New insights into the 21 November 2000 tsunami in west Greenland from analyses of the tree-ring structure of Salix glauca

Buchwal, A.; Szczucinski, W.; Strzelecki, M.; Long, A.J.

Abstract

We test the application of dendrochronological methods for dating and assessing the environmental impacts of tsunamis in polar regions, using an example of the 21 Novem− ber 2000 landslide−generated tsunami in Vaigat Strait (Sullorsuaq Strait), West Greenland. The studied tsunami inundated a c. 130 m−wide coastal plain with seawater, caused erosion of beaches and top soil and covered the area with an up to 35 cm−thick layer of tsunami de− posits composed of sand and gravel. Samples of living shrub, Salix glauca (greyleaf wil− low) were collected in 2012 from tsunami−flooded and non−flooded sites. The tree−ring analyses reveal unambiguously that the tsunami−impacted area was immediately colonized during the following summer by rapidly growing shrubs, whilst one of our control site spec− imens records evidence for damage that dates to the time of the tsunami. This demonstrates the potential for dendrochronological methods to act as a precise tool for the dating of Arc− tic paleotsunamis, as well as rapid post−tsunami ecosystem recovery. The reference site shrubs were likely damaged by solifluction in the autumn 2000 AD that was triggered by high seasonal rainfall, which was itself a probable contributory factor to the tsunami−gener− ating landslide.

Citation

Buchwal, A., Szczucinski, W., Strzelecki, M., & Long, A. (2015). New insights into the 21 November 2000 tsunami in west Greenland from analyses of the tree-ring structure of Salix glauca. Polish Polar Research, 36(1), 51-65. https://doi.org/10.1515/popore-2015-0005

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 10, 2015
• Publication Date: Mar 25, 2015
• Deposit Date: Mar 13, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 25, 2015
• Journal: Polish Polar Research
• Print ISSN: 0138-0338
• Electronic ISSN: 2081-8262
• Publisher: De Gruyter
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 36
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 51-65
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/popore-2015-0005
• Keywords: Arctic, Greenland, Tsunami, Dendrochronology, Salix glauca, Plant colonization.
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1435363