In an extraordinary turn of events, scientists have revealed that a landslide in a secluded region of Greenland triggered a mega-tsunami. This natural disaster oscillated within a fjord for nine days and sent vibrations through the Earth, creating a mysterious seismic signal that puzzled experts globally.
The source of the prolonged seismic activity was identified when a 1.2km-high mountain peak collapsed into the remote Dickson Fjord in eastern Greenland. This collapse generated a mammoth backsplash of water shooting 200 meters into the air and a 110-meter-high wave. Although the wave quickly diminished, its back-and-forth movement in the fjord continued for nine days, with the seismic vibrations being detected worldwide.
“This is the first time that water sloshing has been recorded as vibrations through the Earth’s crust, travelling the world over and lasting several days,” stated Dr. Stephen Hick, a co-author of the study conducted by researchers from UCL.
The landslide, unseen by humans, involved 25 million cubic meters of rock and glacial ice tumbling into the fjord. This colossal volume is enough to fill approximately 10,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The resulting wave, unable to dissipate its energy quickly due to the narrow and winding structure of the fjord, created a continuous seismic signal that resembled a low-pitched hum.
Detected on seismometers around the globe, these unusual tremors were first classified as a “USO,” or unidentified seismic object. It wasn’t until reports of a massive tsunami in northeast Greenland surfaced that scientists began piecing together the events that led to the mysterious signal.
Combining various data sources, including seismometers, infrasound sensors, field studies, satellite imagery, and tsunami simulations, an international team of 68 scientists from 40 institutions across 15 countries confirmed the source and cause of the disaster. Detailed mathematical modeling of the landslide’s angle and the fjord’s shape revealed that the water sloshed back and forth every 90 seconds, aligning perfectly with the global seismic recordings.
Researchers believe this landslide was triggered by glacier thinning at the mountain’s base, a direct consequence of climate change. As global temperatures rise, glacial ice melts, reducing the natural support for the towering rock structures above, leading to such catastrophic collapses.
Dr. Kristian Svennevig of the National Geological Surveys for Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), who spearheaded the investigation, noted, “We are witnessing a rise in giant, tsunami-causing landslides, particularly in Greenland.” The Dickson Fjord event, although unprecedented in scale, underscores the critical need for continued research and monitoring of such regions, which were previously considered stable.
Interestingly, despite the magnitude of the tsunami, the incident occurred in such a remote area that there were no immediate human casualties or damages reported. However, this fjord is occasionally visited by Arctic cruise ships, highlighting the potential risks.
This exceptional event has underscored the far-reaching impacts of climate change, not just on local geography but on a global scale. The vibrations from Greenland’s landslide were felt around the world, marking perhaps the first instance where a climate change event has had such a widespread impact on the Earth’s crust.
The researchers published their detailed findings in the journal Science, emphasizing the need for heightened vigilance and improved early warning systems for potential landslides and tsunamis in the future as the effects of climate change continue to unfold.