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Discover the incredible Denmark Strait Waterfall, a gigantic and unique underwater waterfall, very different from those we know on dry land.
The largest waterfall in the world cannot be seen with the naked eye. Hidden beneath the icy waters of the Denmark Strait, between the Iceland and Greenland, this underwater formation surprises with its grandeur and environmental impact.
Its waters drop 11.500 feet (3,51 km), making it the highest ever recorded, even though its presence is completely invisible on the surface.
A submerged giant
With a main drop of about 6.600 feet (approx. 2 km), the waterfall of Denmark Strait is twice as tall as Angel Falls, in Venezuela, the largest waterfall on land.
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However, it does not have the same visual impact. Because it is submerged, the waters descend slowly, at a speed of 1,6 feet per second (0,5 meters per second). This is much lower than the 100 feet per second (30,5 m/s) of the famous Niagara Falls.
Historical formation and unique characteristics
The formation of the waterfall dates back to the last ice age, between 17.500 and 11.500 years ago, when glaciers carved the seabed landscape.
It crosses the Arctic Circle, channeling water from the seas around Greenland, Norway and Iceland into the Irminger Sea in the North Atlantic. This process is crucial to the thermohaline circulation, a global system of ocean currents that helps regulate the planet's climate.
The waters north of the falls reach about 1.300 feet (0,4 km) deep, but only the lower 660 feet (200 meters) flow into the cascade.
The upper layer remains on the surface and mixes with currents that flow northward. After leaving the Denmark Strait, the waters of the lower layer flow southward, reaching Antarctica.
The invisible beneath the waves
Despite its magnitude, the Denmark Strait Falls are completely invisible from the surface. Anna Sanchez Vidal, professor of Sciences marine sciences at the University of Barcelona, led an expedition to the region in 2023 and highlighted that, above water, conditions are common to the Arctic.
Only through temperature and salinity measurements is it possible to detect the presence of the waterfall.
Approximately 480 kilometers wide and extending 500 to 600 kilometers along the seabed, its colossal structure contrasts with its invisibility to those observing from above.
A comparison with other underwater waterfalls
The Denmark Strait waterfall is not alone. Mike Clare, a marine geosystems expert at the National Oceanography Centre in the UK, explains that there are other known underwater waterfalls, although none compare to this one in size.
Some formations called “knickpoints” have similarities to terrestrial waterfalls, but they are small compared to the underwater giant.
The immensity of the Denmark Strait waterfall highlights the wonders hidden at the bottom of the oceans, which, despite being invisible, play a fundamental role in the environmental and climatic balance of the planet.
I understand the purpose of a quick and superficial article to meet a demand for almost instant curiosities, but it could have links to more complete and detailed sources or at least references.
I fully agree.
I also share this thought.
Yes, there could be links to learn more. The article is very interesting and next time we could have the motivation desired by the author to subscribe and receive other articles… Right?
Waterfalls??? It's just the movement of water at the bottom of the ocean. Desperate journalism.
What a piece of **** news, ugh, what does a submerged waterfall have to do with this article, it's completely unrelated!