The underwater volcanic eruption of Hunga Tonga\u2013Hunga Ha\u2019apai in the\nSouth Pacific in January 2022 was recorded as one of the most powerful\neruptions in modern history. However, two years after the event,\nscientists have found an entirely unexpected side effect: this massive\neruption actually helped clean methane gas pollution from Earth\u2019s\natmosphere.<\/p>\n
This discovery, recently published in the journal Nature\nCommunications, is believed by researchers to provide vital clues for\naccelerating technologies designed to tackle global warming. The TROPOMI\ninstrument on the European Space Agency\u2019s (ESA) Sentinel-5P satellite\ndetected massive concentrations of formaldehyde in the stratosphere. In\natmospheric chemistry, the presence of formaldehyde serves as a key\nindicator or \u2018fingerprint\u2019 that methane gas is being extensively broken\ndown and destroyed.<\/p>\n
\u2018When analysing satellite imagery, we were surprised to see clouds\nwith the highest concentrations of formaldehyde ever recorded. We were\nable to track these clouds for 10 days as far as South America. Since\nformaldehyde usually only lasts for a few hours, this proves that the\nclouds were continuously destroying methane for more than a week,\u2019\nexplained Dr Maarten van Herpen from Acacia Impact Innovation BV, the\nstudy\u2019s lead author, as cited by SciTechDaily.<\/p>\n
Previously, volcanoes were known to release methane during eruptions.\nHowever, the fact that volcanic ash is capable of partially cleaning up\nthis pollution is new information in the scientific world. Researchers\nexplained that the Tonga eruption accidentally triggered a unique\nchemical process similar to the phenomenon of Saharan dust over the\nAtlantic Ocean (Iron Salt Aerosols).<\/p>\n
When Mount Tonga erupted, it did not only eject ash but also\npropelled large amounts of salty seawater directly into the\nstratosphere. Under exposure to sunlight, this mixture of volcanic ash\nand salt produces highly reactive chlorine atoms. These chlorine atoms\nthen attack and dismantle methane gas molecules in the air.<\/p>\n
Professor Matthew Johnson from the University of Copenhagen noted\nthat this phenomenon is highly surprising because it occurs in the\nstratosphere, where physical conditions are entirely different from the\nlower atmosphere. For context, the eruption is estimated to have\nreleased approximately 300 gigagrams (Gg) of methane\u2014equivalent to the\nannual emissions of two million cattle. However, simultaneously, the\nvolcanic cloud was capable of eliminating about 900 megagrams (Mg) of\nmethane per day. Methane is a greenhouse gas responsible for one-third\nof current global warming.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/volcanic-eruptions-found-to-clean-methane-pollution-in-the-atmosphere-1780907240", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }