Beneath the frozen surface of East Antarctica, formations hidden for millions of years are now influencing glacier movement. These discoveries could change our predictions about rising sea levels.
Topography beneath the Antarctic ice sheet.
Credit: open-access repository s-ink.org
An international team of researchers has identified, using radar data, a vast area of buried rocky plateaus beneath the ice. These formations, stretching over 2,175 miles (3,500 km), were shaped by rivers before Antarctica was covered in ice, when it was still connected to Australia.
These ancient landscapes are not neutral: they slow the advance of ice, unlike deep valleys that facilitate rapid flow. Understanding these effects is crucial for predicting how the ice sheet will respond to warming.
Published in
Nature Geoscience, this study shows that these fossilized landforms can stabilize certain areas of the ice sheet. Scientists are now considering drilling to analyze these surfaces in greater depth.
The Bunger Hills, an exposed fragment of an ancient surface buried beneath the ice.
Credit: David Small Why is East Antarctica so important?
The East Antarctic ice sheet contains enough ice to raise global sea levels by over 164 feet (50 meters). Its evolution in the coming decades is therefore a global concern.
Some areas appear more stable than expected due to these ancient plateaus. But others, more sensitive to temperature changes, could accelerate melting if the climate continues to warm.
These discoveries help refine climate models and more accurately anticipate risks for coastal regions.