(MENAFN) Chinese researchers have revealed that a tsunami triggered by the Hunga Tonga volcanic eruption in 2022 caused the collapse of the Drigalski ice tongue front in Antarctica. The research article, published in the journal Science Bulletin, stated that the powerful explosion occurred on January 15, 2022. The resulting tsunami travelled over 6,000 km before hitting the coast of Victoria Land, Antarctica.
Less than two hours after the tsunami arrived, a crack appeared in the front of the 140 km long Drigalski ice tongue section. A subsequent remote sensing image showed that an iceberg measuring about 45 square kilometers had apparently broken off from the front of the tongue. The researchers, from the School of Geospatial Engineering and Science at Sun Yat-sen University, believed that the effects of the volcano eruption could extend far beyond atmospheric disturbances and have a significant impact on the stability of ice shelves in Antarctica.
Previous studies of the impact of the volcano eruption focused on atmospheric disturbances, but the researchers revealed that the tsunami caused by the eruption can have far-reaching effects. The study provides detailed observational evidence and confirms the connection between the tsunami and the iceberg calving. Professor Cheng Xiao, from the School of Geospatial Engineering and Science, stated that the research implies the stability of ice shelves in Antarctica may be influenced by extreme events outside the polar regions.
The Drigalski ice tongue front has a thickness between 300 and 700 meters and has experienced two major calving events in the past 70 years. The recent calving event caused by the tsunami highlights the vulnerability of the Antarctic ice shelves to external factors. The research findings have important implications for understanding the impact of extreme events on ice shelves and the stability of the Antarctic ice sheet.
In conclusion, the research article published in Science Bulletin reveals that a tsunami triggered by the Hunga Tonga volcanic eruption caused the collapse of the Drigalski ice tongue front in Antarctica. The event highlights the vulnerability of the Antarctic ice shelves to external factors and has important implications for understanding the stability of the Antarctic ice sheet. The researchers' findings suggest that extreme events outside the polar regions can have far-reaching effects on the stability of ice shelves in Antarctica.
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