Ja well no fine, scientists have finally spotted the mega-tsunami that caused seismic waves around the globe in September 2023! Remember that weird seismic signal that repeated every 90 seconds for nine whole days? Turns out, it was a massive seiche – a standing wave – rocking back and forth in Dickson Fjord, Greenland.
Giant Landslides Triggered the Mega-Tsunami
According to the researchers, melting glaciers caused two gigantic landslides to crash into the fjord. These landslides created massive tsunamis that had nowhere to go, so they sloshed back and forth for days, reaching heights of nearly 8 meters! Can you believe it?
The original seismic signals were detected globally, but nobody actually saw the tsunami at the time due to the remote location of the fjord. It was like, if a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound? If a seiche forms in a Greenland fjord and no one is around to see it, does it shake the planet? Eish, the answer is YES!
Satellite Data Confirms the Seiche Theory
Now, thanks to satellite data, scientists have visual confirmation of this extreme event. Radar data captured while the seiche was happening confirms that it was indeed the cause of the global seismic signal. This is a game-changer for understanding these kinds of natural phenomena.
Dr. Thomas Adcock from the University of Oxford highlights the importance of this discovery: “This study is an example of how the next generation of satellite data can resolve phenomena that has remained a mystery in the past.”
This also shows the potential of new technologies, like machine learning, to help us better understand data from these events in the future. As climate change continues, we'll likely see more extreme events like this, so it's crucial to develop methods to study them. Hai man, nature is mos serious!
The Future of Ocean Observation
This discovery also highlights the value of satellite altimetry in studying fast oceanic processes and extreme events. Although there are still limitations in the data, like temporal sparsity, new approaches are helping scientists get the most out of it. This will help us understand unseen extremes caused by climate change in the future. So, next time you hear about seismic waves, remember the Greenland tsunami that shook the world!