Researchers developed the most detailed map yet of the landforms concealed beneath Antarctica’s ice sheet. The covering, which spans nearly 14 million square kilometers, constitutes the largest ice mass on Earth. Less is known about the bedrock lying underneath this than about territories on Mars and Venus, as observing through the ice is tremendously difficult.
The authors of the new study from the University of Edinburgh’s School of GeoSciences combined a novel mapping technique with satellite imagery. This enabled the identification of thousands of previously unseen subglacial hills and valleys, mountain ranges, and deep canyons.
Scientists detected features at depths ranging from 2 to 30 km beneath the ice surface. Among these are river channels hundreds of kilometers long, which might have formed prior to glaciation. The map also outlines abrupt transitions between mountainous terrain and lowlands, suggesting tectonic boundaries.
The investigation indicates that over millions of years, Antarctic glaciers sculpted the landscape into flat plains, plateaus, and sharp mountains. The new approach allowed for an unprecedented understanding of how these geological features are distributed across the continent.
To create the map, a charting technique called Ice Flow Perturbation Analysis (IFPA) was utilized. It allows for the determination of characteristic patterns on the glacier’s surface that emerge as ice moves over hills and through valleys.
Prior research demonstrated that uneven bedrock sections, such as hillsides and ridges, may impede the retreat of Antarctica’s ice cover. The fresh information will assist in more accurately modeling ice sheet movements, as well as future rates of sea level rise, reports Science.
It was previously reported that the Doomsday Glacier has begun to move. It restrains vast quantities of ice from entering the global ocean. Its melting will sharply and significantly elevate sea levels worldwide. Scientists from New Zealand organized an expedition to investigate the hazardous feature.
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