This study investigates anomalies in global ocean biogeochemical properties observed via satellite ocean color measurements following the 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcanic eruptions. A substantial decline in phytoplankton carbon concentrations was detected in multiple satellite datasets but not in in situ observations. The authors attribute these anomalies to errors in ocean color retrieval algorithms caused by increased stratospheric aerosols from the eruptions, which violate fundamental assumptions within the processing algorithms. The study highlights the potential for similar artifacts in future stratospheric aerosol disturbances, impacting our ability to accurately monitor ocean ecosystems.

Bryan A. Franz, Ivona Cetinić, Amir Ibrahim, Andrew M. Sayer