Observing calving-generated ocean waves with coastal broadband seismometers, Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland

A groundbreaking study reveals that icebergs calving from Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland, generate ocean waves detectable up to 150 kilometers away, recorded via coastal broadband seismometers. These waves exhibit distinct spectral peaks, persist for hours without dispersion, and suggest the potential to stimulate seiches in both Ilulissat Icefjord and Disko Bay. The research integrates time-lapse photography, MODIS satellite imagery, ocean wave measurements, and seismic data, offering novel insights into the understudied oceanographic impacts of iceberg calving. This approach highlights the utility of land-based seismometers, such as those in the Greenland Ice Sheet Monitoring Network (GLISN), for advancing our understanding of glacial dynamics.

Amundson, J. M., Clinton, J. F., Fahnestock, M., Truffer, M., Lüthi, M. P., & Motyka, R. J. (2012). Observing calving-generated ocean waves with coastal broadband seismometers, Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland. Annals of Glaciology, 53(60), 79–84. https://doi.org/10.3189/2012/aog60a200