Abstract:
On January 15, 2022, the Hunga submarine volcano produced the most explosive eruption of the satellite era. Unlike typical volcanic events that primarily inject sulfur to cool the Earth, this unique eruption blasted an unprecedented amount of seawater into the stratosphere, instantly increasing the global stratospheric water burden by 10%. How did a single submarine volcano alter Earth’s atmosphere for years to come? Did this unprecedented event drive the record-breaking surface temperatures of 2023 and 2024? This seminar presents main findings of the WCRP-APARC Hunga Volcanic Eruption Atmospheric Impacts Report newly released in end of 2025 to answer these questions. We will trace the distinct evolution of volcanic water and aerosols across multiple time scales, and unpack their impacts on the upper troposphere and surface climate.
What is the Joint Oslo Seminar (JOS):
- Atmospheric and climate sciences have a stronghold in Oslo among the four institutions University of Oslo, the Meteorological Institute, CICERO and NILU.
- This joint seminar invites renowned international experts to contribute to an informal series of lectures, meant to create interaction with the Oslo atmospheric and climate science community on recent highlights and analysis in the field.
- Normally seminars will be held on Thursdays (12:15 pm -1pm).