- SFG FRC 2027 | Program starts from 19th Dec. 2026 | Admissions open for Entrance Test Click Here to know more →
- Prelims Test Series (PTS) for Prelims 2027 starts 11th Oct. 2026 Click Here to know more →
- [Pre-order] Ethics Redbook 3rd Edition: Delivery starts from 10th October onwards Click Here to Read More →
- 21 Sept. | GS Advance Program (GSAP) for UPSC 2027 Mains starts from 11th Oct. Click Here to Read More →
What is the news?
A massive underwater volcanic eruption occurred in Tonga in the Southern Pacific Ocean. This has raised questions whether this volcanic eruption could cool the climate.
How does volcanic eruption cool the climate?
Volcanic Eruption releases several types of gases, steam and ash into the stratosphere.
One of the gases it releases include sulphur dioxide (SO2) which is of particular interest because of its global cooling effect.
This is because Sulphur dioxide from volcanic eruptions turns into sulphuric acid, which condenses rapidly in the stratosphere to form fine sulphate aerosols.
The aerosols increase the reflection of radiation from the sun back into space, making it harder for the sun’s energy to reach the Earth’s surface, which cools the climate.
Will Tonga Volcanic Eruption cool the climate?
In 1991, Mount Pinatubo volcanic explosion occurred in the Philippines. Pinatubo released about 15 million tonnes of sulphur dioxide into the stratosphere. The total mass of SO2 in the volcanic cloud was 20 Tg.
Due to this explosion, researchers recorded a 0.5 degrees Celsius (°C) drop in the average global temperature over large parts of the earth between 1992 and 1993.
On the other hand, the Tonga volcanic cloud contains roughly 0.4 teragram (Tg) of SO2. This means that the (Tonga) event appears unlikely to have a significant cooling effect on temperatures globally.
However, experts said it was still too early to draw conclusions as new data would emerge. Also, more eruptions were possible.
| Note: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report of 2021 had suggested that an explosive volcanic eruption could occur in the 21st century. This eruption could lower surface temperature and precipitation globally, especially over land, for one to three year. |
Source: This post is based on the article ‘Will the Tonga volcanic eruption affect the global climate?’ published in Indian Express on 18th January 2022.
