On January 15, 2022, somewhere in the southwest Pacific, the volcano submarinesubmarine Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’Apai was erupting. One of the most powerful eruptions in history. But what could have triggered it? This is the question that researchers were still asking themselves until recently. And today, seismologuesseismologues from the Australian National University (ANU) offer an answer.
In the Geophysical Research Lettersthey report that before the eruption of the volcanovolcanothere was an explosion which released a energyenergy colossal. “Equivalent to five of the largest underground nuclear explosions carried out by North Korea in 2017”estimates Jinyin Hu, co-author of the study, in a press release.
An explosion due to the compression of rocks
Seismologists have studied this explosion. According to them, the result of the compression of gaseous rocks trapped under a shallow sea. And it caused a massive surge of water upwards, giving rise to tsunamis that reached up to 45 meters on neighboring islands. In total, enough water to fill a million Olympic swimming pools. A column so powerful that it seemed to suck up the terreterre with her.
According to ANU seismologists, monitoring of broadcastsbroadcasts of gazgaz and the microseismicity of volcanic sites could therefore help to better prepare for future eruptions.
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