On the Propagation of Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances From the Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai Volcano Eruption and Their Possible Connection With Tsunami Waves

Abstract

We report our analysis of ionospheric disturbances from the 15 January 2022 Tonga volcano eruption, using GPS data from the International GNSS Service network and ionosonde data in the Australian sector. Wave fluctuations with amplitudes of ∼1 TECU and altitude variations of ∼100 km were observed in the GPS and ionosonde data, respectively. In near‐field region around Tonga shortly after the eruption, our analysis reveals that the ionospheric disturbances had an azimuthally anisotropic velocity profile, with a peculiar minimum in southwestward direction. Close resemblance is identified between the velocity profile of near‐field ionospheric disturbances and the Tonga tsunami, suggesting a coupling between water and atmospheric waves. In far‐field, the disturbances propagated at ∼300 m/s, circling the globe for at least three days and possibly until 21 January 2022, in agreement with several previous reports of the event. Arrival times of ionospheric disturbances observed by GPS receivers and ionosondes provide consistent picture.

The Ionospheric Effects of the 2022 Hunga Tonga Volcano Eruption and the Associated Impacts on GPS Precise Point Positioning Across the Australian Region

“…As reported by Pradipta et al. (2023), the propagation of the disturbances in these ionosonde data agrees well with other studies that have investigated the TID propagation using GPS TEC data (e.g., Themens et al., 2022; S.‐R. Zhang et al., 2022).…”

“…All ionosonde stations observed clear TIDs associated with the volcano eruption, followed by some period of Spread-F activity in the ionograms. As reported by Pradipta et al (2023), the propagation of the disturbances in these ionosonde data agrees well with other studies that have investigated the TID propagation using GPS TEC data (e.g., Themens et al, 2022; S.-R. Zhang et al, 2022). As observed by most ionosonde stations, the TIDs gave way to Spread-F activity, but in some cases there was a significant delay between the arrival of the TIDs and the onset of Spread-F. For example, the Townsville station TVL5F, Figure 2d, showed Spread-F activity commencing some 3 hr after the initial TIDs passed, and the Learmonth station showed Spread-F commencing more than 6 hr after the TID passage.…”

“…The size and color of the dots indicates the change in convergence time, ΔT C . Also plotted is the line of best fit that describes the propagation of the TIDs as detected by the ionosondes from Pradipta et al (2023). In addition, the detection of Spread-F traces in nearby/co-located ionosonde data is shown by the dotted lines.…”

“…The eruption was even audible as far away as Alaska, which is some 10,000 km away from Tonga (Matoza et al., 2022). Not surprisingly, the eruption caused a myriad of waves in the atmosphere and ionosphere (Aa et al., 2022; Astafyeva et al., 2022; Ghent & Crowell, 2022; Hong et al., 2022; Maletckii & Astafyeva, 2022; Themens et al., 2022; Wright et al., 2022) that were observed to encircle the Earth multiple times (Matoza et al., 2022; Pradipta et al., 2023; S.‐R. Zhang et al., 2022).…”

Ionospheric Disturbances generated by the 2015 Calbuco Eruption: Comparison of GITM-R simulations and GNSS observations

“…A few of the known ionospheric impacts, that are of explanatory importance to the community, include the horizontally broad ionospheric hole that persisted ~10 hrs after the eruption , the variety of observed TID phase speeds that can be used to suggest the excitation of, and distinguish, various modes Liu et. al., 2022;Pradipta et. al.…”