Mesospheric Water Vapor in 2022

Nedoluha, Gerald E.; Gomez, R. Michael; Boyd, Ian; Neal, Helen; Allen, Douglas R.; Lambert, Alyn; Livesey, Nathaniel J.

doi:10.1029/2023jd039196

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…The Tonga underwater volcano's exceptional eruption injected an unprecedented amount of water vapor directly into the stratosphere (Carr et al, 2022;Millán et al, 2022;Xu et al, 2022) and substantially increased the water vapor concentration in the mesosphere in 2022 (Nedoluha et al, 2023). While the initial injection plume at 20°S reached the upper stratosphere (Carr et al, 2022, Millán et al,2022 showed that after three months, this excess water vapor settled near the 20 hPa altitude in a latitude band from 30°S to 5°N.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The possible connection of the large ozone hole in September 2023 with the Hunga Tonga volcanic eruption

Kozubek,

Krizan,

Ramatheerthan

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Polar stratospheric chemistry is highly sensitive even to minor disruptions in water vapor or temperature. Unusual behavior in temperature and water vapor has been identified in the southern polar winter stratosphere in 2023. The potential correlation between the post-Hunga-Tonga eruption elevation of water vapor (detected in the tropics), temperature changes, and ozone anomalies is under discussion, as these parameters play a crucial role in stratospheric chemistry and dynamics. In the winter of 2023 in the Southern Hemisphere, an unexpected decrease in ozone levels and the emergence of a substantial ozone hole were observed. This event marked one of the most significant ozone decreases in the past 15 years, with an unusually large ozone hole occurring during this period, and it appears to be at least partly associated with the Hunga Tonga eruption.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The possible connection of the large ozone hole in September 2023 with the Hunga Tonga volcanic eruption

Kozubek,

Krizan,

Ramatheerthan

et al. 2024

Preprint

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“…Fleming et al (2024) have presented some calculations of the effect of this additional H 2 O on O 3 and temperature over the next decade. Nedoluha et al (2023b) (hereafter N23) documented an increase in mesospheric H 2 O in 2022. Measurements from MLS and three ground-based microwave instruments often recorded the highest H 2 O mixing ratio anomalies ever seen at particular locations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nedoluha et al. (2023b) (hereafter N23) documented an increase in mesospheric H 2 O in 2022. Measurements from MLS and three ground‐based microwave instruments often recorded the highest H 2 O mixing ratio anomalies ever seen at particular locations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Spread of the Hunga Tonga H₂O Plume in the Middle Atmosphere Over the First Two Years Since Eruption

Nedoluha,

Gomez,

Boyd

et al. 2024

JGR Atmospheres

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The eruption of Hunga in January 2022 injected a large amount of water into the stratosphere. Satellite measurements from Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) show that this water vapor (H2O) has now spread throughout the stratosphere and into the lower mesosphere, resulting in an increase of >1 ppmv throughout most of this region. Measurements from three ground‐based Water Vapor Millimeter Wave Spectrometer (WVMS) instruments and MLS are in good agreement, and show that in 2023 there was more H2O in the lower mesosphere than at any time since the WVMS measurements began in the 1990's. At Table Mountain, California all WVMS H2O measurements at 54 km since June 2023, and all of the measurements from Mauna Loa, Hawaii, since the resumption of measurements in September 2023, show larger mixing ratios than any previous measurements. At 70 km several recent WVMS retrievals since September 2023 show the largest anomalies ever measured. The MLS measurements show that maximum H2O anomalies over the 2004–2023 record have occurred throughout almost all of the stratosphere and lower mesosphere since the eruption. As of November 2023, almost all of the ∼140 Tg of water originally injected into the stratosphere by the Hunga eruption remains in the middle atmosphere at pressures below 83 hPa (altitudes above ∼17 km). The eruption occurred during a period when stratospheric H2O was already slightly elevated above the 2004–2021 MLS average, and the November 2023 anomaly of ∼160 Tg represents ∼15% of the total mass of H2O in this region.

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Large Ozone Hole in 2023 and the Hunga Tonga Volcanic Eruption

Kozubek,

Krizan,

Ramatheerthan

et al. 2024

Pure Appl. Geophys.

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Polar stratospheric chemistry is highly sensitive to changes in water vapor content and temperature. We identified an unusual behavior of water vapor and temperature in the southern polar winter stratosphere in 2023. The relationships between the Hunga-Tonga eruption injection of water vapor (detected in the tropics) and its transport to SH high latitudes, temperature changes and ozone anomalies at southern high latitudes are discussed, as well as the roles of zonal wind and the meridional flux of zonal mean zonal momentum. These parameters exhibit a consistent pattern in anomalous year 2023. In the winter of 2023 in the Southern Hemisphere, an unexpected decrease in ozone levels and the emergence of an excessive ozone hole were observed. This event marked one of the deepest Antarctic ozone holes with the largest area since 2011. This appears to be associated with the Hunga Tonga eruption anomalous water vapor injection. This study highlights importance of water vapor for evolution of the Antarctic stratosphere.

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Mesospheric Water Vapor in 2022

Cited by 3 publications

References 26 publications

The possible connection of the large ozone hole in September 2023 with the Hunga Tonga volcanic eruption

The possible connection of the large ozone hole in September 2023 with the Hunga Tonga volcanic eruption

The Spread of the Hunga Tonga H₂O Plume in the Middle Atmosphere Over the First Two Years Since Eruption

Large Ozone Hole in 2023 and the Hunga Tonga Volcanic Eruption

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Mesospheric Water Vapor in 2022

Cited by 3 publications

References 26 publications

The possible connection of the large ozone hole in September 2023 with the Hunga Tonga volcanic eruption

The possible connection of the large ozone hole in September 2023 with the Hunga Tonga volcanic eruption

The Spread of the Hunga Tonga H2O Plume in the Middle Atmosphere Over the First Two Years Since Eruption

Large Ozone Hole in 2023 and the Hunga Tonga Volcanic Eruption

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The Spread of the Hunga Tonga H₂O Plume in the Middle Atmosphere Over the First Two Years Since Eruption