The eruption of the underwater volcano that took place yesterday (Saturday) near Tonga in the ocean, which caused tsunami waves about a meter and a half high to hit the islands belonging to the country and other island states such as Fiji and Nuato, has had a special impact on the world.
The huge shock wave generated by the volcano moved the layers of the atmosphere so much that according to the European Weather Measurement Organization Severe Weather Europe the shock wave swept across the continent of Europe within 15 hours of the eruption itself.
Measurement of the thrust at a distance of about 17,000 kilometers from the site of the eruption indicates that the rate of advance of the wave was about 1,100 km / h, quite close to the speed of sound (which stands at 1,234 km / h).
According to the Geological Survey of Israel, the shock waves were also received at the stations of the Israeli seismic network.
Tsunami waves hit Tonga following an eruption of an underwater volcano // Photo: From Social Networks, NASA
To understand the uniqueness of the explosion and the reason for its great impact, we spoke with Professor Oded Navon of the Institute of Earth Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who explained that "what was special and unusual about yesterday's eruption was the initial shock moment. "So they heard it in many places around the eruption area. The subsequent eruptions and previous eruptions during the last month and last month were no different from the patterns of ordinary volcanoes."
What happened yesterday that caused such a page?
"It needs to be examined in depth, but it may be because the volcano is close to the sea front. "One came out with enormous intensity from what we saw from satellite imagery and what was measured by barometers around the world. That is, the penetration of ocean water into its lava probably created a strong pressure bubble that caused the big shock wave."
Beyond the top, in Europe and other weather stations around the world, changes in the Earth's atmospheric pressure were measured.
"Many weather stations absorb amazing pressure changes of 3-2 bar units during the passage of several waves, an absolutely amazing event!", Read the Facebook page of the European Service.
The eruption of an underwater volcano near Tonga, Photo: AFP
Subsequently, surveyors and various weather services from around the world posted graphs of movements and air pressure in their areas and showed how the eruption was indeed felt and operated throughout the world.
A researcher from her father's island in Greece even remarked that "not only did one sound wave come from one side, but I measured the pressure and sound waves from both sides of the earth one after the other."
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