Atmospheric impacts from the water-rich Hunga-Tonga large-magnitude eruption

This PhD project will involve model experiments with the UK' s interactive volcanic aerosol composition-climate model UM-UKCA (Dhomse et al., 2020; Marshall et al., 2019; Dhomse et al., 2014). Model experiments to re-analyse the progression of the Hunga-Tonga cloud, and contrast with ash-rich sulphur-dominated case such as the 2014 Kelud eruption or the 1883 Krakatau eruption.

The CALIOP and MLS observing the separation of the Hunga-Tonga aerosol and water-rich layers, and UM-UKCA resolves the radiative, microphysical and dynamical processes that have determined the magnitude and longevity of its effects. The PhD project focuses on predicting the effects from future Krakatau-like sulphur-rich large-magnitude explosive phreatomagmatic eruption within the UK's Earth System Model (UKESM).

The UM-UKCA model used for this project has world-leading capability to represent volcanic impacts on climate, with well-resolved stratospheric circulation and dynamics, with the radiative-transfer module, interactive PSCs, aerosol microphysics, and chemistry schemes designed to resolve the water vapour influences. The studentship therefore has the potential for high-impact papers presenting Hunga-Tonga impacts on the stratosphere, climate and the Antarctic ozone hole.