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X-Raying Neutral Density Disturbances in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere induced by the 2022 Hunga-Tonga Volcano Eruption
  • +14
  • Satoru Katsuda,
  • Hiroyuki Shinagawa,
  • Hitoshi Fujiwara,
  • Hidekatsu Jin,
  • Yasunobu Miyoshi,
  • Yoshizumi Miyoshi,
  • Yuko Motizuki,
  • Motoki Nakajima,
  • Kazuhiro Nakazawa,
  • Kumiko K Nobukawa,
  • Yuichi Otsuka,
  • Atsuki Shinbori,
  • Takuya Sori,
  • Chihiro Tao,
  • Makoto S Tashiro,
  • Yuuki Wada,
  • Takaya Yamawaki
Satoru Katsuda
Saitama University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Hiroyuki Shinagawa
NICT
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Hitoshi Fujiwara
Seikei University
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Hidekatsu Jin
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
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Yasunobu Miyoshi
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Kyushu University
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Yoshizumi Miyoshi
Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University
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Yuko Motizuki
RIKEN
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Motoki Nakajima
Nihon University
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Kazuhiro Nakazawa
Nagoya University
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Kumiko K Nobukawa
Kinki Daigaku
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Yuichi Otsuka
Nagoya University
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Atsuki Shinbori
Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University
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Takuya Sori
Kyoto University
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Chihiro Tao
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT)
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Makoto S Tashiro
Saitama University
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Yuuki Wada
Osaka University
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Takaya Yamawaki
Saitama Daigaku Daigakuin Rikogaku Kenkyuka
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Abstract

We present X-ray observations of the upper atmospheric density disturbance caused by the explosive eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai (HTHH) volcano on 15 January 2022. From 14 January to 16 January, the Chinese X-ray astronomy satellite, Insight-HXMT, was observing the supernova remnant Cassiopeia~A. The X-ray data obtained during Earth’s atmospheric occultations allowed us to measure neutral densities in the altitude range of $\sim$90–150\,km. The density profiles above 110\,km altitude obtained before the major eruption are in reasonable agreement with expectations by both GAIA and NRLMSIS~2.0 models. In contrast, after the HTHH eruption we found a severe density depletion at 500–1,000\,km away from the epicenter, and a relatively weak depletion extending up to $\sim7,000$\,km for over 8\,hr after the eruption. In addition, density profiles showed wavy structures with a typical length scale of either $\sim$20\,km (vertical) or $\sim$1,000\,km (horizontal). This may reflect gravity waves triggered by the volcanic eruption.
27 Aug 2024Submitted to ESS Open Archive
29 Aug 2024Published in ESS Open Archive