Tsunami in Japan creates icebergs in Antarctica

Using radar images obtained by Envisat, the European Space Agency's (ESA) satellite, a NASA team was able to detect two new icebergs, the larger of which measures approximately 6,5 by 9,5 kilometers in surface area and is about 80 meters thick.

In March, the magnitude 9.0 Tohoku earthquake shook the north-central coast of Japan and triggered a tsunami of giant waves. These waves propagated across the Pacific Ocean, traveling more than 13 kilometers southward until they reached the Sulzberger ice cap in Antarctica, where they caused fractures that gave rise to immense masses of ice that began to float in the Ross Sea.

The waves were only about 30 centimeters high when they crashed against the Sulzberger ice cap, but their force was still enough to cause sufficient stress to the ice layer to break it in several places.

“These new findings in Antarctica demonstrate that satellite observations are essential for understanding the mechanisms and effects associated with natural disasters,” said Henri Laur, director of the Envisat project.

The information gathered by Envisat about the Tohoku earthquake was also widely used by scientists to create a detailed map of the deformed areas of Japan, just weeks after the cataclysm. The radar installed on the satellite can obtain images in all weather and light conditions, and these characteristics are fundamental, especially when exploring polar regions. Every day, Envisat captures images of Antarctica. They can be viewed for free. clicking here.