The 2022 Hunga eruption produced atmospheric waves comparable to the Krakatau explosion

Nature · Published 1 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Researchers analyzing global geophysical data found that the January 2022 climactic eruption of the Hunga volcano in Tonga produced an atmospheric explosion of unprecedented modern scale. By observing various ground-based and spaceborne networks, the team identified massive atmospheric waves, including a surface-guided Lamb wave, that traveled around the Earth multiple times.

The study utilized global seismometers, infrasound sensors, and satellite instrumentation to track the eruption's impact. The researchers found that the amplitude of the Lamb wave was comparable to the 1883 Krakatau eruption, alongside detectable ionospheric perturbations and long-range audible sound. However, the findings are based on observations of a single, specific volcanic event.

The scale of the explosion was so significant that it generated air-to-ground coupled waves and potentially contributed to fast-arriving tsunamis via air-to-sea coupling.

Why it matters: A massive volcanic eruption in 2022 sent powerful waves around the planet, matching the scale of historical giants like Krakatau.

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