In September 2023, a mysterious seismic anomaly sent shockwaves through the scientific community. Unlike typical earthquake tremors, this signal, detected from the Arctic to Antarctica, was a persistent hum with a single vibration frequency, lasting an astonishing nine days. Initially dubbed an “Unidentified Seismic Object” (USO) due to its enigmatic nature, the source of this global tremor has now been revealed: a colossal landslide in Greenland’s remote Dickson Fjord.
This extraordinary event involved an immense volume of rock and ice, equivalent to the capacity of 10,000 Olympic swimming pools, crashing into the fjord. The impact triggered a mega-tsunami with waves reaching a staggering 200 meters—twice the height of London’s Big Ben. Alongside this colossal wave, the landslide set off a prolonged seiche, causing oscillating waves in the fjord that persisted for the entire duration of the nine-day phenomenon.
The landslide’s sheer scale was driven by the thinning of the glacier, a direct consequence of global warming. A new study published in Science sheds light on the unusual seismic signal, revealing that it was generated by standing waves within the Dickson Fjord, triggered by the massive rockslide. “Our research underscores the severe cascading effects of climate change on the Earth’s systems,” the study highlights.
Over the past decades, the glacier in Dickson Fjord has significantly lost thickness, weakening the supporting mountain structure. This instability ultimately led to the seismic disturbance that reverberated across the globe, showcasing a new dimension of climate change’s impact. This incident serves as a stark reminder that climate change is not only influencing weather patterns and sea levels but also significantly affecting geological stability.
As glaciers continue to thin and permafrost warms, scientists anticipate an increase in similar catastrophic events in polar regions. The Greenland landslide stands as a compelling example of how global warming is reshaping the planet, suggesting that future seismic anomalies and natural disasters could become more frequent as temperatures rise. This event serves as a powerful wake-up call, urging us to address climate change with urgency and decisive action.
