Hundreds of hidden glacial earthquakes detected at Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier
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A new study in Geophysical Research Letters reports more than 360 glacial earthquakes at Antarctica's Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers between 2010 and 2023. The events, detected using Antarctic seismic stations, were mostly absent from global earthquake catalogues. The findings reveal previously hidden seismic activity at the so-called Doomsday Glacier.
Key Facts
- More than 360 glacial seismic events were detected at Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers between 2010 and 2023.
- The events were found in two clusters near Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers, the largest sources of sea-level rise from Antarctica.
- Glacial earthquakes generate no high-frequency seismic waves, which delayed their discovery despite routine documentation of other seismic sources.
- Greenland glacial earthquakes vary with the seasons, occurring more often in late summer and becoming more common in recent decades.
Detection Method
The study used seismic stations located in Antarctica itself to search for signs of glacial earthquakes. Previous attempts relied on the worldwide network of seismic detectors, which may miss lower-magnitude Antarctic events. The search turned up more than 360 glacier seismic events, most of which are not yet included in any earthquake catalogue.
Thwaites Glacier Context
Thwaites Glacier is sometimes known as the Doomsday Glacier because its collapse could send sea levels rising rapidly. The detected events were in two clusters near Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers, which have been the largest sources of sea-level rise from Antarctica. Glacial earthquakes occur when tall, thin icebergs fall off the end of a glacier into the ocean and capsize, clashing violently with the mother glacier.
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Hundreds of hidden glacial earthquakes detected at Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier
