Assessing the impact of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption on the structure of the Brewer-Dobson circulation: Possible Implications

Abstract

The present study deals with the effect of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption on altering the structure of Brewer-Dobson circulation (BDC) that occurred on 15 January 2022. The strength of the stratospheric circulation declined during the Southern Hemispheric winter following the volcanic eruption. The eruption had substantial impacts on the stratospheric thermal structure and composition. The Eliassen-Palm flux divergence implies the wave breaking was nearly non-existent. Thus, the wave driven circulation’s strength was reduced following the injection of water vapor. The reduction in meridional transport was also reflected in the distribution of ozone in the Southern Hemisphere obtained from Aura Microwave Limb Sounder. An unprecedented deviation of ozone mixing ratio, with magnitude 0.55 ppmv, was observed following the eruption over the tropical stratosphere.