Constraining electrification of volcanic plumes through numerical simulation

Technological improvements over the past decade have dramatically increased lightning detection from explosive eruptions worldwide. The underwater Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano eruption in January 2022 in Tonga produced more lightning than any storm yet documented in the modern satellite era. These observations of volcanic lightning capture the imagination of the public and provide novel ways to monitor explosive hazards in near real time. In this presentation, we present the first results from the numerical simulation of the electrification of a volcanic plume using the volcanic plume model ATHAM. The electrification mechanisms of fracto-emission and triboelectrification along with the macroscopical transport of the charge carrying plume components have been modelled in ATHAM to make this the first numerical model to quantify volcanic electrification. We also present first results of discrete lightning discharges which are diagnosed as continuous branching regions defined by local net charge density and electric potential. 

The enhanced modelling capability of ATHAM opens new routes into the study of explosive eruptions and nowcasting of volcanic ash hazards for aviation and downwind communities.