· ·

Elevated levels of sulfur dioxide across the SW Pacific and Australia

elevated-sulfur-dioxide-sw-pacific-australia-january-2022

Elevated levels of sulfur dioxide (SO2) are present across the SW Pacific and Australia after the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano on January 15, 2022.

Since the eruption, the volcano has been releasing huge amounts of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen, gases that create acid rain when they interact with water and oxygen in the atmosphere.

With Tonga’s tropical climate, there is likely to be acid rain around the country for a while to come, which could cause widespread crop damage.1

Acid rain comes from chemical reactions in the atmosphere among oxygen, water and sulfur or nitrogen oxides. When sulfur dioxide dissolves in small droplets of water in clouds, it reacts with the hydrogen and oxygen of the water to form a weak solution of sulfuric acid. Similarly, nitrogen oxides form weak nitric acid in water droplets.2

Since everything in an ecosystem is connected, if something harms one part of an ecosystem – one species of plant or animal, the soil or the water – it can have an impact on everything else.3

The Department of Environment in Fiji confirmed on January 18 that the Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) concentration in the atmosphere has increased overnight which could result in acidic rainfall over the Fiji group.

The U.N. humanitarian affairs office said Fiji was monitoring its air quality, and has advised people to cover their household water tanks and stay indoors in the event of rain.

On January 18, the highest amounts of SO2 were registered over NE Australia:

SO2 Total Column on January 18, 2022. Credit: Copernicus EU/Sentinel 5P, ADAM Platform

New Zealand's NIWA said that while some of the gas is in the atmosphere above Northland, it is expected to be blown away by a southerly change on Thursday, January 19.

References:

1 Explainer: Tonga’s volcanic eruption may harm environment for years, scientists say – Reuters

2 Does Acid Rain Have an Effect on Agriculture? – Sciencing

3 Effects of Acid Rain – EPA

Featured image: SO2 Total Column on January 18, 2022. Credit: Copernicus EU/Sentinel 5P, ADAM Platform

If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.

Share:


Your support makes a difference

Dear valued reader,

We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.

The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.

If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.

Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum.

Other support options include Patreon pledges, one-off payments using PayPal and purchasing products from our webshop.

Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Teo Blašković

$5 /month

  • Ad-free account
  • Clean user interface and fast browsing
  • Direct communication with us via chat and email
  • Suggest new features, content and applications
  • Early access to new apps and features

$50 /year

$10 /month

  • Ad-free account
  • Clean user interface and fast browsing
  • Direct communication with us via chat and email
  • Suggest new features, content and applications
  • Early access to new apps and features

$100 /year

$25 /month

  • Ad-free account
  • Clean user interface and fast browsing
  • Direct communication with us via chat and email
  • Suggest new features, content and applications
  • Early access to new apps and features

$200 /year

You can also support us on Patreon

support us on patreon

or by sending us a one-off payment using PayPal:


Commenting rules and guidelines

We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:

  • Treat others with kindness and respect.
  • Stay on topic and contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.
  • Do not use abusive or hateful language.
  • Do not spam or promote unrelated products or services.
  • Do not post any personal information or content that is illegal, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *