Hunga Tonga eruption destroyed methane in plume for 10 days
When the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted in 2022, it blasted out as much methane as 2 million cows emit in a year.
But here's the twist: Scientists just found that the eruption also destroyed methane in the plume for 10 days.
The volcanic plume traveled toward South America and, thanks to a mix of ash, seawater, and sunlight, triggered chemical reactions that broke down about 900 megagrams of methane per day for 10 days.
Satellite spectroscopy tracked volcanic methane breakdown
Methane is a major greenhouse gas, way more powerful than carbon dioxide over short periods, so finding new ways to break it down is a big deal for fighting climate change.
Researchers think this volcanic chemistry could inspire technology like reactors or controlled chlorine releases to help clean up our atmosphere.
Plus, they used satellite spectroscopy to track these changes from space—a tool that could help test other climate solutions in the future.