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An enormous old terrain, undisturbed for over 34 million years, has been found hidden under more than a mile of ice in East Antarctica.
The concealed landscape can be found in a distant area called Wilkes Land, which encompasses a section of East Antarctica about the same size as Belgium and situated well inland, away from the coast.
Using satellite data and ice-penetrating radar, scientists revealed that this ancient world, now sealed under ice, once featured rivers, forests, and possibly even palm trees.
Actually, pollen from palm trees has been documented before as discovered near the Antarctic region shoreline, offering compelling proof of an erstwhile verdant setting.
Experts reckon that the hidden terrain covers over 12,000 square miles, roughly equivalent to the area of Maryland .
"It’s akin to discovering a time capsule," stated Professor Stewart Jamieson, who is the lead author of the study at Durham University.
Millions of years ago, as the continents slowly moved, Antarctica began to drift towards the South Pole.
This action contributed to the creation of a strong sea stream. around the continent, isolating it from warmer waters. At the same time, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels dropped, cooling the planet.
These alterations collectively led to the development of huge ice sheets, turning Antarctica into the icy wilderness it is known as now.
The terrain beneath the East Antarctic ice sheet is more obscure compared to what we know about its surface. Mars As stated by Stewart Jamieson, the primary researcher of this study and a geography professor at Durham University,
"We are examining a specific section of this terrain closely to understand what it reveals about the development of both the landscape and the ice sheet," Professor Jamieson stated.
Researchers have discovered an impressive ancient terrain concealed under Antarctica’s extensive ice cover, exposing colossal ridges and profound canyons locked in ice for eons.
The research pinpointed three large sections of raised terrain, with each section extending from 75 to 105 miles in length and spanning up to 53 miles in width. These areas are divided by valleys that stretch about 25 miles across and drop almost 3,900 feet deep.
In contrast to numerous glaciers that wear down the landscape underneath them, the ice in this section of East Antarctica is remarkably frigid and sluggish, moving at a rate of less than 16 feet annually.
This gradual movement has kept the landscape remarkably intact. Experts call this phenomenon a 'cold-based' ice sheet, indicating that the ice is adhered to the ground and leads to little erosion.
"It’s striking how this landscape, concealed in plain view for numerous years, can reveal such significant insights into the early and prolonged history of the East Antarctic ice sheet," stated Neil Ross, a professor specializing in environmental geophysics at Newcastle University and one of the study's co-authors.
'It likewise aids our comprehension of how it could adapt as climate changes in the future.'
Scientists employed satellite images to identify slight protrusions on the surface and utilized computer simulations to track how the terrain has changed over periods.
Certain sections of the submerged landscape have elevated by up to 1,600 feet, gradually lifted due to the immense pressure from the ice above.
The conserved landscape provides a unique glimpse into Antarctica's ancient history, far predating when ice enveloped the region.
"What we discover is an old landscape surface that hasn’t been worn down by the ice sheet; rather, it seems as though it was formed by rivers prior to the arrival of the ice," explained Professor Jamieson.
In those days, the area probably included meandering rivers and lush woodlands, flourishing under a mild climate.
When the massive continent of Gondwana started breaking up, the moving tectonic plates formed deep crevices. These rifts probably divided the elevated terrain into separate blocks prior to the arrival of the initial ice sheets.
As time passed, the temperature dropped, leading to the formation of tiny glaciers that slowly carved out the valleys and shaped the terrain into the distinctive U-formations characteristic of glacial activity in mountains.
About 14 million years ago, the growing East Antarctic Ice Sheet covered the region with ice.
Even throughout subsequent warmer phases, like the mid-Pliocene epoch about 3 million years back, the area stayed icy-cold.
Even though the encircling ice might have thawed somewhat during those warmer periods, it was never to an extent that revealed the old landscape underneath.
This finding is crucial now more than ever, as our planet moves toward experiencing carbon dioxide concentrations and temperature levels akin to those during the ice-free periods of the past.
Should global warming persist, experts warn that sections of the ice sheet might ultimately withdraw once more. However, accessing this hidden terrain by boring through over a mile of dense ice would entail considerable duration, labor, and financial resources.
We will keep investigating the terrain, striving to complete areas where assessments are missing," stated Professor Jamieson, "and utilize this data to comprehend how the ice sheet and its foundational topography have evolved throughout their extensive history.
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