The 2022 Hunga-Tonga megatsunami: Near-field simulation of a once-in-a-century event
Science Advances
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Abstract
The Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai (HTHH) volcanic eruption in January 2022 generated catastrophic tsunami and contends for the largest natural explosion in more than a century. The main island, Tongatapu, suffered waves up to 17 m, and Tofua Island suffered waves up to 45 m, comfortably placing HTHH in the “megatsunami” league. We present a tsunami simulation of the Tongan Archipelago calibrated by field observations, drone, and satellite data. Our simulation emphasizes how the complex shallow bathymetry of the area acted as a low-velocity wave trap, capturing tsunami for more than 1 hour. Despite its size and long duration, few lives were lost. Simulation suggests that HTHH’s location relative to urban centers saved Tonga from a worse outcome. Whereas 2022 seems to have been a lucky escape, other oceanic volcanoes have the capacity to spawn future tsunami at HTHH scale. Our simulation amplifies the state of understanding of volcanic explosion tsunami and provides a framework for assessment of future hazards.
Suggested Citation
Purkis, S., Ward, S., Fitzpatrick, N.M., Garvin, J.B., Slayback, D., Cronin, S.J., Palaseanu-Lovejoy, M., and Dempsey, A., 2023, The 2022 Hunga-Tonga megatsunami: Near-field simulation of a once-in-a-century event: Science Advances, v. 9, no. 15, eadf549, 14 p., https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adf5493.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | The 2022 Hunga-Tonga megatsunami: Near-field simulation of a once-in-a-century event |
| Series title | Science Advances |
| DOI | 10.1126/sciadv.adf5493 |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue | 15 |
| Year Published | 2023 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | American Association for the Advancement of Science’s (AAAS) |
| Contributing office(s) | Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center |
| Description | eadf549, 14 p. |
| Other Geospatial | Tonga Archipelago |