A Domino-Fall That Started With Climate Change Caused the Earth to Vibrate With a ‘Donk’ for Nine Days Straight
A Domino-Fall That Started With Climate Change Caused the Earth to Vibrate With a ‘Donk’ for Nine Days Straight
Natural phenomena had unique impacts on the planet that announced their presence, either negatively or positively. Every movement on the surface was connected to the inner layers of the planet and its workings. A glacial landslide in Greenland triggered events like falling dominoes, according to Popular Science. The water in the fjord beneath formed a mega-tsunami, rocking back and forth with cliff fall. This movement awoke vibrations in the planet for nine days, recording an abnormal “donk” on the graphs. The magnanimity of surface tensions could have collided with the tectonic movements to cause physical disturbance from a natural event. The sudden vibrations confused seismologists in September 2023 when they occurred.
The study conducted by UCL researchers concluded that the movement of water caused an unusual and global seismic signal. The first event was the fall of a high mountain peak into the remote Dickson Fjord beneath it that resulted in the backsplash of water, according to the statement by UCL News. The water rose about 200 meters in the air and had a wave that was around 110 meters high. This tall wave extended across 6.2 miles of the fjord and reduced in height to seven meters in a few minutes. The researchers calculated that it would have fallen to a height of a few centimeters later. The team used a detailed mathematical model to record their findings.
Knewz.com noted that the angle of the landslide and the shape of the fjord, which was bent and narrow, were recreated. This helped demonstrate how the movement of water continued for nine days and caused the escape of energy. “It was a seismic signal we had never seen before. It was very exciting and gave rise to all sorts of wild suggestions about what it could be,’ stated Björn Lund, a seismologist at Uppsala University. The model was supported by the research of 68 scientists from institutions in 15 countries, as per the Deep Sea Reporter. They collaborated to peruse various data from field measurements, satellite images, and simulations.

Earthquake sensors around the world detected the seismic event caught on their radar, which also confused experts, according to The Guardian. The investigation narrowed down the cause for this event to global heating. Scientists were aware that the planetary-scale impacts of the heating could cause major landslides in stable regions. The occurrence of landslides and mega-tsunamis was initially documented in eastern Greenland. Arctic regions were affected by the most rapid global heating, while smaller seismic events were recorded in western Greenland, Alaska, Canada, Norway, and Chile. The site of the landslide was remote and empty; hence, damage was minimal.
"When we set out on this scientific adventure, everybody was puzzled, and no one had the faintest idea what caused this signal," commented study lead author Kristian Svennevig, a geologist at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), as per LiveScience. "All we knew was that it was somehow associated with the landslide. We only managed to solve this enigma through a huge interdisciplinary and international effort," they added. The unique aspect of this seismic detection was that its frequency oscillated with a 92-second interval between peaks, unlike earthquakes. This event was a testament to the unknown in the world that surprised us.
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