Journal article
Impact of water vapor on stratospheric temperature after the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption: direct radiative cooling versus indirect warming by facilitating large particle formation
NPJ climate and atmospheric science, Vol.8(1), 192
01/01/2025
DOI: 10.1038/s41612-025-01056-2
PMCID: PMC12092272
PMID: 40405919
Abstract
The unprecedented water vapor amount (WV, 150-160 Tg) injected by the 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai not only directly cooled the stratosphere, but also facilitated the formation and growth of sulfate particles, indirectly heating it. Here, we developed analytical models constrained by satellite observations to quantify these contrasting roles of WV in stratospheric temperature perturbations. Our analysis revealed that condensation and nucleation processes facilitated by abundant WV accounted for ~90% of the observed particle radius growth, from 0.1-0.2 µm to 0.35-0.45 µm. Despite increased aerosol extinction due to particle growth, a cooling of up to -4 K was observed in the mid-stratosphere, persisting for over a year since February, with over 60% attributed to WV radiative cooling. Conversely, in the lower stratosphere, ~50% of the observed 1-2 K warming was attributed to the radiative heating of large particles that formed in upper layers and settled down gravitationally.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Impact of water vapor on stratospheric temperature after the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption: direct radiative cooling versus indirect warming by facilitating large particle formation
- Creators
- Xi Chen - University of Iowa, Iowa Technology InstituteJun Wang - University of IowaMeng Zhou - University of IowaZhendong Lu - University of IowaLyatt Jaegle - University of WashingtonLuke D Oman - Goddard Space Flight CenterGhassan Taha - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- NPJ climate and atmospheric science, Vol.8(1), 192
- DOI
- 10.1038/s41612-025-01056-2
- PMID
- 40405919
- PMCID
- PMC12092272
- NLM abbreviation
- NPJ Clim Atmos Sci
- ISSN
- 2397-3722
- eISSN
- 2397-3722
- Publisher
- NATURE PORTFOLIO; BERLIN
- Grant note
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): 80NSSC21K1199 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III/International Space Station program
This work was supported by the funding from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III/International Space Station program (SAGE III/ISS, Grant No. 80NSSC21K1199). We acknowledge the NASA satellite missions, including the OMPS, SAGE III/ISS, and MLS teams, for providing stratospheric gases and aerosol products and the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) for providing the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) data. We also thank S. Solomon of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for her comments and P.A. Newman, L. Coy, and S. Pawson of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for sharing visualization of MERRA-2 data.
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/01/2025
- Academic Unit
- Electrical and Computer Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Iowa Technology Institute; Physics and Astronomy; Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984824290802771
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