Direct injection of water vapor into the stratosphere by volcanic eruptions

While theoretical studies show that water vapor (WV) can be directly injected into the stratosphere during a volcanic eruption, few observations of such a phenomenon exist. The Microwave Limb Sounder observed stratospheric injection of WV following the 2015 Calbuco eruption. Lower stratospheric mixing ratios exceeded 10 ppmv for a few days downwind of the injection location. Plume transport is confirmed by back-trajectory modelling. Due to the short duration and limited spatial extent of the enhancement, climatic impact is expected to be negligible. This letter provides spatiotemporal analysis of a volcanogenic pulse of lower stratospheric WV as it dispersed. The inferred mass of stratospheric WV from this eruption of 2 Mt and the rapid evanescence of the enhancement is similar to what has been observed for other eruptions, suggesting that injection by moderately explosive eruptions is not an effective mechanism for large-scale stratospheric hydration.