Antarctic ice-shelf calving triggered by the Honshu (Japan) earthquake and tsunami, March 2011

Kelly M. Brunt*, Emile A. Okal, Douglas R. Macayeal

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

52 Scopus citations

Abstract

We use European Space Agency Envisat data to present the first observational evidence that a Northern Hemisphere tsunami triggered Antarctic ice-shelf calving more than 13000km away. The Honshu tsunami of 11 March 2011 traversed the Pacific Ocean in <18 hours where it impinged on the Sulzberger Ice Shelf, resulting in the calving of 125 km2 of ice from a shelf front that had previously been stable for >46 years. This event further illustrates the growing evidence of ocean-wave impact on Antarctic calving and emphasizes the teleconnection between the Antarctic ice sheet and events as far away as the Northern Hemisphere.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)785-788
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Glaciology
Volume57
Issue number205
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2011

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Earth-Surface Processes

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