scientist have been analyze Antarctica forover a C , but details as basic as what it looks like beneath all that ice have largely remained a whodunit . Now , Eartherreports that a team of scientist from Denmark , Norway , the Netherlands , and the UK has put out the most comprehensive datum yet on the continent ’s subglacial topography near the South Pole .
As they describe in the journalGeophysical Research Letters[PDF ] , central Antarctica is base to three monumental canyons , one of which is deeper than the Grand Canyon and nearly as wide at some points . The investigator made the discovery by flying a sheet with radar over the South Pole , a spot that is n’t covered by imaging satellite . They expected to find stack beneath the crank shroud , but the expansive chasm they detect between the mountains came as a surprise .
Of the three canyons , two had n’t been document previously . The large , the Foundation Trough , measure 218 miles long , up to 22 miles all-encompassing , and 6260 feet abstruse , putting it up there with the major planet ’s most impressive canyons .
The uncovering are significant on their own , but the real aim behind the research is to well realize how the West and East Antarctic Ice Sheets will react to rising temperatures . Human - induce climate change has destabilized some of the continent ’s sparkler , and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet specially has beenslowly crumblinginto the sea . If patterns continue , the coastal glaciers supporting the massive ice sheets could founder , cause ocean level to surface a minimum of 10 feet . If this happens , the canon could be a major divisor in the speed and steering of ice flow from key Antarctica to the coast .
The event is n’t likely to happen in the near future , but further study of Antarctica ’s topography will allow scientist to better foreshadow when it might .
[ h / tEarther ]
