Numerical investigation of iceberg-tsunamis with DualSPHysics

The process of ice melting is often accompanied by calving events, raising growing concern about calving-induced tsunamis, also referred to as iceberg-tsunamis (IBTs) [1]. Despite their potential impact, the generation mechanisms of IBTs remain relatively poorly understood. This study investigates IBTs generation in the geometry and bathymetry of the Wolstenholme Fjord, in northwestern Greenland, through a systematic parameter study.

Numerical simulations are performed using the open-source Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) code DualSPHysics v5.2.0. The model setup has been previously calibrated and validated against laboratory experiments reported in the literature [2]. Idealised solid ice blocks are first considered, with impact locations along the fjord, block dimensions, and volumes systematically varied to quantify how different calving failure mechanisms influence water displacement and near-field wave characteristics. Both falling and overturning calving scenarios are analysed within this framework. In a later stage, the assumption of a rigid ice block is relaxed by modelling the calving mass as deformable, allowing a first-order assessment of the role of ice fragmentation in wave generation. In a final phase, variations in glacier front positions, based on satellite observations and representative of seasonal advance and retreat, are also explored to assess its influence on wave generation.

If time allows, further validation of the numerical framework using observational datasets from the Italian MACMAP Project (A Multidisciplinary Analysis of Climate Change Indicators in the Mediterranean and Polar Regions) will be presented [3]. In particular, high-sampling sea-level measurements from the meteo-hydrometric station operating at Wolstenholme Fjord provide a valuable opportunity to compare simulated wave signals with observed calving-induced events. To enable this comparison, near-field wave features from DualSPHysics are coupled with the JAGURS software [4], which solves the two-dimensional nonlinear (possibly dispersive) shallow-water equations, allowing the investigation of wave propagation along the fjord up to the tide-gauge location.

 

 

 

[1] Heller, V., Attili, T., Chen, F., Gabl, R., Wolters, G. (2021). Large-scale investigation into iceberg-tsunamis generated by various iceberg calving mechanisms. Coast. Eng. 163, 103745, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coastaleng.2020.103745

[2] Liu, J., Heller, V., Wang, Y., Yin, K. (2025). Investigation of subaerial landslide-tsunamis generated by different mass movement types using Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics. Eng. Geol. 352, 108055, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108055

[3] Danesi, S., Salimbeni, S., Muscari, G., Guarnieri, A., Fratianni, C., Sensale, G., Zaniboni, F. (2023). Meteo-hydrodynamic data, Wolstenholme Fjord, Greenland PITUFFIK_METEO (Version 1) [Dataset]. INGV, https://doi.org/10.13127/pituffik/meteo_hydro

[4] Baba, T., Takahashi, N., Kaneda, Y., Ando, K., Matsuoka, D., Kato, T. (2015). Parallel implementation of dispersive tsunami wave modeling with a nesting algorithm for the 2011 Tohoku tsunami. Pure Appl. Geophys. 172, 3455-3472, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-015-1049-2