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Were Train, Slow Down and Julia made by icebergs grounding on the seafloor?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·Part of What made the loud unidentified sounds recorded by NOAA's Pacific hydrophones in the 1990s?·3 answers·0·0 following
Most likely: all three were produced by large icebergs settling on or dragging across the seafloorAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

Where it stands

Three answers have been proposed. All three were produced by large icebergs settling on or dragging across the seafloor. leads, with evidence 2 for, 1 against: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible.

Why it matters

NOAA assigns all three to iceberg groundings from their tonal or descending shape and bearings toward the Ross Sea and the Antarctic Peninsula⁠[1]⁠[2]⁠[3]. Grounding signals have since been studied with the iceberg in view, which gives a direct comparison⁠[4]⁠[5].

Answers 3

Evidence: 2 for, 1 against
Most likely
None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible
Evidence: none yet
Still possible

History

  1. Talandier et al.: grounded and drifting bergs produce long-range hydroacoustic signals catalogued in the southern Indian and…For: All three were produced by large icebergs settling on or dragging across the seafloor.
  2. Dziak et al.: iceberg A53a produced harmonic tremor while scraping shoals, recorded on nearby hydrophones.For: All three were produced by large icebergs settling on or dragging across the seafloor.
  3. Asked on this site
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