A colossal landslide in Greenland, heightened by climate change effects, precipitated a staggering 650-foot “mega-tsunami,” setting off global reverberations that lasted for an unprecedented nine days. In a remote area, the disintegration of a gigantic segment of a mountain peak cascaded into the icy waters of Dickson Fjord, generating a 656-foot airborne water plume and a wave that towered to an incredible 360 feet.
The incident, unbeknownst to the human eye and occurring last September, was severe enough to slosh water back and forth across the fjord, creating vibrations felt worldwide, as discovered by a team including University College London scientists. It was this extensive movement of 25 million cubic meters of rock and ice—the equivalent of 10,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools—falling into the fjord that puzzled researchers, who initially identified the phenomenon in seismic data as a USO (Unidentified Seismic Object).
The impact was not just geological but had potential harmful implications for human safety. Although no tourist cruise ships were in proximity at the time, the event’s location along a popular cruise route hinted at a catastrophic potential had any been present. The wave, spanning six miles of the fjord, diminished to 23 feet in minutes and eventually reduced to a mere few centimeters over subsequent days. However, it still managed to inflict damage on a research base 40 miles away.
A detailed mathematical model helped to explain the ongoing sloshing of the water, which perpetuated the global vibrations every 90 seconds, aligning perfectly with seismic recordings from around the Earth. The intricate relationship between climate change effects on glacier stability, water body movements, and geophysical events became vividly clear through this study.
An immense international collaboration of 68 scientists from 40 institutions across 15 countries led to the understanding of this extraordinary natural event. It underscored shifting environmental patterns due to climate change and the emerging potential for similarly unique and tremendous impacts. The research, a monumental interdisciplinary effort, highlights the intertwining of natural forces under the influence of environmental changes—a stark reminder of the potential intensification of geological catastrophes as climate conditions evolve.
#ClimateChange #Greenland #Tsunami #Seismology #EnvironmentalScience #Glaciers #NaturalDisasters
