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Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-925
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-925
30 Sep 2022
 | 30 Sep 2022

The 2022 Tonga Volcanic Tsunami: Lessons from a Global Event

Adam T. Devlin, David A. Jay, Stefan A. Talke, and Jiayi Pan

Abstract. The January 15, 2022, Tonga eruption provides a rare opportunity to understand global tsunami impacts of explosive volcanism, including "air-shock” tsunamis induced by Lamb waves travelling in the atmosphere, and to evaluate future hazards. The propagation of the air-shock and oceanic tsunami components were analyzed using globally distributed 1-min measurements of air pressure and water level (tide gauges and deep-water buoys). Oceanic tsunamis (up to 1.7 m) propagated primarily throughout the Pacific, but air-shock tsunamis arrived first and traveled globally, producing water-level perturbations in the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, and the Caribbean. The air-shock induced water level response of most Pacific Rim gauges was amplified, likely related to bathymetric processes. The air-shock repeatedly boosted tsunami wave energy as it circled the planet several times. In some locations, the air-shock was amplified as much as 35X relative to inverse barometer by Proudman resonance and topographic effects. Thus, a large volcanic air-shock (10–30 mb) could cause a 3.5–10 m near-field tsunami that would occur in advance of (usually) larger oceanic tsunami waves, posing an additional hazard to local populations. Present tsunami warning systems do not consider this threat.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

27 Apr 2023
Global water level variability observed after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcanic tsunami of 2022
Adam T. Devlin, David A. Jay, Stefan A. Talke, and Jiayi Pan
Ocean Sci., 19, 517–534, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-517-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-517-2023, 2023
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The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

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Air-shock tsunamis are global with impacts dependent on local topography. In some instances, the...
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