Stratospheric balloon observations of infrasound waves from the January
15 2022 Hunga eruption, Tonga
Abstract
The 15 January 2022 eruption of the Hunga volcano (Tonga) generated a
rich spectrum of waves, some of which achieved global propagation. Among
numerous platforms mon- itoring the event, two stratospheric balloons
flying over the tropical Pacific provided unique observations of
infrasonic wave arrivals, detecting five complete revolutions. Combined
with ground measurements from the infrasound network of the
International Monitor- ing System, balloon-borne observations may
provide additional constraint on the scenario of the eruption, as
suggested by the correlation between bursts of acoustic wave emis- sion
and peaks of maximum volcanic plume top height. Balloon records also
highlight previously unobserved long-range propagation of infrasound
modes and their dispersion patterns. A comparison between ground- and
balloon-based measurements emphasizes superior signal-to-noise ratios
onboard the balloons and further demonstrates their po- tential for
infrasound studies.