The loss of ice in Antarctica could increase the number and magnitude of subglacial eruptions on the continent, which in turn would accelerate the melting of frozen masses in the region. The phenomenon has been reported in new research that warns about the impacts that this possible climate feedback cycle would have on the ecosystem.
Antarctica is divided from east to west by the Transantarctic Mountains. It is a region that is home to a large volcanic field, which is commonly associated with Mount Erebus and its characteristic lava lake. However, it is estimated that in the region there are at least 100 more volcanoes grouped along the western coast. Many of these geological structures lie inactive several kilometers below the ice sheet. A team led by Allie Coonin, a researcher at Brown University, has discovered that these volcanoes could be activated by climate change.
Scientists carried out around 4,000 computer simulations to analyze how the loss of ice masses affects the volcanoes hidden under the region’s icy layer. The findings suggest that the melting of the immense blocks of ice reduces the pressure on the magma chambers below the surface. This causes the incandescent liquid to expand, facilitating the occurrence of eruptions.
A published study in the magazine Eos of the American Geophysical Union adds that magmatic deposits contain high amounts of volatile gases that usually dissolve in molten rocks. He explains that when the magma cools, these effluents are released quickly, causing a rapid rise within the magma chamber that can accelerate the onset of a volcanic emission.
Heat from subglacial volcanic eruptions causes ice to melt from deep within, further weakening the upper ice sheet. This process can trigger a feedback loop, where decreasing pressure on the volcano stimulates greater volcanic activity, thus aggravating the melting of the ice.
Melting in Antarctica
He Coonin work clarifies that these processes are slow and can develop over hundreds of years. Despite this, he warns that “the additional heat associated with these melt-triggered eruptions is not currently accounted for in models of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, despite its potential to disrupt the mass balance of the ice sheet.” surface and basal slip rate of an already critically vulnerable ice sheet.” The Brown University specialist assures that it is necessary to expand research to determine whether other forms of glaciovolcanic feedback will amplify ice loss in Antarctica.
The melting of ice in Antarctica is one of the most visible effects of climate change. The World Meteorological Organization estimates that more than 90% of the world’s oceans experienced heat waves at some point last year. The effects were especially visible in the global set of reference glaciers. The group suffered the largest ice loss ever certified since 1950. “Antarctic sea ice extent was the lowest ever recorded, with a peak late-winter extent of one million square kilometers below the previous year’s record.” , points out the organization.
Experts warn that the trend will accelerate the rise in sea level, a phenomenon that has been considered a serious danger to humanity. The report ‘A New Climate for Peace’, commissioned by members of the G7, describes rising ocean elevations as “a threat to the economic and physical viability of low-lying areas, as land and coastal resources are lost.” gradually. “This can lead to social unrest, displacement and migration, as well as disagreements over maritime boundaries and ocean resources.”
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