A massive underwater volcanic eruption on Earth shook the atmosphere all the way to space

an umbrella cloud generated by the underwater eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano on Jan. 15, 2022. (Image: NASA)

When a distant volcano erupted under the Pacific waves in 2022, nobody thought the sky itself would shudder. What started as a violent underwater explosion soon became a cosmic ripple, transmitting shockwaves far beyond clouds and weather—into space.

The undersea volcano, located in the South Pacific, exploded with such force that its plume soared over 50 kilometres high. That’s far above where planes fly and where most of our weather takes place.

Shockwaves That Reached The Edge Of Space

Scientists have now confirmed the eruption disturbed the upper atmosphere, where satellites orbit Earth. The findings were published in AGU Advances and explain how the volcano caused such a wide-reaching effect.

Researchers analysed satellite data and ran detailed atmospheric models. They investigated two types of waves: Lamb waves that move along Earth’s surface and secondary gravity waves, which spread upward after the first wave breaks apart.

An image from Jan. 16, 2022, shows the ash plume from the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption that occurred the day before. (Image: NASA)

Their results pointed to the gravity waves. These waves were stronger and faster and closely matched what satellites had recorded at the time.

A Rare Seismic Clue Before The Blast

Even before the eruption, the volcano gave off subtle signals. A low-frequency wave, known as a Rayleigh wave, was detected by seismometers 644 kilometres away. Although people couldn’t feel it, it hinted that something major was about to unfold.

Scientists now believe events like this one leave multiple early warnings—from deep in the ground to the edge of space. Spotting these clues in time could help in future eruption alerts.

Understanding Eruptions Beyond Earth’s Surface

This study is also a reminder of how surface events impact space. Today’s world depends on satellites for communication, navigation, and climate tracking.

If eruptions can reach that high, knowing how those waves travel could help protect the vital technology we rely on every day.