A recent study has revealed that a mega-tsunami triggered by a landslide in Greenland caused the Earth to vibrate for nine days. The landslide, which occurred last September, involved the collapse of a 1.2-kilometer-high mountain peak, resulting in water in the fjord below creating powerful waves that generated vibrations through the Earth’s crust.
Researchers, including scientists from University College London (UCL), attribute this event to the thinning of the glacier at the base of the mountain, a phenomenon linked to climate change. The researchers noted that this event, starting above Dickson Fjord in eastern Greenland, left them “completely baffled.”
Dr. Stephen Hicks, co-author of the study, stated, “This is the first time that water sloshing has been recorded as vibrations through the Earth’s crust, traveling globally and lasting several days.” He highlighted that, while seismometers typically capture various earth surface activities, the occurrence of a long-lasting, globally traveling seismic wave with a single frequency of oscillation was unprecedented.
The analysis of the event revealed the intricate connections between atmospheric climate change, the destabilization of glacier ice, movements of water bodies, and the solid crust of the Earth.
To illustrate how the water splashing continued for an extended period, researchers created a mathematical model reflecting the angle of the landslide. This model indicated that the water would splash back and forth every 90 seconds, generating vibrations that spread throughout the Earth’s crust and contributing to one of the largest tsunamis recorded in recent history.
The tsunami wave reached 10 kilometers across the fjord and initially rose to 110 meters in height, though it diminished to 7 meters within minutes, as estimated in the study published in the journal Science.