A massive landslide in a fjord in Greenland triggered a colossal wave that “shook the Earth” for nine consecutive days. The phenomenon was recorded in September of last year when seismic sensors around the world detected an unusual signal, prompting scientists to investigate its origin.
The landslide, involving a huge mass of rock and glacial ice, generated a 200-meter-tall wave in the sea. The wave remained trapped within a narrow fjord, moving back and forth repeatedly, which caused the vibrations detected globally.
According to researchers, such landslides are becoming more frequent in Greenland due to climate change. The melting glaciers, which help support the region’s mountains, are weakening the slopes, leading to events like this. The details of this phenomenon were published in the journal Science, showcasing the work of an international team of scientists in collaboration with the Danish Navy.
Stephen Hicks, from University College London, one of the scientists involved in the study, explained that the seismic signal initially recorded didn’t resemble a typical earthquake. “We called it an ‘unidentified seismic object,'” Hicks said. “It repeated every 90 seconds for nine days.”
Intrigued, scientists began discussing the puzzling signal on an online platform, and simultaneously, researchers in Denmark received reports of a tsunami in a remote fjord in Greenland. From there, they joined forces to solve the mystery.
Using seismic data, the team pinpointed the signal’s origin to the Dickson Fjord in eastern Greenland. Additionally, satellite images and photographs taken by the Danish Navy just before the event confirmed a large landslide in the area. One of these images showed a dust cloud in the region where the mountain collapsed, taking part of a glacier into the sea.
The scientists estimated that about 25 million cubic meters of rock – equivalent to 25 times the volume of the Empire State Building in New York – crashed into the water, generating a 200-meter “megatsunami.” Photographs taken after the event revealed a mark on the glacier, indicating how far the giant wave hurled sediments.
This event highlights the impact of climate change on the dynamics of Greenland’s landscapes and underscores the importance of continued monitoring in these regions, where large-scale phenomena can occur without being immediately noticed.
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