Landslide in Greenland Triggers Nine-Day Global Vibrations

Photo byRuben van WijngaardenonUnsplash

On September 16, 2023, a massive landslide in Dickson Fjord, located in the remote northeastern region of Greenland, set off nine days of seismic vibrations across the planet. (“A 600-Foot Tall Tsunami in 2023 Shook the Planet | theinertia.com”)

The unusual event caught the attention of seismologists worldwide’ They were initially baffled by the long-lasting, monotonous vibrations detected on sensors far beyond Greenland’s borders.

The landslide involved a colossal 25 million cubic meters of rock and glacial ice, which tumbled into the narrow fjord, displacing a vast amount of water and triggering a 200-meter-high wave.

The narrow, winding fjord effectively "trapped" the wave, causing it to go back and forth, generating seismic energy that traveled through the Earth’s crust. The vibrations created by the repetitive sloshing of water—referred to as a "seiche"—were so powerful that they were detected by seismic sensors around the world. (“A landslide triggered a 650-foot mega-tsunami in Greenland | cnn.com”)

“This is the first time that water sloshing has been recorded as vibrations through the Earth’s crust, traveling the world over and lasting several days,” said Dr. Stephen Hicks of UCL Earth Sciences. The seismic waves were unlike the typical patterns of earthquakes. Instead, they produced a single, continuous frequency that resembled a low hum. (“A rockslide in Greenland caused the Earth to vibrate | advancesciencenews.com”)

An international team of 68 scientists using a combination of field recordings, satellite imagery, and mathematical modeling uncovered the full scope of the event.

The landslide, triggered by the collapse of a glacier weakened by climate change, released enough energy to cause the global seismic signal. Satellite images revealed the mountain peak that had collapsed, and simulations reconstructed the mechanics of the tsunami and subsequent water movements.

Scientists are concerned that such events could become more frequent as glaciers continue to melt and weaken, leaving coastal regions and fjords vulnerable to similar landslides and tsunamis.