Scientific expedition in Greenland
The scientific expedition to the west coast of Greenland, led by dr hab. Mateusz Strzelecki within the framework of the project “GLAVE – transformation of paraglacial coasts by tsunamis” has ended. A group of scientists documented the effects of large sea waves on Disko Island and landslides on the opposite side of the Vaigat Strait.
Every year, tsunamis hit Arctic coasts, increasing the abrasion (destruction) of seashores and often posing a direct threat to human life. These waves can be caused by the calving of glaciers and the rotation of icebergs, whose combined surface and underwater heights sometimes reach several hundred meters. However, the largest of the waves occur as a result of landslides of rock masses on the mountain slopes surrounding the fjords and on their underwater slopes. These landslides are conditioned by the topography of the terrain, the geological structure of the subsoil and tectonic movements, but in a polar environment, the displacement of rock weathering is also facilitated by the increasingly deep thawing of the so-called active layer – the portion of the ground above the permanently frozen subsoil (permafrost). In this view, landslides and tsunamis are one of the visible effects of modern climate change. With the recession of glaciers, the degradation of permafrost and the reduction of the extent and frequency of sea ice, they are changing the way the environment functions and the landscape of the far North. The increasing frequency of extreme events of this type has become a challenge for local communities and the policies of Arctic states.
The topic of the transformation of the Arctic coastal landscape is the subject of a research project at the UWr Institute of Geography and Regional Development, funded by the National Science Centre, called “GLAVE – transformation of paraglacial coasts by tsunamis – past, present and warmer future” (NCN SONATA BIS 2020/38/E/ST10/00042). Its manager is Mateusz Strzelecki. Among the expected impacts of the research undertaken is the collection of information that will help prepare coastal communities for extreme events. The study area is the western part of Greenland, from where there are reports of the devastating and sometimes deadly effects of tsunamis.
On 24 July 2023, an interdisciplinary team of scientists set out for Greenland, carrying out a tight research plan for the next three weeks. The group, in addition to the leader M. Strzelecki, included A. Sobczyk (structural measurements of rocks, reconnaissance of beach sediments with GPR), J. Waroszewski (documentation of soil exposures), H. Marszałek (hydrogeological measurements), J. Kavan (mapping with UAV techniques), M. Szczypińska (remote sensing analyses) and M. Kasprzak (geophysical reconnaissance of the coastal zone). Their base became the yacht S/Y Ocean A with a very experienced in polar voyages captain A. Górajk. This was the only possible and also the best way of transportation, allowing work at designated sites. The yacht picked up scientists in the harbor of the Greenlandic city of Ilulissat and set off on a cruise around Disko Bay, facing the difficulties of navigating the Vaigat Strait (Sullorsuaq Strait). In this isthmus, icebergs carried by the sea current are stampeded, posing a constant danger to the vessel, especially during anchoring. Luckily the weather was good, no one suffered from seasickness.
The research group landed on sections of Disko Island’s coast where tsunamis were not found and on those beaches that were repeatedly affected by them. There was also an opportunity to observe the devastation caused by the 2000 tsunami in the mining town of Qullissat. The final stage of the work was the mapping of landslides on the opposite bank of the Vaigat Strait. Their niches reach the sub-peak parts of the mountains, which rise here to even more than 2,000 meters above sea level. On the way back, two Greenlandic settlements were visited: Saqqaq and Oqaatsut (Rodebay). Their population is engaged in fishing, working in local fish processing plants and, increasingly, in tourist services. Despite the scenery of colorful houses, it’s not an easy life. Take a look at a short photo report from the Greenlandic expedition. Soon there will be an opportunity to meet and discuss at the Alfred Jahn Cold Region Reseach Centre, being created in the building of the University Library in Wrocław. The Centre’s task will be to bring together scientists from various disciplines interested in polar, subpolar and mountain areas.
text: dr hab. Marek Kasprzak, dr hab. Mateusz Strzelecki
photos: dr hab. Marek Kasprzak
