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Tsunamis generated by the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai volcanic eruption on January 15, 2022 were recorded on ocean bottom pressure and tide gauges around the Pacific Ocean, earlier than the expected arrival times calculated by tsunami propagation speed. Atmospheric waves from the eruption were also recorded globally with propagation speeds of ~ 310 m/s (Lamb wave) and 200–250 m/s (Pekeris wave). Previous studies have suggested that these propagating atmospheric waves caused at least the initial part of the observed tsunami. We simulated the tsunamis generated by the propagation of the Lamb and Pekeris waves by adding concentric atmospheric pressure changes. The concentric sources are parameterized by their propagation speeds, initial atmospheric wave amplitudes that decay with the distance, and a rise time. For the Lamb wave, inversions of the observed tsunami waveforms at 14 U.S. and nine New Zealand DART stations indicate the start of the positive rise at 4:16 UTC, the peak amplitude of 383 hPa, and the propagation speed of 310 m/s, assuming a rise time of 10 min. The later phases of the observed tsunami waveforms can be better reproduced by adding another propagating concentric wave (Pekeris wave) with a negative amplitude (− 50 hPa) and propagation speeds of 200–250 m/s. The DART records around the Pacific indicate that the Pekeris wave speed is faster toward the northwest and slightly slower toward the northeast. The synthetic waveforms roughly reproduced the far-field tsunami waveforms recorded at tide gauge stations, including the later phases, suggesting that the large amplitude in the later phase may be due to the coupling of the Pekeris wave and the tsunami, as well as resonance around tide gauge stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hunga‐Tonga volcano eruption on 15 January 2022 generated tsunami waves that impacted both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the Americas. A unique feature of this event was the dual tsunami generation mechanism, which led to motions with long (several days) ringing and slow energy decay. The first ocean waves to reach the coast were "atmospheric tsunamis" generated by atmospheric Lamb waves that propagated with the speed of sound (∼314 m/s) and circled the globe in both directions several times before being fully attenuated. The second type of ocean waves were classical "oceanic tsunami" waves forced directly by the volcanic eruption and which propagated across the Pacific at roughly 2/3 the speed of the atmospheric waves. This study focuses on time series of the Hunga‐Tonga event recorded by tide gauges, microbarographs and Deep‐ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis on and off the Pacific coasts of North and Central America and in the Gulf of Mexico. Atmospheric tsunami waves only were recorded in the Gulf of Mexico, where the sea level response to the second, westward (shoreward) propagating atmospheric wave was stronger than to the first, eastward (seaward) propagating wave. Along the Pacific coast, the atmospheric tsunami waves were approximately 3–4 times smaller than the oceanic tsunami waves, which at several Mexican stations exceeded 2 m in height. The broad frequency range of 0.2–0.25 to 30 cph spanned by the oceanic tsunami in the Pacific indicates that the "effective" source area for the oceanic waves was more extensive than initially proposed. Plain Language Summary: The eruption of the Hunga‐Tonga volcano in January 2022 generated two types of tsunami waves: ordinary "oceanic" tsunami waves forced by the eruption itself and "atmospheric" tsunami waves forced by propagating pressure waves in the atmosphere. The oceanic tsunamis radiated outward into the Pacific while the atmospheric waves propagated around the globe several times in both the eastward and westward directions. Measurements by tide gauges, microbarographs and open‐ocean Deep‐ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis stations on and off the Pacific coasts of North and Central America and the Gulf of Mexico show that both types of waves were recorded on the Pacific coast but that only the atmospherically generated waves were recorded in the Atlantic Ocean and adjoining Gulf of Mexico. The atmospheric tsunamis were 3–4 times smaller than the oceanic tsunamis, which at Port San Luis and several Mexican locations, including Manzanillo and Ensenada, were higher than 2 m. The broad frequency content of the oceanic waves indicates that their source region had an "effective" area that greatly exceeded that directly spanned by the volcanic eruption. Key Points: The Tonga volcanic event generated two types of tsunami waves: "oceanic" by the eruption and "atmospheric" by atmospheric Lamb wavesThe open‐ocean and coastal records enabled us to separate the two types of tsunami waves and determine their physical propertiesThe waves span a wide frequency range, indicating that the "effective" source region greatly exceeded that covered by the eruption [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai volcanic eruption on January 15, 2022 generated a tsunami that affected the entire Pacific Ocean. Tsunami waves from the event have been generated both by incoming waves from the source area with a long-wave speed in the ocean of ~200–220 m/s, and by an atmospheric wave propagating at a sound speed of ~315 m/s. Such a dual source mechanism created a serious problem and was a real challenge for the Pacific tsunami warning services. The work of the Russian Tsunami Warning Service (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk) during this event is considered in detail. The tsunami was clearly recorded on the coasts of the Northwest Pacific and in the adjacent marginal seas, including the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the Bering Sea. We examined high-resolution records (1-min sampling) of 20 tide gauges and 8 air pressure stations in this region for the period of January 14–17, 2022. On the Russian coast, the highest waves, with a trough-to-crest wave height of 1.3 m, were recorded at Malokurilskoe (Shikotan Island) and Vodopadnaya (southeastern coast of Kamchatka). Using numerical simulation and data analysis methods, we were able to separate oceanic "gravity" tsunami waves from propagating atmospheric pressure waves. In general, we found that on the outer (oceanic) coasts and southern coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, oceanic tsunami waves prevailed, while on the coast of the Sea of Japan, oceanic and atmospheric tsunami waves had similar heights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dual frequency Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observations could determine the total electron content (TEC) in the ionosphere. In this study, GNSS TEC was applied to detect traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) after the eruption of Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai (HTHH) on 15 January 2022. The eruption caused two types of tsunamis, first is tsunami generated by atmospheric wave (meteo‐tsunami) and second is caused by eruption induces water displacement or tsunami classic. At the same time with former tsunami, the atmospheric wave (shock and lamb waves) also caused TIDs at a speed of approximately ∼0.3 km/s. We found moderate correlation between this TIDs amplitude and the tsunami wave height model from tide gauge stations in New Zealand (0.64) and Australia (0.65). Further we attempted to reveal 3D structure of the TIDs in New Zealand, South Australia, and Philippines using 3D tomography. The tomography was set up > 1,170 blocks, as large as 1.0° (east–west) × 1.0° (north–south) × 100 km (vertical), up to 600 km altitude over selected regions. Tomogram shows beautiful concentric directivity of the first TIDs generated by atmospheric wave (AW). Key Points: 3D ionospheric disturbances during the 2022 Tonga eruption was investigated with spatial and temporal directionThe highest concentration of the electron disturbances was observed at an altitude of 200–300 km, which decreased at 500–600 kmA correlation between ionospheric disturbances and the height of tsunami associated with eruption was observed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the observation and evaluation of a meteotsunami in the Indian Ocean triggered by the Hunga‐Tonga volcanic eruption. The event was detected through tide gauges and bottom‐pressure recordings across the Indian Ocean, with an amplitude of 10–15 cm, lasting for a few days. A numerical model was used to understand the ocean's response to meteotsunami and evaluate the dynamics behind it. The model results show that the sea‐level oscillations result from the ocean waves generated by a propagating Lamb wave. In addition to interaction with bathymetry, refracted and reflected waves also determine the sea‐level variability. Our analysis shows that bathymetric slope plays a vital role in near‐shore processes. The spectral and spatial characteristics of the meteotsunami were reminiscent of seismic tsunamis. Our research on this rare event elucidates the unresolved issues and eventually leads to designing a blueprint for future observation and modeling of meteotsunamis and seismic tsunamis. Plain Language Summary: This study evaluates the observation of a rare meteotsunami event that occurred in the Indian Ocean. An atmospheric pressure wave generated by the eruption of the Hunga‐Tonga volcano in the Pacific Ocean caused the meteotsunami. The signatures of this event were captured by tide gauges installed along the coast and pressure recorders moored at the ocean floor. We demonstrate using a numerical model that fast‐moving atmospheric pressure waves, Lamb waves, caused the sea‐level oscillations. Interactions with bathymetry further influenced sea‐level variability in the basin, reflected waves, and refracted waves. The vulnerable areas showed a striking resemblance to the area impacted by the tsunami that hit the Indian Ocean in 2004. This research eventually helps to identify and incorporate observational and modeling issues associated with seismic tsunamis and meteotsunami. Key Points: We present the first comprehensive evaluation of meteotsunami in the Indian Ocean using observation and modelingA forced wave to free wave transformation happens on the continental slope, and the bathymetry slope is crucial to near‐shore processesThe meteotsunami exhibits a spectral and spatial similarity to seismic tsunamis that previously occurred in the Indian Ocean [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The massive eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai (HTHH) volcano in Tonga on 15 January 2022 at 04:15 UTC had a global impact and triggered an atmospheric wave and a tsunami. We first analyzed observation data from meteorological stations and tide gauges at 12 locations. Low-frequency trends in the observation data were removed by using a high-pass filter. Fourier and wavelet spectral analyses were applied to determine the frequency characteristics of the filtered data. Modal analysis was developed and used to investigate natural oscillation periods based on bathymetry. The results showed that the Lamb wave generated by the atmospheric pressure wave arrived ~ 7 and ~ 44 h after the eruption. The tsunami arrived ~ 11 and ~ 45 h after the eruption, which corresponded to the arrival time of the Lamb wave. The dominant periods of the Lamb waves were ~ 7.7 and ~ 7.5 min, and for the tsunamis they were ~ 9.9 and ~ 28.7 min. The periods derived from the spectral analysis matched the natural oscillation of the eigenperiod derived from the modal analysis, in eight out of the twelve stations. This study provides valuable insight and information regarding the nonseismic and far-field effects of tsunamis generated by volcanic eruptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2022, the Hunga volcano eruption in Tonga generated atmospheric pressure waves that propagated globally and produced tsunamis in all the world's oceans. The largest pressure wave, with an amplitude of several hundred pascals, is the Lamb wave. Standard Lamb wave models, incorporating the sound‐speed as a function of temperature, satisfactorily explain observations in the near‐field but not in the far‐field. We show that an augmented Lamb wave model that includes the effects of wind and topography accurately reproduces the wavefronts observed by satellites and barometers, including those close to the antipode. Winds, first suggested to explain the travel times of Lamb waves from Krakatau in 1883, are now shown to also play a major role in shaping their waveforms; temperature and topography play smaller, but still detectable, roles. Our augmented model provides a significant advance for the development of early warning and hazard assessments for the meteotsunamis these waves produce. Plain Language Summary: The January 2022 explosive eruption of the Hunga volcano in Tonga produced a pressure wave (of a type known as a Lamb wave) in the atmosphere, which was detected worldwide. This wave circled the Earth more than once, and generated tsunami in unexpected times and places. We have derived a mathematical description that allows us to quickly and accurately model the observations of this atmospheric wave. The description includes the effects of winds, temperature, and topography. The wave modeled using this description reproduces satellite and ground observations much better than simpler models, notably the complex pattern of the wave near the antipode of the eruption. Our model clearly identifies global winds as the crucial influence on global‐scale Lamb‐wave propagation, and provides modeling tools for possible future occurrences of such waves and the global tsunamis created by them. Key Points: A augmented model is proposed to simulate the propagation of planetary scale Lamb waves, incorporating wind, temperature and topographyWinds play a primary role shaping Lamb waves in the far field, especially near the antipode of the sourceThe augmented Lamb wave model will help better assess far‐field volcanic tsunami hazards [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 15 January 2022, a large eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano in Tonga triggered globally observed tsunami waves. While the first arrival in the observed wave trains is now widely known to be related to the atmospheric Lamb wave generated by the eruption, large later phases, whose amplitudes were comparable to the first ones, were also recorded. In this study, we estimated the source of the later phases based on the Vespa analysis and proposed a new numerical scheme to reproduce them. The Vespa analysis estimates the arrival time and incident angle of each signal by a slant-stack process using its theoretical traveltime. The Vespa analysis revealed that small atmospheric waves excited the large later tsunamis. For the numerical experiments, we used two types of synthetic methods: finite difference method and normal mode theory. We found that both a good atmospheric wave model and bathymetric effect were important to generate the atmospheric-induced tsunamis corresponding to the later phases. A hybrid method calculating tsunamis by the finite difference method with the atmospheric waves by the normal mode theory as the input successfully reproduced the observed records, particularly in amplitude over the entire records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai eruption generated tsunamis that propagated across the Pacific Ocean. Along the coast of Japan, nearshore amplification led to amplitudes of nearly 1 m at some locations, with varying peak tsunami occurrence times. The leading tsunami wave can generally be reproduced by Lamb waves, which are a type of air-pressure wave generated by an eruption. However, subsequent tsunamis that occurred several hours after the leading wave tended to be larger for unknown reasons. This study performs multi-scale numerical simulations to investigate subsequent tsunami waves in the vicinity of Japan induced by air pressure waves caused by the eruption. The atmospheric pressure field was created using a dispersion relation of atmospheric gravity wave and tuned by physical parameters based on observational records. The tsunami simulations used the adaptive mesh refinement method, incorporating detailed bathymetry and topography to solve the tsunami at various spatial scales. The simulations effectively reproduced the tsunami waveforms observed at numerous coastal locations, and results indicate that the factors contributing to the maximum tsunami amplitude differ by region. In particular, bay resonance plays a major role in determining the maximum amplitude at many sites along the east coast of Japan. However, large tsunami amplification at some west coast locations was not replicated, probably because it was caused by amplification during oceanic wave propagation rather than meteorological factors. These findings enhance our understanding of meteotsunami complexity and help distinguish tsunami amplification factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: The 15 January 2022 eruption of the Hunga–Tunga volcano generated a Lamb pressure wave propagating all over the globe and triggering a tsunami throughout the planet. A first atmospheric wave arrived 16 hr after the eruption on the French Mediterranean coasts and propagated southward. A second one originating from Africa was observed 4 hr later with an attenuated amplitude. The first wave can be roughly defined either by a N wave or a sinusoid signal with a period close to 50 min and an amplitude of 130 Pa. In the Mediterranean Sea, the tsunami was recorded by almost all standard coastal tide gauges or pressure gauges. The French tide gauge stations recorded water waves with amplitudes ranging from a few centimetres to 10 cm and with periods ranging from 10 min to 1 hr. Numerical simulation of the tsunami is performed by the operational code Taitoko for different atmospheric sources. Non-linear shallow water equations are solved by a finite-difference method, using the nested multigrid approach. The tsunami is generated by calculating analytically the atmospheric pressure gradient in the momentum equations. Comparisons of time-series between numerical solutions and records are satisfactory for most tide-gauges along the French Mediterranean coast. Sensitivity analysis on the atmospheric source and on the resolution is performed. For most tide-gauge stations, numerical results show that the wave forms depend first on local resonance phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On January 15, 2022 the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted violently, generating a significant tsunami that was observed around the world. This is the first volcanic tsunami that has been observed worldwide by the modern deep- and shallow-water hydrodynamic instrument network. Here we study deep water DART buoy and coastal tide gauges recordings using waveform stacking, amplitude analysis, and spectral analysis. We find that there are potentially as many as three distinct phases to the tsunami each corresponding to different generation mechanisms. Most sites observed an arrival with a propagation speed of ~ 305–310 m/s that we deduced is likely to be an atmospheric Lamb wave with a ~ 40 min period. We find that this feature has a weakly azimuthally-dependent radiation pattern. We also find secondary phases which range in propagation speed from ~ 150 to 205 ms−1. Analysis of their amplitudes and variability in propagation speeds in the waveforms tacks, their decay, and their frequency domain behavior leads us to posit that they represent a complex amalgam of traditional tsunami and atmospheric effects such as internal gravity waves. Overall, from this analysis we find no evidence that processes at the volcanic edifice, such as caldera collapse, land sliding, or pyroclastic density currents, are the dominant tsunamigenic source in the far field. Finally, we also argue that amplification of tsunami wave heights around the coastal areas of the Pacific basin may be due to the combined effects of processes like those seen in meteotsunamis such as Proudman resonance induced by the Lamb wave front, with various coastal areas seeing also effects from Greenspan and shelf resonance. We show a comparison of the event to the last great basin tsunami the M9 Tohoku-oki earthquake, and discuss how, while the amplitudes of the Hunga Tonga tsunami are smaller than other basin-wide events, the worldwide nature, and atmospherically driven forcing of it pose unique challenges to hazards forecasts and warning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the oceanic and ionospheric response in New Caledonia‐New Zealand and Chile‐Argentina to the 15 January 2022 Hunga‐Tonga volcanic eruption. For the first time, we highlight a reversed response in the oceans and in the ionosphere in terms of the amplitudes. The sea‐surface fluctuations due to the passage of the atmospheric Lamb wave (i.e., air‐sea wave) were not remarkable while the related ionospheric perturbation was considerable. Reversely, the eruption‐induced tsunami ("regular" tsunami) caused major variations in sea‐surface heights (∼1 m near the volcano and ∼2 m along the Chilean coastline), whereas the associated ionospheric perturbation was quite small. The observed large‐amplitude ionospheric response due to Lamb waves propagation is difficult to explain, and the coupling between the Lamb wave and the ionosphere is not well‐understood yet. For the first time, we estimate the delay between the Lamb waves and their signatures in the ionosphere to be ∼12–20 min. Plain Language Summary: The eruption of Hunga‐Tonga volcano produced a variety of atmospheric and tsunami waves recorded all over the world. We study the impacts of the eruption together on the oceans and in the ionosphere in New Caledonia‐New Zealand (near the volcano) and Chile‐Argentina (far from the volcano). At the sea surface, we observe two phenomena causing sea‐height variations. The first is a small tsunami (air‐sea wave) created by the Lamb wave: the high‐pressure atmospheric wave triggered by the eruption. The second is the tsunami induced by the eruption itself. Spectacularly, at 300 km altitude, in the ionosphere, we observe perturbations in the electron content caused by the Lamb wave and by the regular tsunami. We are the first to report on the reversed amplitude of the two phenomena in the oceans and in the ionosphere. The sea‐surface perturbation caused by the Lamb wave was not significant, while ionospheric perturbation was considerable. In contrast, the regular tsunami wave produced major variations. For the first time, we estimate the time delay between the Lamb wave and its signature in the ionosphere. Key Points: Joint study of oceanic and ionospheric response in New Caledonia‐New Zealand and Chile‐Argentina to the 15 January 2022 volcanic eruptionNear‐surface propagating Lamb wave caused a small tsunami in the ocean (air‐sea wave) and unusually strong disturbances in the ionosphereInversely, the eruption‐generated tsunami showed significant wave heights in the ocean and much smaller response in the ionosphere [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At 12:15 on January 15, 2022 (Beijing time), a massive eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano produced violent atmospheric fluctuations, which in turn generated a global tsunami through an abrupt air pressure shock upon the sea surface. Two main components of tsunami waves, phase-locked waves and free gravity waves, were identified by significant differences in propagating speeds across the deep ocean. The phase-locked wave propagated through the ocean basin synchronously with the atmospheric Lamb wave at an average speed of approximately 306 m/s, followed by the free gravity wave at a slower speed. The locked wave reached the coast of eastern Taiwan Island at about 20:00 on January 15, in coincidence with the Lamb wave arrival. However, on the coast of Chinese mainland, tidal gauges did not record tsunami signals until at least 2 h after the Lamb wave arrivals. Theoretical analyses and numerical experiments both suggested that as a result of the incoming wave shoaling above the vast continental shelf of Chinese mainland, the locked wave was no longer trapped by the air pressure shock and gradually transformed into freely-propagating shallow water waves by slowing down its propagation. Due to the long-lasting planetary atmospheric fluctuations circling the earth many times, the sea level oscillations continuously propagated onto the Chinese shelf, which resulted in the tsunami waves excited along the Chinese coasts for at least 36 h. The maximum wave amplitude recorded on the coast of eastern Taiwan Island was 44 cm at Wushi, while on the coasts of eastern and southern Chinese mainland, the maximum amplitudes were 22 cm at Shipu and 13 cm at Zhuhai. Fourier and wavelet analyses were performed to identify the major components of the tsunami waves on the Chinese coasts. The results indicated that eastern Taiwan Island was impacted mainly by the waves with periods of approximately 10–40 min. Chinese mainland was hit by the evolved shallow water waves and subsequent free waves, with periods of approximately 40–100 and 16–20 min, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano eruption resulted in propagation of tsunamis globally. Atmospheric pressure disturbances and tsunamis were recorded in Lingding Bay, China, situated more than 9000 km from the volcano. We studied the features of tsunamis in Lingding Bay and its surrounding areas by using records from tide gauges and meteorological stations. Lamb waves were observed in the bay approximately 8, 44 and 80 hr after the volcanic eruption. The first and second tsunami waves arrived approximately 11 and 45–47 hr following the eruption, respectively, indicating consistency with the arrival time of Lamb waves. In addition, wavelet and Fourier analyses were applied to the sea level records to investigate the frequency characteristics. The ratio of the tsunami spectra to the background spectra for two tsunami waves was calculated as the source spectra. The source spectra of two tsunami waves were mostly of the same shape, with dominant periods of ∼17 and ∼46 min. Our results provide information for theoretical investigation of the Tonga tsunami event. More efforts should be devoted to relevant research on the generating mechanism and early warning of tsunamis from non-seismic origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2022 eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano excited an atmospheric Lamb wave, which induced a fast-traveling tsunami. This tsunami was driven by the pressure-forced wave traveling at the speed of the Lamb wave and, thus, was much faster than conventional tsunamis. This was the first case in which ocean bottom monitoring systems widely observed an air pressure-induced tsunami. We found that the pressure-forced waves split and generated ocean gravity waves after passing the Japan Trench based on the S-net data. Our simulations show that changes in water depth can amplify or decrease the pressure-forced wave. Simultaneously, an ocean gravity wave is generated due to the conservation of water volume. Because the ocean gravity wave was slower than the pressure-forced wave near Japan, it was separated from, and traveled behind, the pressure-forced wave. We explained the wave separation phenomenon and reproduced the waveforms of different splitting stages observed by the stations near the Japan Trench. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 15 January 2022, an exceptional eruption of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai volcano generated atmospheric and tsunami waves that were widely observed in the oceans globally, gaining remarkable attention from scientists in related fields. The tsunamigenic mechanism of this rare event remains enigmatic due to its complexity and lack of direct underwater observations. Here, to explore the tsunamigenic mechanisms of this volcanic tsunami event and its hydrodynamic processes in the Pacific Ocean, we conduct statistical analysis and spectral analysis of the tsunami recordings at 116 coastal gauges and 38 deep-ocean buoys across the Pacific Ocean. Combined with the constraints of some representative barometers, we obtain the plausible tsunamigenic origins of the volcano activity. We identify four distinct tsunami wave components generated by air–sea coupling and seafloor crustal deformation. Those tsunami components are differentiated by their different propagating speeds or period bands. The first-arriving tsunami component with an ∼ 80–100 min period was from shock waves spreading at a velocity of ∼ 1000 m s -1 in the vicinity of the eruption. The second component with extraordinary tsunami amplitude in the deep ocean was from Lamb waves. The Lamb wave with a ∼ 30–40 min period radically propagated outward from the eruption site with spatially decreasing propagation velocities from ∼ 340 to ∼ 315m s -1. The third component with a ∼ 10–30 min period was probably from some atmospheric-gravity-wave modes propagating faster than 200 m s -1 but slower than Lamb waves. The last component with a ∼ 3–5 min period originated from partial caldera collapse with dimension of ∼ 0.8–1.8 km. Surprisingly, the 2022 Tonga volcanic tsunami produced long oscillation in the Pacific Ocean which is comparable with that of the 2011 Tohoku tsunami. We point out that the long oscillation is associated not only with the resonance effect with the atmospheric acoustic-gravity waves but more importantly with their interactions with local bathymetry. This rare event also calls for more attention to the tsunami hazards produced by an atypical tsunamigenic source, e.g. volcanic eruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tsunamis are commonly generated by earthquakes beneath the ocean floor, volcanic eruptions, and landslides. The tsunami following the Tonga eruption of 2022 is believed to have been excited by atmospheric pressure fluctuations generated by the explosion of the volcano. The first, fast-traveling tsunami was excited by Lamb waves; however, it has not been clarified observationally or theoretically which type of atmospheric fluctuations excited more prominent tsunami which followd. In this study, we investigate atmospheric gravity waves that possibly excited the aforementioned subsequent tsunami based on observations and atmosphere-ocean coupling simulations. The atmospheric fluctuations are classified as Lamb waves, acoustic waves, or gravity waves. The arrival time of the gravity wave and the simulation shows that the gravity wave propagated at a phase speed of 215 m/s, coinciding with the tsunami velocity in the Pacific Ocean, and suggesting that the gravity wave resonantly excited the tsunami (Proudman resonance). These observations and theoretical calculations provide an essential basis for investigations of volcano-induced meteotsunamis, including the Tonga event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synchronous response of the lower and upper ionosphere to the propagation of the atmospheric Lamb wave and tsunami that were generated by the mega-eruption of the Hunga submarine volcano on January 15, 2022, has been studied for the first time using data from very low frequency radio sounding in the Far East area of Russia and the Japanese–Australian network of receivers of global navigation satellite system signals. It has been found that wave-like variations of very low frequency and global navigation satellite system signals not only appear at the intersection of radio paths by Lamb waves and tsunamis but also demonstrate nonlocal effects owing to the geomagnetic field. Such variations are caused by the action of internal gravity waves generated by these sources and the dust component of eruption on the ionosphere. The energy of the main eruption has been estimated and detected ionospheric perturbations have been interpreted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anomalous variations of a very low frequency (VLF) signal recorded after the eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano on January 15, 2022, have been investigated. It is shown that the intensification of the phase and amplitude variations of the VLF signal was caused by the crossing of radio paths by the atmospheric Lamb wave and the tsunami propagating after the volcanic eruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 15 January 2022, the Tonga-Hunga submarine volcano erupted in the southwest Pacific Ocean and created strong tsunami waves that had a dual generation mechanism: "direct" (caused by the explosion) and "atmospheric" (induced by propagating atmospheric Lamb waves). Trans-oceanic waves spread across the ocean and were clearly recorded in marginal seas of the northwestern Pacific, including the Sea of Japan. The two distinct types of incoming waves produced a variety of effects in the sea as determined by the wave origin, propagation features and local topographic properties. Statistical and spectral properties of the tsunami waves recorded in the Sea of Japan and vicinity, including the adjacent part of the northwestern Pacific, are the main subject of the present study. The Sea of Japan is a semi-isolated basin connected to the Pacific Ocean through several straits. The features of these straits (widths, depths, and geometry) significantly affected the arriving waves, strongly modifying their statistical characteristics and spectral content. As discussed in detail in this paper, the two types of incoming tsunami waves are consequently transformed in substantially different ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manifestations of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai volcano explosive eruption on January 15, 2022, in the Pacific region were investigated using the data of the DART deep ocean sea level stations and the IRIS ground-based barographs. It was found that the atmospheric Lamb wave, caused by the explosion of the volcano, was formed at 04:27 UTC ± 4 min and propagated over the Pacific Ocean at a speed of 312 ± 4 m/s. It is shown that the leading distinct pulse recorded by all DART deep ocean sea level stations is a direct manifestation of the atmospheric Lamb wave. Theoretical estimations of the amplitude manifestations of the Lamb wave in the bottom pressure variations have been made. It is shown that the amplitude of bottom pressure variations in the deep ocean is a few times larger than the amplitude of pressure variations in the Lamb wave. Theoretical estimates of the amplitude of surface gravity waves excited in the ocean by traveling atmospheric disturbance passing a depth jump are carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meteotsunamis (forced waves) triggered by atmospheric disturbances of Lamb waves due to the 2022 Hunga–Tonga volcanic eruption have been observed in coastal areas surrounding the Pacific Ocean. However, the spatiotemporal evolution of the wavefield of meteotsunamis and meteotsunami-induced free waves remains elusive. Here, we show the detailed spatial distribution of the propagation velocities and directions of these waves in the bathymetric slope area between the Japan Trench and nearshore, using a dense array of 150 absolute pressure gauges deployed at water depths of 100–8000 m. Records show that free wave components (i.e., tsunamis) were generated when the forced wave was propagating over the slope area. Amplitudes of the generated free waves are large in the southern half of the slope area, where the equi-arrival time contour lines are densely paralleled. Such amplifications occur due to the relationship between the incoming direction of Lamb waves and the gradient of the bathymetric slope. This indicates that, if meteotsunamis excited by Lamb waves due to future volcanic eruptions come from different directions to this region, a different spatial pattern of free wave amplification on a regional scale is obtained in the bathymetric slope areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 15 January 2022, Tonga's Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai (HTHH) volcano violently erupted, generating a tsunami that killed three people. Acoustic‐gravity waves propagated by the eruption and tsunami caused global complex ionospheric disturbances. In this paper, we study the nature of these perturbations from Global Navigation Satellite System observables over the southwestern Pacific. After processing data from 818 ground stations, we detect supersonic acoustic waves, Lamb waves, and tsunamis, with filtered magnitudes between 1 and 7 Total Electron Content units. Phase arrivals appear superpositioned up to ∼1,000 km from HTHH and are distinct by ∼2,200 km. Within ∼2,200 km, signals have an initial low‐frequency pulse that transitions to higher frequencies. We note the presence of a faster perturbation generated 1 hr post‐eruption which crosses the tsunami disturbance ∼3,000 km from HTHH, potentially contributing to premature land arrivals. Lastly, the arrival of tsunami‐generated disturbances coincides with deep‐ocean observations. Plain Language Summary: The 15 January 2022 volcanic eruption of Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai and subsequent tsunamis sent powerful energy waves into the ionosphere (a layer of Earth's atmosphere that is deformed by energy emitted from events like volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and large man‐made explosions). These waves can provide valuable information about different phases of the event, such as the powerful explosion, sound wave, and tsunami. Using Global Positioning Systems data, we measure these ionospheric signals over the southwestern Pacific Ocean to examine which phases of the event contributed to each ionospheric disturbance. We successfully detect all three event phases in the ionosphere and determine the distance at which these signals separate from one another. Furthermore, we validate our data by comparing tsunami signals in the ionosphere against direct ocean‐based observations of tsunami activity. Of particular note is our observation of a faster ionospheric signal that forms an hour after the eruption and catches up to the tsunami's disturbance. Our work supports the hypothesis that others have proposed in which high‐energy waves from the eruption escalated tsunami speeds and wave heights. This, in turn, supports the observation of early tsunami arrivals that were reported along many Pacific coastlines. Key Points: We see distinct phase arrivals in the ionosphere for a supersonic wave, Lamb wave, and tsunami (the latter is validated by ocean sensors)Phase arrivals begin to separate at ∼1,000 km from Tonga and are fully separated by ∼2,200 kmWe highlight a faster disturbance that propagates 1 hr post‐eruption and meets the tsunami perturbation ∼3,000 km from the volcano [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tonga volcano erupted on 15 January 2022, at 04:15:45 UTC, which significantly influenced the atmosphere and space environment, at the same time, an unprecedented opportunity to monitor ionospheric anomalies is provided by its powerful eruption. In current studies of traveling ionospheric disturbance (TID) triggered by the 2022 Tonga volcanic eruption, the particular phenomenon of ionospheric disturbances in various parts of the world has not been reasonably explained, and the vertical ionospheric disturbances are still not effectively detected. In this paper, we calculate the high-precision slant total electron content (STEC) from more than 3000 ground-based GPS stations distributed around the world, then we obtain the radio occultation (RO) data from near-field COSMIC-2 profiles and investigate the horizontal TID and the vertical ionospheric disturbances by the singular spectrum analysis (SSA). Horizontal TID propagation captured by GPS STEC results indicates that acoustic-gravity waves dominate the energy input at the beginning of the ionospheric disturbance with an approximate speed of 1050 m/s initially. With the dissipation of the shock energy, lamb waves become a dominant mode of ionospheric disturbances, moving at a more stable speed of about 326 m/s to a range of 16,000 km beyond the far-field. Local characteristics are evident during the disturbance, such as the ionospheric conjugation in Australia and the rapid decay of TID in Europe. The shock-Lamb-tsunami waves' multi-fluctuation coupling is recorded successively from the COSMIC-2 RO observation data. The shock and Lamb waves can perturb the whole ionospheric altitude. In contrast, the disturbance caused by tsunami waves is much smaller than that of acoustic-gravity waves and Lamb waves. In addition, influenced by the magnetic field, the propagation speed of TID induced by Lamb waves is higher towards the northern hemisphere than towards the southern hemisphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 1.7m) 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 wave 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 (10-30mb) could cause a 3.5-10m 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2022 volcanic eruption in Tonga caused an unusually large tsunami around the Pacific. It travels with a faster apparent velocity and has larger amplitudes at long distances than what would be expected from a conventional tsunami from the volcanic source. This tsunami was generated by the moving atmospheric Lamb wave and traveled at the speed of the Lamb wave (0.31 km/s). Japanese data showed the amplitude of this first tsunami becomes small when approaching the coast, due to the weaker air‐sea coupling at the shallow depth. This wave split when passing the continental slope, and traveled at the speed of the ocean gravity wave. Therefore, the tsunami observed at the coast is delayed by thousands of seconds from the passage of the Lamb wave. Tsunamis generated by this atmospheric mechanism have not been previously observed by modern digital recording systems and should be considered in the tsunami warning systems. Plain Language Summary: A tsunami is usually generated by the sudden changes of the water heights, and caused by offshore earthquakes, coastal landslides, and submarine volcanic eruptions. The generated vertical displacement of the water propagates as a very long wave, and the tsunami waves become compressed with increased heights as they approach the coast. The 2022 volcanic eruption in Tonga caused an unusually large tsunami, which cannot be explained by conventional sources. The speed and amplitude are very different from theoretical values: the speed is about 0.31 km/s, whereas the average tsunami speed in the Pacific is 0.2 km/s. These data suggest that the tsunami from the Tonga eruption was excited by a pulse of atmospheric pressure as it traveled from the volcano. This source of the tsunami in the atmosphere needs to be considered for the tsunami warning system in the future. Key Points: Lamb wave produced by the volcanic eruption excites the sea surface as it travels across the Pacific and generates a tsunami pulseThe effect of the air‐sea coupling becomes weaker as the Lamb wave approaches the coastThe tsunami wave splits when passing the continental slope of Japan causing more complex waves [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of processing recordings of abnormal signals, which originated during the eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano, and were registered by a laser nanobarograph and two laser strainmeters; there were three meters of sea-level variations, located in the Sea of Japan, and twelve meters of sea-level variations, located in the Pacific Ocean. Acoustic-gravity Lamb waves, generated in the atmosphere, caused disturbances of similar periods in the Earth's crust, which were registered by laser strainmeters. Atmospheric impulse and Lamb waves during their propagation over the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan initiated meteorological tsunamis in their waters, at periods corresponding to the seiches (Eigen oscillations) of registration stations' location areas. In the records of all sea wave recorders, we did not find signs of a classical tsunami origination, and in the records of laser strainmeters, we did not find signals corresponding to seabed displacements at the point of the volcano explosion that led to the formation of a classical tsunami. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 15 January 2022, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha‘apai volcano erupted, producing tsunamis worldwide including first waves which arrived more than 2 hours earlier than what is expected for conventional tsunamis. We investigated the generation and propagation mechanisms of the tsunami “forerunner,” and our simulation found that fast-moving atmospheric Lamb waves drove the leading sea height rise whereas the scattering of the leading waves related to bathymetric variations in the Pacific Ocean produced subsequent long-lasting tsunamis. Tsunamis arriving later than the conventionally expected travel time are composed of various waves generated from both moving and static sources, which makes the tsunami, due to this eruption, much more complex and longer-lasting than ordinary earthquake-induced tsunamis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of acoustic-gravity waves (waveforms, time durations, amplitudes, azimuths and horizontal phase speeds) from the eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Hapai volcano detected at different infrasound stations of the Infrasound Monitoring System and at a network of low-frequency microbarographs in the Moscow region are studied. Using the correlation analysis of the signals at different locations, six arrivals of signals from the volcano, which made up to two revolutions around the Earth, were detected. The Lamb mode of acoustic gravity waves from the volcano eruption is identified and the effect of this mode on generation of tsunami waves and variation of aerosol concentration is studied. The energy released from an underwater volcano into the atmosphere is estimated from the parameters of the Lamb wave and compared with the energy released from the most powerful nuclear bomb of 58 Mt TNT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 15 January 2022, around 4:30 UTC the eruption of the Hunga‐Tonga volcano, in the South Pacific Ocean, generated a violent underwater explosion. In addition to tsunami waves that affected the Pacific coasts, the eruption created atmospheric pressure disturbances that spread out in the form of Lamb waves. The associated atmospheric pressure oscillations were detected in high‐frequency in‐situ observations all over the globe. Here we take advantage of the similarities in the propagation and characteristics between atmospheric Lamb waves and long ocean waves and we use a 2DH ocean numerical model to simulate the phenomenon. We compare the outputs of the numerical simulation with in‐situ atmospheric pressure records and with remote satellite observations. The signal in the model matches the observed atmospheric pressure perturbations and reveals an excellent agreement in the wave arrival time between model and observations at hundreds of locations at different distances from the origin. Plain Language Summary: The underwater explosion of the Hunga‐Tonga volcano in the South Pacific Ocean generated atmospheric pressure disturbances, known as Lamb waves, that propagated and surrounded the globe several times. In this study, we exploit the similarities between atmospheric Lamb waves and long waves in the ocean (e.g., tsunamis) to simulate their propagation using an ocean numerical model. The comparison of our results with remote satellite data and in‐situ atmospheric pressure records reveals that our model correctly reproduces the propagation of the atmospheric disturbances generated by the volcano explosion. Key Points: The underwater Hunga‐Tonga volcano exploded generating Lamb waves that traveled around the Earth several timesWe simulate these waves using a hydrostatic shallow water equation oceanic modelThe results closely follow the observations of atmospheric pressure perturbations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tide gauge data indicated that ocean waves were generated by the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano on January 15, 2022. These high-amplitude waves reached the Japanese coast earlier than expected for free ocean waves. These fluctuations in sea level were reasonably reproduced by an ocean model, with realistic bottom topography forced by sea-level pressure perturbations well reproduced by atmospheric general circulation models. While early arrival times are associated with atmospheric Lamb waves, the amplitude of the sea level changes cannot be fully explained by the resonance mechanism associated with sea-level pressure fluctuations of Lamb and Pekeris waves alone. Rather, resonance due to atmospheric waves in conjunction with the amplification effects caused by a steep continental slope is required in order to reproduce sea level fluctuations along the Japanese coast. In particular, the deep Northwest Pacific Basin to the east of Japan is important for strengthening the amplitude of the meteorological tsunami. • Sea level fluctuations due to the 2022 volcanic eruption in Tonga was reproduced. • Meteorological tsunamis were generated by Lamb and Pekeris waves. • Meteorological tsunamis by Pekeris waves are amplified due to Proudman resonance. • Meteorological tsunamis are amplified by entering the sharp continental slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]