Current:Home > InvestFully preserved ancient river landscape discovered beneath Antarctic ice sheet-LoTradeCoin
Fully preserved ancient river landscape discovered beneath Antarctic ice sheet
View Date:2024-12-23 23:08:40
Global warming could reveal an ancient river landscape that has been preserved underneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet for million of years, according to a new study.
While a massive ice retreat on the continent has not yet touched the ancient landscape, that may soon change with project climate warming according to the paper, published Tuesday in Nature Communications.
MORE: It may be too late to prevent significant melting on West Antarctic ice shelf that includes 'Doomsday Glacier': Study
While ice has been present in Antarctica for about 34 million years, before then the continent it was comparatively warm, with a climate similar to modern-day southern South America, such as the Patagonia region in Argentina and Chile, says Stewart Jamieson, author of the study and who researches ice sheet behavior, long-term and landscape evolution at Durham University in the U.K. There is evidence that at one point, there was tropical vegetation, including palm trees, in Antarctica, Jamieson told ABC News.
Scientists recently discovered a large river-carved landscape in Antarctica that existed during that time, located in the Aurora-Schmidt basins inland of the Denman and Totten glaciers. The river would have drained out from the middle of the continent toward the coast between 34 million to 60 million years ago, at a time when other modern-day continents like Australia and India would have been separating away from Antarctica and the Gondwana supercontinent, Jamieson said.
The landscape, estimated to have been buried beneath the ice shelf for between 14 million to 34 million years, was found by using satellites and ice-penetrating radar.
Researchers knew a lot about the topography underneath the ice sheet prior to the development of this technique by flying planes equipped with radar to see the shape of the landscape underneath, Jamieson said. However, the planes can't fly everywhere, so there were large gaps in between where the planes have flown and have taken measurements, he noted.
MORE: Ozone hole over Antarctica grows to one of the largest on record, scientists say
The landscape consists of three river-carved upland blocks separated by deep troughs, which are only about 217 miles from the ice sheet edge, according to the study. These blocks were shaped prior to glaciation, when rivers crossed the region to a coastline that had opened up during the breakup of the Gondwana supercontinent.
As Antarctica began to cool slightly, small glaciers grew in the river valleys, Jamieson said. But then a large cooling event occurred, leading to the expansion of the growth of East Antarctica Ice Sheet, which grew to cover the whole continent, burying the river landscape beneath it, Jamieson said.
"When that happens, it's basically like switching on a freezer for our little landscape, and it kind of freezes it in time," Jamieson said.
The breakup of the Gondwana supercontinent also caused valleys to be formed between the upland blocks, before the uplands became glaciated, the researchers said.
MORE: Antarctic sea ice has reached a record low for the year, researchers say
The findings suggest that ice over the region then remained largely stable over millions of years, despite intervening warm periods. In the future, researchers hope to obtain samples of sediment and rock to learn more about the vegetation and ecosystem that existed while the river was active, Jamieson said.
However, climate warming could result in ice retreat into this region for the first time in at least the last 14 million years, according to the study.
While western Antarctica has experienced the most melting on the continent -- especially the so-called "Doomsday Glacier" that could raise sea levels by 10 feet if melted completely, the ice shelf located in east Antarctica contains the equivalent of 60 meters -- or nearly 200 feet -- of sea level rise, according to the study.
It may be too late to prevent significant melting in west Antarctica, even with the most ambitious mitigation efforts, according to a study released earlier this month.
veryGood! (8724)
Related
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Mixed Use
- East Palestine, Ohio, residents still suffering health issues a year after derailment: We are all going to be statistics
- Kentucky House panel advances bill to forbid student cellphone use during class
- Georgia Republicans push requiring cash bail for 30 new crimes, despite concerns about poverty
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Good Try (Freestyle)
- Andrew Whitworth's advice for rocking 'The Whitworth,' his signature blazer and hoodie combo
- Three reasons Caitlin Clark is so relatable - whether you're a fan, player or parent
- Kentucky House panel advances bill to forbid student cellphone use during class
- Bridgerton's Luke Newton Details His Physical Transformation for Season 3's Leading Role
- Tyla wins first Best African Music Performance award for Water at 2024 Grammys
Ranking
- 1 monkey captured, 42 monkeys still on the loose after escaping research facility in SC
- A bill that would allow armed teachers in Nebraska schools prompts emotional testimony
- Jury deliberations entering 2nd day in trial of Michigan school shooter’s mom
- Adult dancers in Washington state want a strippers’ bill of rights. Here’s how it could help them.
- Hurricane forecasters on alert: November storm could head for Florida
- Courteney Cox Showcases Her Fit Figure in Bikini Before Plunging Into an Ice Bath
- Stock market today: Asian shares are mostly higher, tracking gains on Wall Street
- The Book Worm Bookstore unites self-love and literacy in Georgia
Recommendation
-
John Krasinski named People magazine’s 2024 Sexiest Man Alive
-
Ship mate says he saw vehicle smoking hours before it caught fire, killing 2 New Jersey firefighters
-
Federal judge approves election map settlement between Nebraska county and 2 tribes
-
Model Poonam Pandey fakes death, says stunt was done to raise awareness on cervical cancer
-
New York races to revive Manhattan tolls intended to fight traffic before Trump can block them
-
Indiana senators want to put school boards in charge of approving lessons on sexuality
-
Chile wildfire death toll tops 120 as search continues for survivors around Valparaiso
-
Tom Holland to star in West End production of 'Romeo & Juliet' in London