The researchers did not understand what was going on in Greenland in September 2023. For nine days, surveyors all over the world picked up vibrations in the ground, so-called seismological activity. Now a recent research article in the journal Science has shed light on what happened. Consequences of climate change and the geographical conditions in the town led to an enormous tidal wave that washed over land, writes Danish DR. According to the researchers, the first wave was 200 meters high. She then sloshed back and forth inside the fjord, something that was therefore registered as vibrations in large parts of the world. But how can climate change lead to a tsunami? A domino effect A melting glacier is the triggering factor, according to the researchers. They found that the ice has become smaller and smaller in recent years. – It can be linked to climate change, which causes the glaciers to retreat in the Arctic, says Kristian Svennevig to DR. He is a researcher at the Danish Center for Geological Surveys, and one of the 68 researchers behind the article. The shrinking ice caused the mountain above the glacier to become unstable, and even with a landslide. The part that fell down was 600 by 200 metres. By comparison, Denmark’s highest peak is 170.86 meters high. There were no witnesses to the tsunami in September 2023, but a video from DR shows the area where it occurred. The landslide fell 1.2 kilometers into the elongated Dickson Fjord. Precisely the shape of the fjord contributed to the high waves. She ensured that the enormous forces were kept inside the fjord. The tidal wave splashed back and forth for several days before it subsided. This tsunami was therefore completely different from the one in the Indian Ocean in 2004, which killed 225,000 people. He was caused by an earthquake, which created low but powerful waves over a large area. Could have enormous consequences. The Dickson Fjord is located in a barren area east of Greenland. No one was therefore injured. However, if the tidal wave had occurred elsewhere, the situation could have been completely different. – In Greenland, people live along the coast, so if an incident like this happens in a populated area, it has catastrophic consequences. That’s what Brian Jensen, commander captain of the Danish Armed Forces unit in Greenland, tells DR. The tsunami occurred in a desolate fjord east of Greenland. This time it only went over one of the summer bases of the Danish navy, which the crew had just left. Probably not the last time Bølga still creates uncertainty among researchers. Although they now know what happened, the landslide and the subsequent wave came as a surprise. – The glacier is getting thinner, the mountain is collapsing and releasing this wave. In an area where we didn’t think these huge landslides could happen, says Kristian Svennevig to DR. Therefore, they also do not know how many tsunamis or landslides may happen to Greenland in the future. But the researcher is still certain of one thing: – The only thing I can say is that there will be more and bigger landslides in the future as a result of climate change. The glaciers are melting away Throughout history, most of Greenland has been covered by glaciers – but they are melting. A study published in the journal Nature in January showed that the Greenland ice sheet has melted about a fifth more than previously thought. Satellite images showed that 179 of the glaciers that were studied had shrunk significantly since 1985. 27 were about the same size, while one had grown slightly. Published 13.09.2024, at 14.19
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New research article establishes that climate change contributed to the 200-metre-high tsunami in Greenland – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
