Global warming could cause tsunamis in some areas of glaciers through landslides caused by melting ice.
“The retreating glaciers are dramatically changing their environment, and in the case of Taan Fiord it was a major tsunami,” said Dan Shugar, co-author of the new study published in Scientific Reports.
A gigantic landslide over the glacier, which had been in sharp decline since the end of the 20th century, is at the origin of this phenomenon, according to the researcher.
Ice supports and limits both slopes: when it melts, the bedrock appears vulnerable, subject to a higher probability of landslides and landslides.
Satellite imagery showed how, before the landslide, the ground had cracked and slid as the glacier melted. Researchers were also able to analyze the sedimentary traces left by the tsunami. “We were able to map in detail the deposits left by the event, which will help better reconstruct where and when similar events have occurred, to allow us to better understand the risk,” said Dan Shugar.
