Greenland Landslide Unleashed 650-Foot Tsunami, Sending Seismic Pulses Worldwide for 9 Days
Updated
Updated · Earth.com · May 17
Greenland Landslide Unleashed 650-Foot Tsunami, Sending Seismic Pulses Worldwide for 9 Days
5 articles · Updated · Earth.com · May 17
More than 25 million cubic yards of rock and ice crashed into شرق Greenland’s Dickson Fjord on Sept. 16, 2023, generating a 650-foot mega-tsunami that scientists now say produced a global seismic signal for nine days.
Seismic stations detected smooth pulses every 92 seconds rather than a normal earthquake pattern because the wave set off a long-lasting seiche, with fjord water repeatedly rising and falling by roughly 8.5 to 30 feet.
Satellite images, field measurements and computer models from more than 70 researchers at 41 institutions traced the source to a fresh mountainside collapse and showed the surge rebounding through the narrow two-mile fjord.
The wave damaged about $200,000 of equipment at an empty research station, and scientists said no seiche had previously been tied to such a persistent worldwide seismic signature.
Researchers linked the slope failure to glacier loss that had weakened the mountainside, warning that Arctic warming and growing cruise traffic are increasing the need for satellite-seismic early warning systems.
Greenland's 9-day seismic 'heartbeat' was a first. What hidden disasters are now being uncovered by searching for similar past signals?
Following mega-tsunamis in 2023 and 2025, which other Arctic tourist routes are now at risk of imminent collapse?
As millions are invested in Arctic geoengineering, what are the unforeseen dangers of these large-scale climate interventions?
Greenland’s 2023 Dickson Fjord Landslide: The Climate-Driven Event That Shook the World for Nine Days
Overview
On September 16, 2023, a massive landslide struck Greenland's Dickson fjord, unleashing a powerful local mega-tsunami and creating a mysterious seismic signal that was detected around the world. This unique event captured the attention of scientists globally, leading to an international team of 68 experts who used seismic recordings, field measurements, satellite images, and computer simulations to reconstruct what happened. Their investigation revealed not only the immense scale of the disaster but also uncovered a very-long-period seismic signal, prompting new research into how such landslides can have far-reaching effects on our planet.