Researchers studied the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption and found that a rapid ~1 km caldera collapse over a 4 km width likely amplified its devastating tsunami. The findings suggest even relatively small underwater volcanoes can generate dangerous tsunamis, though scientists warn the dynamics of submarine caldera-forming eruptions remain poorly understood due to inaccessibility.
Background
The 2022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai eruption produced one of the most powerful volcanic tsunamis on record, killing at least one person and causing widespread damage across the Pacific. Caldera collapse mechanisms in submarine eruptions remain an active area of geophysical research.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Sep 23, 2026 at 07:15 PM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10