Most #volcanoes warm the #atmosphere with SO2

But the 2022 Hunga #Tonga eruption was unique

Deep enough for sea water to penetrate, but shallow enough for the explosion to push water into the *mesosphere* 🤯

The water penetration removed most of the SO2, and the water is also still up there in the #stratosphere, *cooling* us

Meaning:

#GlobalWarming should be even worse than it already is, and could rebound to such as the high water veil dissipates

https://indiandefencereview.com/hunga-volcano-space-plume-stratosphere-froze/

#ClimateCrisis

Tonga's Volcanic Eruption Hit the Edge of Space. Then the Atmosphere Froze, and It Hasn't Recovered Since

When the Hunga Tonga volcano erupted two years ago, scientists expected the usual pattern: ash, sulfur, temporary cooling at ground level. What they got instead broke every rule in the textbook.

Indian Defence Review
@benroyce wow. interesting share.

@FknHannu

interesting and terrifying!

@benroyce @FknHannu Was just going to say, “Well that’s fucking terrifying.”

@mivox @FknHannu

largest atmospheric explosion recorded by modern instruments ever, including nukes, and probably the largest explosion since krakatoa in 1883

@benroyce curious... Until now I knew of sulfates and especially SO2 as reflectors -> coolants

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratospheric_aerosol_injection

This is the first time I hear of them warming 🤔

Stratospheric aerosol injection - Wikipedia

@douginamug

well it is complicated because the water so high can also serve as an insulator, reflecting heat back in, and thus has warming properties

i'm not a climate scientist, but i can see how water vapor so high can cool, and how sulfur dioxide and be a greenhouse gas

i'm certain it's a matter of different factors and certain ones dominating over others in various scenarios