Asymmetric Ionospheric Fluctuations Over the Circum‐Pacific Regions Following the January 2022 Tonga Volcanic Eruption
Abstract The Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai volcanic eruption on 15 January 2022 had a significant impact on the ionosphere‐thermosphere system, resulting in large‐scale ionospheric irregularities with longitudinal and latitudinal asymmetries. Multiple instruments recorded these irregularities, indi...
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Wiley
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Space Weather |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022SW003213 |
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| author | Wang Li Haoze Zhu Jiandi Feng Xuequn Wu Jun Tang Zhen Zhang Junyu Chen |
| author_facet | Wang Li Haoze Zhu Jiandi Feng Xuequn Wu Jun Tang Zhen Zhang Junyu Chen |
| author_sort | Wang Li |
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| description | Abstract The Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai volcanic eruption on 15 January 2022 had a significant impact on the ionosphere‐thermosphere system, resulting in large‐scale ionospheric irregularities with longitudinal and latitudinal asymmetries. Multiple instruments recorded these irregularities, indicating the propagation of a westward wave at an average velocity of 354 ± 8 m/s, which led to plasma irregularities of 0.2 TECu/min. Conversely, an eastward‐propagating wave was detected on the Pacific's east coast, traveling at a speed of 348 ± 6 m/s, with a corresponding decrease in plasma fluctuations to 0.1 TECu/min. In Asia, noticeable plasma irregularities appeared within a few hours after the eruption, and the maximum speed exceeded 1,100 m/s, which cannot be explained by the acoustic wave model. There was also a significant latitudinal asymmetry of ionospheric disturbances in the Asian‐Oceania sector, with the plasma density around Oceania depleted by 2–3 orders of magnitude within the altitudes of ∼150–575 km, while the ion density over Asia was enhanced by 1–2 orders of magnitude, and was uplifted ∼50 km. The plasma temperature was proportional to ion density, indicating the ion temperature reduced ∼500 K and increased 100–200 K around Oceania and Asia, respectively. The equatorial electric field, vertical E × B drifts and thermospheric O/N2 density ratio also fluctuated significantly following the eruption, indicating the redistribution of charged particles due to the magnetic field mapping effect, which was the main contributor to the asymmetries observed. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-042ca0e0823042f590d8dd4125c63ebf2025-01-14T16:31:19ZengWileySpace Weather1542-73902023-08-01218n/an/a10.1029/2022SW003213Asymmetric Ionospheric Fluctuations Over the Circum‐Pacific Regions Following the January 2022 Tonga Volcanic EruptionWang Li0Haoze Zhu1Jiandi Feng2Xuequn Wu3Jun Tang4Zhen Zhang5Junyu Chen6Faculty of Land Resources Engineering Kunming University of Science and Technology Kunming ChinaFaculty of Land Resources Engineering Kunming University of Science and Technology Kunming ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering and Geomatics Shandong University of Technology Zibo ChinaFaculty of Land Resources Engineering Kunming University of Science and Technology Kunming ChinaFaculty of Land Resources Engineering Kunming University of Science and Technology Kunming ChinaFaculty of Land Resources Engineering Kunming University of Science and Technology Kunming ChinaFaculty of Land Resources Engineering Kunming University of Science and Technology Kunming ChinaAbstract The Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai volcanic eruption on 15 January 2022 had a significant impact on the ionosphere‐thermosphere system, resulting in large‐scale ionospheric irregularities with longitudinal and latitudinal asymmetries. Multiple instruments recorded these irregularities, indicating the propagation of a westward wave at an average velocity of 354 ± 8 m/s, which led to plasma irregularities of 0.2 TECu/min. Conversely, an eastward‐propagating wave was detected on the Pacific's east coast, traveling at a speed of 348 ± 6 m/s, with a corresponding decrease in plasma fluctuations to 0.1 TECu/min. In Asia, noticeable plasma irregularities appeared within a few hours after the eruption, and the maximum speed exceeded 1,100 m/s, which cannot be explained by the acoustic wave model. There was also a significant latitudinal asymmetry of ionospheric disturbances in the Asian‐Oceania sector, with the plasma density around Oceania depleted by 2–3 orders of magnitude within the altitudes of ∼150–575 km, while the ion density over Asia was enhanced by 1–2 orders of magnitude, and was uplifted ∼50 km. The plasma temperature was proportional to ion density, indicating the ion temperature reduced ∼500 K and increased 100–200 K around Oceania and Asia, respectively. The equatorial electric field, vertical E × B drifts and thermospheric O/N2 density ratio also fluctuated significantly following the eruption, indicating the redistribution of charged particles due to the magnetic field mapping effect, which was the main contributor to the asymmetries observed.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022SW003213Tonga volcanoTEC fluctuationatmospheric wavepropagation speedthermospheric composition change |
| spellingShingle | Wang Li Haoze Zhu Jiandi Feng Xuequn Wu Jun Tang Zhen Zhang Junyu Chen Asymmetric Ionospheric Fluctuations Over the Circum‐Pacific Regions Following the January 2022 Tonga Volcanic Eruption Space Weather Tonga volcano TEC fluctuation atmospheric wave propagation speed thermospheric composition change |
| title | Asymmetric Ionospheric Fluctuations Over the Circum‐Pacific Regions Following the January 2022 Tonga Volcanic Eruption |
| title_full | Asymmetric Ionospheric Fluctuations Over the Circum‐Pacific Regions Following the January 2022 Tonga Volcanic Eruption |
| title_fullStr | Asymmetric Ionospheric Fluctuations Over the Circum‐Pacific Regions Following the January 2022 Tonga Volcanic Eruption |
| title_full_unstemmed | Asymmetric Ionospheric Fluctuations Over the Circum‐Pacific Regions Following the January 2022 Tonga Volcanic Eruption |
| title_short | Asymmetric Ionospheric Fluctuations Over the Circum‐Pacific Regions Following the January 2022 Tonga Volcanic Eruption |
| title_sort | asymmetric ionospheric fluctuations over the circum pacific regions following the january 2022 tonga volcanic eruption |
| topic | Tonga volcano TEC fluctuation atmospheric wave propagation speed thermospheric composition change |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022SW003213 |
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