Spectral Characteristics of Ionospheric Disturbances Over the Southwestern Pacific From the 15 January 2022 Tonga Eruption and Tsunami

On 15 January 2022, Tonga's Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai (HTHH) volcano violently erupted, generating a tsunami that killed three people. Acoustic-gravity waves propagated by the eruption and tsunami caused global complex ionospheric disturbances. In this paper, we study the nature of these perturbations from Global Navigation Satellite System observables over the southwestern Pacific. After processing data from 818 ground stations, we detect supersonic acoustic waves, Lamb waves, and tsunamis, with filtered magnitudes between 1 and 7 Total Electron Content units. Phase arrivals appear superpositioned up to similar to 1,000 km from HTHH and are distinct by similar to 2,200 km. Within similar to 2,200 km, signals have an initial low-frequency pulse that transitions to higher frequencies. We note the presence of a faster perturbation generated 1 hr post-eruption which crosses the tsunami disturbance similar to 3,000 km from HTHH, potentially contributing to premature land arrivals. Lastly, the arrival of tsunami-generated disturbances coincides with deep-ocean observations.

Automated summary

This paper investigates the impact of acoustic-gravity waves generated by the eruption of Tonga's Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano on the Global Navigation Satellite System. By analyzing data from 818 ground stations, the study identifies supersonic acoustic waves, Lamb waves, and tsunamis with varying magnitudes and characteristics. The research also highlights the presence of a faster perturbation occurring one hour after the eruption, which potentially contributes to premature land arrivals of the tsunami. The arrival time of tsunami-generated disturbances aligns with deep-ocean observations.