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Will the Tonga volcano eruption have ripple effects on the global climate?
- The eruption sent hundreds of thousands of tonnes of sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere
- The debris entered the stratosphere, where aerosols are expected to persist
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The huge volcanic eruption in the Pacific island nation of Tonga on the weekend may not have been big enough to affect global climate but volcanic eruptions are an underestimated natural cause of climate variability, scientists said.
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The massive underwater eruption on Saturday is believed to be the biggest in the world in three decades, cutting communication with the nation and sending large waves across the Pacific.
Wei Ke, an associate professor on atmospheric science at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the Tonga eruption was not large enough to affect the global climate, but its changes still required further monitoring.
“A volcanic eruption is a very important factor in climate change and some experts believe it is one of the ultimate factors affecting climate change,” Wei said, adding that in some cases, it can lead to an extreme drop in temperature, “resulting in a series of social impacts”.
02:27
Tonga still cut off from outside world after massive undersea volcano eruption
Tonga still cut off from outside world after massive undersea volcano eruption
Scientists have long known that large volcanic eruptions can reduce global surface temperature for years.
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