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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]

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 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]