New Imaging Reveals Details of Hunga Caldera Collapse

Post‑eruption imaging of the Hunga caldera has revealed previously unseen details of its collapse, according to a new study released by a team of volcanologists. The research, which followed the 2021 eruption that produced a series of explosive blasts and a large ash plume, employed high‑resolution satellite radar and airborne LiDAR to map the caldera’s topography after the event.

The analysis shows that the collapse was more extensive than earlier models suggested, with a subsidence zone stretching over 4 km² and a maximum vertical drop of roughly 200 meters. The data also indicate that the caldera walls have shifted laterally by up to 150 meters, creating a new, irregular basin shape. These findings refine the understanding of the magma chamber’s dynamics and the structural weaknesses that led to the eruption.

The updated collapse model will inform future hazard assessments for the region, particularly for communities and shipping lanes that rely on the nearby island of Hunga. Continuous monitoring with the same imaging techniques is planned to track any further changes in the caldera’s morphology.