background atmosphere and ionosphere. Coinciding with the arrival of perturbation waves, several equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) were consecutively generated at post-sunset hours over the East/Southeast Asian region, with the largest extension to middle latitudes. These EPBs caused intense L-band amplitude scintillations at middle-to-low latitudes, with signal fading depths up to ~16 dB. Considering the very rare occurrence of EPBs during this season in East/Southeast Asian sector and the significantly modulated background ionosphere, we believe that the perturbation waves launched by the volcano eruption triggered the generation of unseasonal super EPBs. The ionospheric perturbations linked with the 2022 Tonga volcano eruption propagated coincidently through the East/Southeast Asia longitude sector near sunset, modulated the equatorial F region bottomside plasma density and acted as the seeding source for the generation of unseasonal super bubbles. Our results implicate that volcano eruption could indirectly affect the satellite communication links in the region more than ten thousand kilometers away.

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Multi-instrument detection in Europe of ionospheric disturbances caused by the 15 January 2022 eruption of the Hunga volcano

Verhulst

Altadill

Barta

et al. 2022

Preprint

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The 15 January 2022 eruption of the Hunga volcano provides a unique opportunity to study the reaction of the ionosphere to large explosive events. In particular, this event allows us to study the global propagation of travelling ionospheric disturbances using various instruments. We focus on the detection of the ionospheric disturbances caused by this eruption over Europe, where dense networks of both ionosondes and GNSS receivers are available. This event took place on the day of a geomagnetic storm. We show how data from different instruments and from different observatories can be combined to clearly distinguish the TIDs produced by the eruption from those caused by concurrent geomagnetic activity. The Lamb wave front was detected as the strongest disturbance in the ionosphere, travelling at between 300 and 340 m/s, consistent with the disturbances in the lower atmosphere. By comparing observations obtained from multiple types of instruments, we also show that TIDs produced by various mechanisms are present simultaneously, with different types of waves affecting different physical quantities. This illustrates the importance of analysing data from multiple independent instruments in order to obtain a full picture of an event like this one, as relying on only a single data source might result in some effects going unobserved.

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Impacts of the January 2022 Tonga Volcanic Eruption on the Ionospheric Dynamo: ICON‐MIGHTI and Swarm Observations of Extreme Neutral Winds and Currents

Abstract: Isolated disturbances such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and solar eclipses, as well as explosions from volcanoes, nuclear detonations, and meteor air bursts can offer discrete tests for models of atmosphere-ionosphere coupling and variability (

Cited by 84 publications

References 40 publications

Pronounced Suppression and X‐Pattern Merging of Equatorial Ionization Anomalies After the 2022 Tonga Volcano Eruption

Pronounced Suppression and X‐Pattern Merging of Equatorial Ionization Anomalies After the 2022 Tonga Volcano Eruption

Unseasonal super ionospheric plasma bubble and scintillations seeded by the 2022 Tonga Volcano Eruption related perturbations

Multi-instrument detection in Europe of ionospheric disturbances caused by the 15 January 2022 eruption of the Hunga volcano

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