Denmark Strait hides the world's tallest waterfall undersea

The Denmark Strait, between Iceland and Greenland, hosts the planet's largest waterfall, the Denmark Strait cataract. This underwater marvel exceeds the height of the previously mentioned Angel Falls in Venezuela. The water in this underwater record-breaker plunges to a depth of 3,505 metres.

The Denmark Strait cataract stands approximately 2,000 metres high, twice as tall as the Venezuelan giant. This waterfall spans a width of 480 kilometres, and its waters flow at a speed of 0.5 metres per second (about 1.9 kilometres per hour), much slower than other waterfalls such as Niagara.

The cataract's formation dates back to the last ice age, approximately 17,500 and 11,500 years ago. This waterfall is pivotal in ocean circulation, transporting polar waters from the Greenland, Norwegian, and Icelandic Sea to the Irminger Basin.

Despite its astounding size, the Denmark Strait cataract is invisible from the surface and cannot be detected from space. As cited by the Live Science portal, Anna Sanchez Vidal from the University of Barcelona explains that the waterfall can only be detected through temperature and salinity mapping.

Experts note that the waters north of the cataract cascade down the slope. The upper part of the waterfall is at the surface, mixing with the water flowing north through the strait. At the same time, the lower half travels south along the seabed from Antarctica, entering a loop of ocean currents known as thermohaline circulation.

Although there are other underwater waterfalls, none are as large as the Denmark Strait cataract. Mike Clare from the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton points out that similar formations occur along continental margins but are significantly smaller.