06 November 2024/Kiel. The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano in January 2022 released massive quantities of volcanic material into the ocean and atmosphere. Researchers from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel have investigated how this has affected surface water biogeochemistry in the South Pacific. During a GEOTRACES expedition, the team showed that large amounts of trace elements, including iron, were introduced into the ocean, fostering phytoplankton growth. This nutrient input could have a lasting effect on marine life and could increase the ocean’s capacity to sequester CO₂. The findings have now been published in the journal Nature Communications.