In September 2023, the scientific community was jolted by an extraordinary seismic anomaly that baffled researchers worldwide. 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 categorized as an “Unidentified Seismic Object” (USO) due to its mysterious nature, the source of this signal has now been identified: a massive landslide in Greenland’s remote Dickson Fjord.
This extraordinary event involved a colossal volume of rock and ice, equivalent to filling 10,000 Olympic swimming pools, crashing into the fjord. The impact generated a mega-tsunami with waves reaching a height of 200 meters—twice as tall as London’s Big Ben.
Alongside the tsunami, the landslide triggered a prolonged seiche, causing oscillating waves in the fjord that continued for the full duration of the nine-day phenomenon.
The landslide’s magnitude was driven by the thinning of the glacier, a direct consequence of global warming. A new study published in Science reveals that the unusual seismic signal was created 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 notes.
Over recent decades, the glacier in Dickson Fjord has significantly lost thickness, weakening the supporting mountain structure. This instability led to a seismic disturbance that reverberated around the globe, highlighting a new dimension of climate change’s impact.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of how climate change is influencing not only weather and sea levels but also geological stability. As glaciers continue to thin and permafrost warms, scientists anticipate an increase in similar catastrophic events in polar regions.
The Greenland landslide is 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.