PMEL in the News
La Niña is over. Scientists eye ‘rapid’ switch to planet-warming El Niño
An extended episode of the global climate pattern known as La Niña is over, and scientists suspect a “rapid evolution” to El Niño — known for accelerating planetary warming and inducing extreme weather — could occur this summer. Mike McPhaden is quoted.
Mega Tsunami from Mass Extinction Asteroid 66 Million Years Ago Shown in Simulation by Experts
A group of international experts, including representatives from NOAA, simulated a mega tsunami that is thought to have caused a global mass extinction event that also wiped out the dinosaurs. Experts believe that the asteroid strike on Earth 66 million years ago caused a mega tsunami. Modeling work by Vasily Titov is referenced.
One Year Later, a Tongan Eruption Is Still Reverberating
From tsunamis to vibrational waves to lightning storms, the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha‘apai explosion is still surprising researchers with superlative discoveries. Sharon Walker is quoted.
The Tonga Eruption Is Still Revealing New Volcanic Dangers
One year later, researchers are marveling at the power of the Hunga Tonga explosion—and wondering how to monitor hundreds of other undersea volcanoes. Sharon Walker is quoted.
Tonga volcano eruption blasted millions of tons of water into space
The eruption of the Hunga Tonga undersea volcano in the Pacific Ocean early this year was so powerful that it sent a massive plume of water vapor into space, according to research released Monday. A volcano launching water beyond the atmosphere had never before been observed by scientists. The research underscores the unusually violent nature of the eruption — and highlights the broader risks from undersea volcanoes. Sharon Walker is quoted from the AGU Press Conference held on Monday, December 12.