Greenland, a place where climate change has left a deep mark, has just witnessed one of the largest glacial floods in history . For the first time, scientists from the University of Copenhagen have documented a natural phenomenon of great magnitude in the east of the island, when more than 3 billion liters of meltwater were suddenly released from Lake Catalina.
This glacial lake, which had been building up for years, released 3.4 cubic kilometers of water in a span of just a few weeks , between September 23 and October 11. The event, known as a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), occurred in the Scoresby Sound region and was one of the largest ever documented.
A rare phenomenon with devastating consequences
The overflow of this glacial lake, which has been described as one of the three largest in terms of volume, caused an impressive discharge of water: more than 7,200 cubic meters per second, which is twice the flow of the famous Niagara Falls in its peak season . This natural phenomenon , rarely observed, was monitored in real time thanks to satellite images, a crucial advance for researchers.
The danger from glacially dammed lakes is increasing due to global warming. These events can be devastating in populated areas, but the risk is even greater as climate change accelerates deglaciation.
“This is a very important step towards achieving this goal,” said Aslak Grinsted, a climate researcher at the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen.
Energy released comparable to a nuclear power plant
The energy released by this phenomenon is astonishing. According to Grinsted, the energy released by the overflow of Lake Catalina is equivalent to the output of the largest nuclear power plant in the world operating at full capacity for 22 days . This phenomenon demonstrates the enormous force that meltwater can generate.
Theoretically, this energy could have been used to power a small town . However, the infrastructure in Greenland is insufficient to take advantage of this resource.
Glacial flooding should not be underestimated
The increase in such events, partly driven by climate change, is affecting Greenland as well as other regions of the world. Although this flood did not cause damage in Greenland due to the low population density, the risk in other parts of the world is considerable.
In the Himalayas and other mountainous areas, glacial floods have devastated villages and endangered millions of people. According to a recent study , more than 15 million people worldwide live under the threat of such floods.
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Source and photo: University of Copenhagen
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