The images are not edited. They are the product of the volcanic eruption that took place in January by the underwater volcano Tonga. What we see, thanks to science technician Stuart Shaw, who is at Scott Base during the winter in the southern hemisphere, are the skies caused by the after-effects of a volcanic eruption.
Signs of the so-called afterglow effect have started appearing in New Zealand in recent months, created by remnant aerosols made mostly of sulfate particles. Experts believe that water vapor droplets also contribute to the stunning hues that color the skies.
Satellite data shows a large number of aerosols in the stratosphere between 15 and 24 kilometers from Antarctica, which were not present before the submarine volcano erupted.
“Stratospheric aerosols can circulate around the globe for months after a volcanic eruption, dispersing and bending as the Sun rises above or below the horizon, producing a sky glow of pink, blue, violet and purple hues. These are volcanic twilights with color and intensity known as ‘afterglows’, depending on the amount of haze and clouds along the path of the light that reaches the stratosphere”, commented the expert Nava Fedez of NIWA ( National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research).
The aerosols are mostly sulfate particles , but since this was an underwater eruption, there are also likely to be droplets of water vapor and sea salt in the mix.
“Nature never fails to put on a show in Antarctica, and it can be beautiful or destructive,” says Jordy Hendrikx, chief scientific advisor for Antarctica New Zealand. “These photographs capture the awe it inspires and, moreover, how connected our planet is. Antarctica is about 5,000 km from New Zealand, about 7,000 km from Tonga, but we share our skies.”
Reference: NIWA
