The Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai eruption may have consumed its own methane, satellite data imply A towering plume rises from the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha‘apai eruption in this satellite image. Scientists detected signs that chlorine-driven reactions inside the cloud were breaking down methane in the atmosphere after the eruption. CIRA Staff This is a human-written story voiced by AI. Got feedback? Take our survey . (See our AI policy here .) A gigantic underwater volcano became a massive chemistry experiment that could help researchers quantify the success of tactics designed to tackle climate change.  In January 2022, the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai volcano in the South Pacific Ocean exploded with the power of several atomic bombs, launching a towering plume of ash, gas and seawater 55 kilometers into the atmosphere.…