Vulkanutbrott förstörde oväntat metan efter utbrottet 2022

11 maj 2026

Rapporterad av AI

Forskare har upptäckt att 2022 års utbrott av en undervattensvulkan i södra Stilla havet utlöste en kemisk process som avlägsnade betydande mängder metan från atmosfären. Upptäckten, som beskrivs i en ny studie, visar hur vulkanisk aska och havsvatten kombinerades för att bryta ner den potenta växthusgasen.

I januari 2022 fick vulkanen Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai ett kraftfullt utbrott som skickade aska och havsvatten högt upp i stratosfären. Satellitdata avslöjade senare ovanligt höga koncentrationer av formaldehyd i plymen, ett tydligt tecken på att metan höll på att brytas ner under flera dagar. Forskare följde molnet i tio dagar när det rörde sig mot Sydamerika. Dr. Maarten van Herpen från Acacia Impact Innovation BV noterade att den kontinuerliga förekomsten av formaldehyd tydde på en pågående nedbrytning av metan under mer än en vecka.

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