Atmospheric analysis

A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing significant soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.

Tangaroa arrived at its next site located 70 km south-west of the caldera. In 2,350 m of water, it is one of the sites used to measure the thickness and composition of the eruptive material deposited on the seafloor.

The January eruption of the Tongan volcano Hunga Tonga – Hunga Ha’apai triggered tsunamis as far away as the Caribbean. NIWA scientists are onboard RV Tangaroa surveying the ocean around the volcano, working to understand the largest eruption of its kind since 1981 so they can help increase our knowledge about similar volcanoes around the world.

The crew of RV Tangaroa continues to map the seafloor on the deep northern and western slopes of the volcano, with the aim of identifying areas of morphological change of the seafloor caused by the January 15th eruption.

Today was a busy day on board RV Tangaroa, as we finished sampling at the site where the Tongan domestic communications cable broke over a distance of many kilometres during the Jan 15th 2022 Hunga Tonga - Hunga Ha’apai volcano (HT-HH) eruption.

RV Tangaroa completed its transit to the sampling site, CABLE BREAK WEST which lies at a depth of 1,920 m.

Samples are collected to understand how the seafloor geology, biogeochemistry and ecosystem health has been affected by the volcanic eruption.

A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing significant soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.

Once upon a time, long ago, massive glaciers covered our landscape. As they retreat, they leave piles of sediment and rocks behind called moraines that tell an important story of New Zealand's climate history.

Researchers are studying the moraines around Lake Tennyson to work out why and when the glaciers disappeared.

You’ll be blown away by what these women in science are up to onboard this RV Tangaroa voyage to the Tasman Sea.

A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing significant soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.