Antarctic ice, faster on water

2007/04/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Geologia
• Klima

Under the ice layer of Antarctica, liquid water has formed numerous lakes. There are more than 150, the largest -- and the most prestigious -- Lake Vostok, long known, but geologists are still discovering other lakes. Some American geologists have discovered the second and third largest of all time. And according to their measurements, the lakes accelerate the advance of the ice towards the sea.

Before reaching the area of the great lakes, the glaciers advance two or three meters in a year. After passing over the lakes, they can reach thirty meters annually. In some ways, liquid water causes the ice to slip and, therefore, it goes faster towards the sea. But experts do not know exactly how this process occurs. In fact, the international climate change analysis group has indicated in a report that it is important to investigate such processes.