Greenland Mega-Tsunamis Caused Global Seismic ⁣Activity

​Updated June 3, 2025
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A year-long scientific inquiry has⁢ revealed the source of unusual seismic activity that⁤ rattled the globe for nine days in September and October 2023: mega-tsunamis in Greenland. Researchers, using satellite data, definitively ⁢linked massive ⁣landslides in Dickson Fjord too the strange tremors.

The Earth experienced minor⁤ tremors every 90 ​seconds during those events, baffling scientists who ruled out typical tectonic activity. Two studies‍ in 2024 suggested that enormous standing waves, or seiches, generated by⁢ landslides in East Greenland, ⁢were‌ the cause. These ‌waves sloshed within the fjord, triggering‍ small movements ‍in the earth’s crust.

thomas Monahan, a Schmidt AI in ​Science fellow at the University of Oxford, and his ‌team sought⁢ to confirm this hypothesis. Their ​findings,published ‍in Nature Communications,present the first direct satellite observations of these seiches,establishing a⁣ definitive link to the seismic anomalies. The study highlights the impact⁢ of climate change and the importance of understanding remote ⁤regions.

NASA’s Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite, ⁤launched in ⁢December 2022,‍ provided crucial data. SWOT maps water⁤ height across⁣ 90%‍ of the⁢ Earth’s surface using satellite altimetry, transmitting radar pulses and measuring their return time. Unlike conventional⁣ altimeters, SWOT’s advanced instrument captures high-resolution measurements of surface water levels, even in complex fjord ‌terrains.

“What we’re able‍ to get ‌is essentially an incredibly high-resolution snapshot of what the elevation of the sea surface is doing in ⁤these complex regions,” Monahan said.

By linking SWOT snapshots with⁢ seismic data from stations thousands ⁢of miles away, the researchers reconstructed the wave characteristics, ⁤even during periods without satellite ‍observation. They also excluded weather and tidal ‌conditions as potential causes,solidifying the connection between the seiches and the global ​tremors. The research underscores ‍the importance of monitoring ​remote regions to understand the global impact of climate change and seismic events.

Monahan explained⁤ that the waves originated from a warming glacier collapse.”This created ⁤very large⁢ landslides, which—when they struck the fjord—produced massive mega-tsunamis on the order of 200⁣ meters or 600 feet tall,” he said.

Monahan added, “This was the first time that a mega-tsunami of that nature had​ occurred in Eastern Greenland,” noting similar events ⁢on Greenland’s west coast. the phenomenon spreading to ‍other parts of the ice sheet “is concerning,” ​he said, indicating accelerating climate change in the ‌region. The⁤ study‍ highlights the global ‍impact of ⁢climate change and the importance‌ of monitoring remote⁣ regions for seismic ​activity and potential mega-tsunamis.

“I think what this study really emphasizes ‍is that—well, it ⁣sounds silly to ‍say—but climate change is a global phenomenon,” Monahan said.

what’s‍ next

Further research‍ will focus on predicting future mega-tsunami events and assessing their​ potential global impact,emphasizing the need ‌for continuous monitoring of vulnerable Arctic regions.