Experts report that sometime within the next two decades, we can expect to witness a massive, catastrophic tsunami in Alaska. or, by Laura Arenschield, The Ohio State University. Thank you for taking your time to send in your valued opinion to Science X editors. The study was published in Geophysical Research Letters. National Park Service (2020, October 5) Fisherman Helps Scientists Track Outburst from Lituya. Sedimentology and geomorphology of a large tsunamigenic landslide, Taan Fiord, Alaska Abstract. Your feedback will go directly to Science X editors. ), "People are working on early-detection warnings, so if a landslide happens, people in nearby communities might at least get a warning," said Anna Liljedahl, an Alaska-based hydrologist with Woodwell Climate Research Center, and another co-author. Landslides can prompt tsunamis by sending massive amounts of dirt and rocks into nearby bodies of water. News. It caused a tsunami that inundated an area over 20 km 2, whereas the landslide debris itself deposited within a much smaller area of approximately 2 km 2. Alaskan Coast at Risk of Catastrophic Landslide and Mega-Tsunami by Grennan Joseph Milliken | May 29, 2020 Prince William Sound, a major fishing and recreational area on the south coast of Alaska, is at high risk of experiencing a landslide and tsunami of catastrophic proportions, according to a multi-institute group of Alaskan geoscientists. and Terms of Use. The lighter green areas along the shore indicate places where forests are younger than older trees (darker areas) that were not affected by the tsunami. Experts warn unstable mountain slope in Alaska poses landslide and tsunami risk, Two-dimensional superconductivity and anisotropic transport at potassium tantalate interfaces, Wood-eating cockroach couples take turns eating each other's wings after mating, Researchers explore using light to levitate discs in the mesosphere, Citizen scientists discover companion star of APMPM J2036-4936. Nov. 13, 2020 … Published: Dec. 30, 2020 at 10:41 PM PST. Click here to sign in with The ensuing splash reached more than 1,700 feet (530 meters) in … This site uses cookies to assist with navigation, analyse your use of our services, and provide content from third parties. Daanen said even though the bigger, previously known landslide isn’t moving as much right now, his team does think that it still has the potential to start moving again and become a bigger threat. By 2017, that toe was exposed, and butted up against the water in Prince William Sound. Medical research advances and health news, The latest engineering, electronics and technology advances, The most comprehensive sci-tech news coverage on the web. All rights reserved. Experts warn unstable mountain slope in Alaska poses landslide and tsunami risk. Piles of earth and rock following the 2015 Taan Fjord landslide and tsunami. When and if that massive landslide occurs depends on geology, climate and luck. Climate Change. Mr. Fountain is a science writer and the author of “The Great Quake,” about Alaska’s deadly 1964 earthquake. We do not guarantee individual replies due to extremely high volume of correspondence. There is a landslide and it is moving. This photo provided by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities shows damage from heavy rains and a mudslide 600 feet wide in Haines, Alaska, on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy Erste Fotos vom Eisberg A68a sind im Dezember 2020 veröffentlicht worden, berichtet Merkur.de *. A 2015 landslide at Taan Fjord, west of Yakutat, triggered a 633-foot tsunami near the landslide site, causing 35-foot waves at a site 15 miles away, according to DGGS data. Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Your opinions are important to us. A glacier that had held an Alaskan slope in place for centuries is melting, releasing the soil beneath in what can be described as a slow-motion landslide, researchers say. November 03, 2020. To comment upon the impact the tsunami might leave, experts cited examples of landslide-induced tsunamis in the past in Alaska and Greenland. Ongoing hazards. The tsunami could disrupt fiber optic service to parts of Alaska, the researchers noted—two of the five submarine fiber optic lines to Alaska run below Prince William Sound. Project term: 2016 to 2020 At least 24 large rockslope failures occurred in Glacier Bay National Park in SE Alaska since 1984, our colleagues Coe et al. The resultant rock avalanches cover areas between 5.5 and 22.2 cubic kilometers. In May 2020, a group of 14 scientists published an open letter warning that a landslide-generated tsunami is likely within 20 years and could happen at any time. Elena Suleimani. Photo: Ground Truth Trekking (CC BY-NC 3.0) Wild, Incisive, Fearless. Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Geohydrologist Ronald Daanen said this landslide is much smaller, but the tsunami it has the potential to create could be just as big. You can be assured our editors closely monitor every feedback sent and will take appropriate actions. Such a landslide happened in 2017 in western Greenland, prompting a tsunami that killed four people. Landslides from steep mountainsides into fjords have produced destructive tsunamis in the past (Bloom et al., 2020; Gauthier et al., 2018; Higman et al., 2018; Wiles & Calkin, 1992). And it is at a little bit higher elevation. And oil from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill still lingers in sediment in Prince William Sound, meaning it is possible that a tsunami could send that oil back into the environment. Experts warn unstable mountain slope in Alaska poses landslide and tsunami risk May 18, 2020 The world's biggest waves: How climate change could trigger large landslides and 'mega-tsunamis' ALASKA faces a 'mega tsunami' bigger than anything the world has seen in recent history if a slowly crumbling fjord suddenly collapses, scientists have warned. How earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, and glacial lake outburst floods have played out in Alaskan fjords. “If this would be a Norwegian fjord, and this particular mass would show this kind of movement, people would be alarmed, and they would probably evacuate,” Daanen said. “We definitely do not have a proper warning system,” Daanen said. “It is definitely not a small amount,” Daanen said. A melting Alaska glacier could trigger an unprecedented ‘mega-tsunami,’ scientists have warned. If the Sahara is caused by the Hadley cell, it should ring the Earth like the Hadley cell, surely? Landslide along Alaskan fjord could trigger tsunami Glacier melt is exposing a slope that could crash into the water, study shows Date: November 12, 2020 Source: Ohio State University Summary: For this study, researchers used satellite data to measure and monitor the size of the glacier that had covered the Barry Arm slope, and to measure the amount of land that had already been displaced, which is found to be directly linked to Barry Arm glacier's melting. Potential Landslides and Tsunami Hazards in Glacier Bay, Alaska Release Date: September 30, 2020 USGS landslide scientists recently completed an investigation that provides an initial assessment of areas where landslides could enter the water of Glacier Bay and generate tsunamis. The glacier retreated rapidly from 2010 to 2017, the researchers found. Dave Snider with the tsunami warning center says they are working on incorporating tsunamis triggered by landslides into the local warning system, however, he said the water level sensors won’t be deployed until spring. References & Resources. He said winter makes it more difficult to collect data. (2018) report. Daanen said the smaller landslide may not be as big, “but it is moving faster. This region has a long history of tsunami waves generated by submarine and subaerial landslides, avalanches, and rockfalls. Die Wellenhöhe bzw. These have produced … And it could cause a tsunami,” he said. Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. The damaged trimline is still imprinted in the forest. A landslide could happen at any time in Barry Arm.”. part may be reproduced without the written permission. Science X Daily and the Weekly Email Newsletter are free features that allow you to receive your favorite sci-tech news updates in your email inbox. "We are measuring this loss of land before the tsunami occurs," said Chunli Dai, lead author of the paper and a research scientist at The Ohio State University's Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center. 4. The slide is thought to be about 16 million cubic meters. by Bob Yirka , Phys.org Credit: CC0 Public Domain A group of 14 … The content is provided for information purposes only. Research findings show that the collapse would generate 11 times more energy and release 16 times more debris than the 1958 Lituya Bay landslide and mega-tsunami, which had a magnitude of 7.8, dropped 40 million cubic yards of … There is no evidence at this time to indicate a significant landslide failure is imminent or will happen … Lea Gardine. A landslide in Prince William Sound could trigger a large tsunami in an area sometimes frequented by hundreds of fishermen and recreational boaters, … “We don’t think that everybody should be evacuating, especially not if you have potentially 20 minutes of time before tsunami hits [Whittier]. Only July 9, 1958, an earthquake triggered a landslide in Lituya Bay, releasing an estimated 40 million cubic yards (30 million cubic meters) of material. The researchers modeled potential tsunami scenarios, and found that, if the land along that slope collapsed at once, the resulting tsunami would send currents between 25 and 40 meters per second—enough to cause significant damage to large cruise and cargo ships and fishing boats, as well as overwhelming kayakers, all of which frequent Prince William Sound. But there's also the possibility of a real landslide that could cause a devastating tsunami. While data shows the original, bigger landslide is slowly moving on again off again, the newly-discovered landslide looks to be moving at a concerning rate. Megatsunamis, eigentlich Impakt-Tsunamis, werden Tsunamis mit einer Wellenhöhe genannt, die deutlich über der von durch Erdbeben ausgelösten Tsunamis liegt. Landslides on slopes near glaciers generally occur when glacial ice melts, a phenomenon occurring more rapidly around the world because of climate change. FP Trending Oct 20, 2020 20:59:32 IST As the world continues to warm and ice trapped in glaciers melt, a lot of stones and mountains rocks beneath them stand to be exposed. But, he said Barry Arm is not a Norwegian fjord and the rocks are likely not the same. Subscribe. “But now that we have detect a smaller one, it basically is the same problem. “It is for sure going to generate a tsunami if it goes similar to the large landslide. Seismic stations were placed in September to monitor the original slide allowing data to be collected more often. An earthquake, prolonged rains, thawing permafrost or snowmelt could trigger one, the researchers said. Tsunamis caused by submarine (below water) and subaerial (above the water) landslides are a serious hazard in bays and fjords of coastal Alaska, particularly in Southeast and South-central Alaska. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form. If the entire slope collapsed at once, the researchers found, tsunami waves could reach communities throughout the sound, which are home to hundreds of people and visitors, including fishermen, tourists and members of an indigenous Alaskan group called the Chugach. Tsunami: 524 m (1,720 ft) runup: Casualties: 5: False-color Landsat 8 image of Lituya Bay, 2020. Climate change intensifies tsunami threat in Alaska As glaciers retreat and permafrost thaws, massive landslides threaten coastal communities. He said the newly discovered slide is on average about 750 meters above sea level. "This kind of research might help with building those early-warning systems.". Oct 19 2020, 8:34 ET; Updated: Oct 19 2020, 9:40 ET; AN UNPRECEDENTED 'mega-tsunami' could be caused by a melting Alaska glacier, scientists have warned. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1449240174198-2'); }); In a study published last week, scientists noted that the slope on Barry Arm fjord on Prince William Sound in southeastern Alaska slid some 120 meters from 2010 to 2017. They have settled on a specific rate of movement that prompts evacuations. Eric Mack. “There is a lot of speed that can be gained from all that rock,” he said. October 1, 2020 - by Tim Lydon. A slow-moving landslide of an entire mountainside in Alaska's Barry Arm area may generate a mega-tsunami if the land suddenly collapses into the narrow fjord. And it is right above a section of Barry Arm that is deeper.”. Using satellite data, we detect a large, slow‐moving landslide in Barry Arm, Alaska, and assess its hazard potential. Alaska and landslide tsunamis. Newly-discovered landslide in Barry Arm also has potential to create destructive tsunami, Roughly 8% of ConocoPhillips Alaska employees to lose jobs, Anchorage Market is moving to the Dimond Center this summer, Emergency order stops work on ConocoPhillips Willow project, Bipartisan Alaska House coalition may have a one-seat majority, Tourism official urges travelers coming to Alaska to continue getting tested for COVID-19, Defending Iron Dog champions Nick Olstad and Tyler Aklestad scratch in Unalakleet. Accessed November 24, 2020. If a landslide occurs, the resulting tsunami in Barry Arm could produce waves that are hundreds of feet high. For those landslides that enter fjords, the induced tsunamis are a significant hazard to coastal communities. Alaska is no stranger to landslide-induced tsunamis. Then, they built models to identify the potential landslide risk. Scientists estimate that a landslide at Barry Arm fjord could be about eight times larger than that Greenland landslide. The Lituya Bay tsunami was generated by a 39 million cubic yards (30 million cubic meters) landslide, triggered by a Magnitude 7.8 earthquake on the Fairweather Fault on the west side of Glacier Bay National Park. The land's "toe"—the bottom point of the falling slope—had butted against the glacier in 2010. Nicht nur in Alaska verändern sich die Gletscher, auch eine Eisfläche in der Antarktis ist bedroht. Landslides, tsunamis, and slope stability in Alaska. The fjord wall was once supported by Barry Glacier before it rapidly retreated leaving the masses sitting high above sea level. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties. “Basically, what we are saying is that the threat is still there. Small rockfalls were last detected by onsite Alaska Earthquake Center (AEC) seismometers in early October 2020. Published May 14, 2020 Updated May … Anchorage Daily News (2020, September 17) Mother of all jökulhlaups reported by commercial fisherman in Southeast Alaska. Landslides have set off giant waves elsewhere in Alaska during recent years. Despite this risk, most periglacial landslides have been detected only after the event. Scientists Warn Melting Alaska Glacier Could Soon Unleash ‘Mega-Tsunami’ October 21, 2020 News and SHTF Events. The concerned experts claim the catastrophic event could even happen within the next 12 months if melting ice triggers a landslide of unstable rocks. The Barry Arm is shrinking, and the slopes it's held in place could collapse. And if you move it a little bit, then you could lose that hold on the mass,” Daanen said. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. A recent string of massive landslides in Alaska and around the world bears the fingerprint of climate change. On 17 October 2015, a landslide of roughly 60 × 10 6 m 3 occurred at the terminus of Tyndall Glacier in Taan Fiord, southeastern Alaska. The data showed that, from 1954 to 2006, Barry Glacier thinned by less than a meter per year. That tsunami contributed to the deaths of two people. Melting glacier threatens to trigger a catastrophic tsunami in Alaska. These are some of the first measurements to quantify how the slope is falling there. "In Taan Fiord (Icy Bay, Alaska), a landslide that began moving slowly decades ago suddenly failed in October 2015. “We do our best, and we can do more.”. The magnitude 7.5 earthquake near Sand Point, Alaska, generated a tsunami, Scott Langley with the National Tsunami Warning Center said Monday afternoon. Potential Landslides and Tsunami Hazards in Glacier Bay, Alaska Release Date: September 30, 2020 USGS landslide scientists recently completed an investigation that provides an initial assessment of areas where landslides could enter the water of Glacier Bay and generate tsunamis. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Scientists say there is a second, newly-discovered landslide in Barry Arm that has the potential to create a destructive tsunami to areas around Prince William Sound, including Whittier, about 30 miles away. (A 2018 earthquake in Alaska did not trigger a landslide, the researchers noted. This pending landslide could spawn an enormous tsunami in Harriman Fjord, which is located some 60 miles from Anchorage, which is home to an estimated 291,000 residents. But after 2006, the melt rapidly increased, so that the glacier was thinning by about 40 meters per year. State and federal agencies are monitoring the slow-moving landslide 28 miles from Whittier, Alaska, in Prince William Sound that could fail and generate a tsunami. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Scientists say there is a second, newly-discovered landslide in Barry Arm that has the potential to create a destructive tsunami to areas around Prince William Sound, including Whittier, about 30 miles away. Accessed … “And I think that this smaller mass is a little bit more imminent because it is actually moving at a rate that is not sustainable for that rock landslide because rock is very unstable. Nach einem Vorschlag des Geologen und Tsunami-Forschers James Goff handelt es sich um Tsunamis, deren Wellenhöhe am Entstehungsort 100 Meter übersteigt.. Scientists previously discovered a larger landslide right next to the new one. Waves could reach 10 meters in the nearby town of Whittier. This document is subject to copyright. The concerned experts claim the catastrophic event could even happen within the next 12 months if melting ice triggers a landslide of unstable rocks. Norwegian scientists have more experience with this type of landslide. Copyright 2020 KTUU. “Landslide motion during the period June through September 2020 was less than a few inches, but between October 9 and October 24, eight-inches of downslope motion was detected.” During Thursday’s meeting, people were asked to please heed any posted warnings – for example, to avoid any activities in that section of Prince William Sound – and remember that nature’s warnings may be … Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no "If the slope fails at once, it would be catastrophic," said Dr. Bretwood Higman, a geologist with Ground Truth Alaska and co-author of the study.