By The newspaper
06 Nov 2023, 00:47 AM EST
In a unique discovery, the world’s largest waterfall has been found beneath the waves.
Towering over any of its land-based counterparts, this underwater wonder stands at a staggering 2.2 miles in height, dwarfing even Angel Falls, the tallest uninterrupted waterfall on land, in comparison.
So where can you find this underwater giant? This spectacular wonder, aptly named Denmark Strait Falls, is hidden beneath the Denmark Strait, between Greenland and Iceland.
In the frigid Greenland Sea, water plunges into the Irminger Sea for a distance of more than 3 kilometers, creating a drop that far exceeds the height of Venezuela’s iconic Angel Falls. However, it’s not just the staggering height that amazes.
Denmark Strait Waterfall: Earth’s Hidden Giant
The Denmark Strait waterfall stretches an incredible 100 miles wide. In addition, it releases about 175 million cubic feet of water per second, an output equivalent to almost 2,000 Niagaras at its maximum flow.
This amazing underwater spectacle remained hidden until 1989, when it was finally discovered, revealing one of nature’s most remarkable secrets.
You may be wondering how an underwater waterfall is possible. It all comes down to temperature. Cold water is denser than warm water, and when the cold, southward-flowing waters of the Nordic seas meet the comparatively warmer waters of the Irminger Sea, a fascinating transformation develops.
The icy, dense water plunges beneath the warmer waters, cascading over a colossal drop on the ocean floor to create this formidable underwater waterfall, according to the National Ocean Service.
However, there is a worrying factor at play. Global warming represents a threat to this underwater wonder. As climate change accelerates, ocean temperatures are rising, causing greater influx of freshwater and less formation of sea ice. These changes collectively reduce the volume of cold, dense water flowing downward, potentially endangering the existence of the world’s largest waterfall.
Professor Anna Sánchez-Vidal, who is leading an expedition to investigate the Denmark Strait waterfall, emphasizes the environmental impact in a press release.
It mentions that the weakening of this oceanographic process, caused by factors such as the decrease in Tramontana days on the Catalan coast, has profound implications for climate regulation and deep ecosystems.
With the delicate balance of our natural wonders at risk, the future of the world’s largest waterfall remains uncertain.
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