A recent study has revealed a remarkable seismic event caused by a massive landslide in Greenland, underscoring the profound effects of climate change on Earth’s geological systems. In September 2023, a mountain peak in an East Greenland fjord, towering 1.2 kilometers high, collapsed, unleashing a colossal tsunami that reached heights of around 200 meters.
The landslide, driven by melting glaciers that could no longer support the rock face above, resulted in a persistent tsunami that oscillated back and forth within the fjord for an unprecedented nine days. This prolonged wave action generated seismic vibrations that reverberated through the Earth’s crust globally, leaving scientists astounded.
Although the incident did not result in any casualties, it caused significant damage to infrastructure at a deserted research station on Ella Island, with losses estimated at nearly $ 2,00,000.
The study published in the journal Science, involved a team of 68 scientists from 41 institutions, including researchers from University College London and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The researchers used a combination of seismic data, satellite imagery and computer simulations to recreate the event and understand the unusual seismic activity. Their models demonstrated that the tsunami’s back-and-forth motion occurred every 90 seconds, closely matching global seismic recordings. “Our findings highlight how climate change is causing cascading, hazardous feedbacks between the cryosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere,” the authors wrote in the study.
Stephen Hicks, co-author from the University College London, said, “When I first saw the seismic signal, I was completely baffled. Even though we know seismometers can record a variety of sources happening on Earth’s surface, never before has such a long-lasting, globally travelling seismic wave, containing only a single frequency of oscillation, been recorded. This inspired me to co-lead a large team of scientists to figure out the puzzle.”
As climate change accelerates the melting of polar ice, similar large-scale landslides and their associated impacts could become more frequent, leading to new challenges for global infrastructure and safety.
“Climate change is shifting what is typical on Earth, and it can set unusual events into motion,” said co-author and seismologist Alice Gabriel, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California – San Diego, US.
(with agency inputs)
