Articles | Volume 25, issue 18
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-10677-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-10677-2025
Research article
 | 
17 Sep 2025
Research article |  | 17 Sep 2025

Stratospheric aerosol formed by intense volcanism–sea interaction during the 2022 Hunga Ha'apai eruption

Bengt G. Martinsson, Johan Friberg, and Moa K. Sporre

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Cited articles

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Short summary
Highly variable stratospheric aerosol bears great importance for Earth's climate. The 1-year average aerosol load from the 2022 volcanic eruption in Hunga Tonga is the highest since the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption. The usual volcanic aerosol precursor gas (SO2) mass was not sufficient to explain the aerosol load. Intense volcanism–sea interaction amplified the eruption, and sea salt emission forms a plausible explanation for the high aerosol loading.
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