Impact of water vapor on stratospheric temperature after the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption: direct radiative cooling versus indirect warming by facilitating large particle formation
Abstract The unprecedented water vapor amount (WV, 150–160 Tg) injected by the 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai not only directly cooled the stratosphere, but also facilitated the formation and growth of sulfate particles, indirectly heating it. Here, we developed analytical models constra...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-05-01
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| Series: | npj Climate and Atmospheric Science |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01056-2 |
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| author | Xi Chen Jun Wang Meng Zhou Zhendong Lu Lyatt Jaegle Luke D. Oman Ghassan Taha |
| author_facet | Xi Chen Jun Wang Meng Zhou Zhendong Lu Lyatt Jaegle Luke D. Oman Ghassan Taha |
| author_sort | Xi Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The unprecedented water vapor amount (WV, 150–160 Tg) injected by the 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-28b1a9b58abc456bb9b234f796cd44af |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2397-3722 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Climate and Atmospheric Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-28b1a9b58abc456bb9b234f796cd44af2025-08-20T03:08:24ZengNature Portfolionpj Climate and Atmospheric Science2397-37222025-05-018111410.1038/s41612-025-01056-2Impact of water vapor on stratospheric temperature after the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption: direct radiative cooling versus indirect warming by facilitating large particle formationXi Chen0Jun Wang1Meng Zhou2Zhendong Lu3Lyatt Jaegle4Luke D. Oman5Ghassan Taha6Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering and Iowa Technology Institute, The University of IowaDepartment of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering and Iowa Technology Institute, The University of IowaCenter for Global and Regional Environmental Research, The University of IowaCenter for Global and Regional Environmental Research, The University of IowaDepartment of Atmospheric Sciences, University of WashingtonGoddard Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationGoddard Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationAbstract The unprecedented water vapor amount (WV, 150–160 Tg) injected by the 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai 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.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01056-2 |
| spellingShingle | Xi Chen Jun Wang Meng Zhou Zhendong Lu Lyatt Jaegle Luke D. Oman Ghassan Taha 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 |
| title | Impact of water vapor on stratospheric temperature after the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption: direct radiative cooling versus indirect warming by facilitating large particle formation |
| title_full | Impact of water vapor on stratospheric temperature after the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption: direct radiative cooling versus indirect warming by facilitating large particle formation |
| title_fullStr | Impact of water vapor on stratospheric temperature after the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption: direct radiative cooling versus indirect warming by facilitating large particle formation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of water vapor on stratospheric temperature after the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption: direct radiative cooling versus indirect warming by facilitating large particle formation |
| title_short | Impact of water vapor on stratospheric temperature after the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption: direct radiative cooling versus indirect warming by facilitating large particle formation |
| title_sort | impact of water vapor on stratospheric temperature after the 2022 hunga tonga eruption direct radiative cooling versus indirect warming by facilitating large particle formation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01056-2 |
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