Denmark Strait Cataract: World’s largest underwater waterfall discovered

The Denmark Strait Cataract, located in the underwater channel between Iceland and Greenland, has the distinction of being the largest waterfall on Earth. This submarine waterfall drops an astonishing 11,500 feet (3,500 m) from its peak to sea level. With a vertical height of 6,600 feet (2,000 m), it towers over Angel Falls, the world’s tallest land-based waterfall, at a little more than 3,200 feet (979 m). Despite its size, the Denmark Strait Cataract remains hidden beneath the waves and is undetectable from the surface.

Formation during the Ice Age

According to reports, this underwater phenomenon was formed during the last ice age about 17,500 to 11,500 years ago. Glacial activity in this area shaped the sloping sea floor, which now funnels cold water from the Nordic Sea into the Irminger Sea. This process contributes significantly to the thermohaline circulation, a global system of ocean currents.

In a publication in Live Science, Professor Anna Sánchez Vidal of the University of Barcelona said that although the effect of cataracts is invisible on the surface, temperature and salinity data provide evidence of its activity.

Scale and dynamics of waterfalls

The cataract extends approximately 300 miles (480 kilometers) across the width of the Denmark Strait. Reports from the National Oceanographic Center in Southampton indicate that the water flowed at a modest 1.6 feet per second (0.5 meters per second), a sharp contrast to the 100 feet per second (30.5 meters per second) velocity recorded at Niagara Falls. Is. Mike Clair, a pioneer in marine geosystems, previously described the slope as “relatively steep” in a Live Science interview.
The Denmark Strait cataracts serve as an important gateway for southbound polar waters. Its contribution to global ocean circulation underlines its importance, even if it lacks the dramatic scenes associated with terrestrial springs.