Orbiting probes have recently taken images of the ongoing Tonga underwater volcanic eruption following a previous outburst in December 2021.
A Space.com report said that the ongoing explosive event is roughly seven times more powerful than the last outburst of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano. Satellites revolving around Earth took images of a powerful eruption undersea from space.
The Tonga Geological Services has shared on Facebook that the underwater volcano in the South Pacific kingdom of Tonga, made up of more than 170 islands, mostly underwater, is sending plumes into the air, up to 20 kilometers.
A report from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration specified that this undersea occurrence is more powerful than the eruption in December and has thus far generated a tidal wave in the capital Nuku'alofa of Tonga and a tsunami warning for all islands there, on top of a possible threat of acid rain.
An undersea volcano is seen erupting off the coast of Tonga, sending plumes of steam, ash, and smoke up to 100 meters into the air, on March 18, 2009, off the coast of Nuku'Alofa, Tonga.
Tsunami Warning
According to a New York Post report, a tsunami advisory was issued from the whole west coast of the United States after the said underwater eruption.
The US National Tsunami Warning Center posted about an occurring tsunami on Twitter. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service released a tsunami advisory for the public to avoid bodies of water off the US Pacific Coast, Alaska, and Hawaii, where a sonic explosion could be heard from the eruption.
People were advised to move away from the shore and go to high ground. More so, the advisory warned that the wave might last from five to 45 minutes as a wave invades and retreats, while some effects may "continue for several hours" to days following the occurrence of the first wave.
The tsunami warning coordinator for the Palmer, Alaska-based National Tsunami Warning Center, Dave Snider, they don't issue an advisory "for this length" of coastline as they've done. He added, he's unsure when the last time was, although it certainly is not a daily experience.
Acid Rains
The United States Environmental Protection Agency describes acid rain or acid deposition as a "broad term," including any form of rain with acidic components like sulfuric or nitric acid falling to the ground from the atmosphere, be it dry or wet forms. Acid rains can be in rain, fog, snow, hail, or even dust.
Acid rain occurs when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the atmosphere and transported by air currents and wind.
The NOX and SO2 react with oxygen, water, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. These then combine with water and other materials before falling to the ground.
While a tiny portion of the NOX and SO2 that leads to acid rain comes from natural sources like volcanoes, most of it comes from fossil fuel burning.
Sources of Acid Rain Components
One of the main sources of SO2 and NOX in the atmosphere is burning fossil fuels to produce electricity. Essentially, two-thirds of SO2 and one-fourth of NOX in the atmosphere come from electric power generators.
Other sources include vehicles and heavy equipment and oil refineries, manufacturing, and other industries. Essentially, winds can blow S02 and NOX across borders and over long distances making acid rains an issue for the public, not just the people living near the said sources.
Report about the recent Tonga underwater volcanic eruption is shown on Kaiyum's YouTube video below:
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