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After a Massive Eruption, This Underwater Volcano Removed Methane From the Atmosphere
Researchers found the 2022 eruption converted 330,000 tons of methane into formaldehyde, carbon dioxide and water, revealing a previously unseen cleanup mechanism.
- A study published in Nature Communications found the 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai eruption triggered a chemical reaction that destroyed methane. Scientists used satellite imagery to track the plume for 10 days as it removed methane from the atmosphere.
- The eruption blasted salty seawater and volcanic ash high into the atmosphere, where sunlight likely produced reactive chlorine atoms. This mixture created a self-cleaning mechanism that broke down methane into formaldehyde.
- Researchers estimate the eruption released about 330 gigagrams of methane, yet destroyed about 900 megagrams daily—roughly equivalent to the daily emissions of 2 million cows. Unusually high satellite concentrations of formaldehyde confirmed the breakdown.
- Maarten van Herpen at Acacia Impact Innovation said the findings could guide efforts to engineer similar methane-removal solutions. However, Jos de Laat at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute said proving methane removal remains "very difficult."
- Scientists described this as an "emergency brake" for global temperatures, offering a new lead for slowing short-term warming. Researchers emphasized that it does not replace the critical need to reduce CO2 emissions, which remains the primary driver.
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After the Tonga eruption in 2022, satellites recorded an unusually strong depletion of methane in the volcanic cloud for days.
Volcano amazes scientists by cleaning up its own mess after massive eruption
A giant volcanic eruption that stunned the world in 2022 may also have uncovered an unexpected clue in the fight against one of the planet's most dangerous pollutants. According to EurekAlert, the underwater volcano Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai, which erupted in the South Pacific in January 2022, appears to have partially cleaned up some of the methane pollution released during the blast. The discovery, published in Nature Communications, is raisin…
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Total News Sources13
Leaning Left3Leaning Right0Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution62% Center
Bias Distribution
- 62% of the sources are Center
62% Center
L 38%
C 62%
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