Secret Undersea Canyons Are Driving Antarctica’s Ice Melt, Shocking New Study Finds

Antarctica: The Giant Canyons of the Ocean Floor

Submarine canyons are some of the most spectacular geological formations on the ocean floor. Significantly, the canyons in Antarctica are larger and deeper than those in other regions of Earth, primarily due to the centuries-long action of polar glaciers and the immense volumes of sediment transported by the ice.

First-Ever Map of Antarctica’s Seabed

Scientists from the University of Barcelona (Spain) and University College Cork (Ireland) used cutting-edge calculations to map these underwater structures. Crucially, their work shows there are five times more canyons than previously believed. The team published their findings in the journal Marine Geology.

“Some of the submarine canyons we analyzed reach depths of over 4,000 meters,” explains David Amblàs from the University of Barcelona in the university’s press release.

The most spectacular formations reside in East Antarctica, characterized by complex, branched canyon systems.

Antarctic Canyons and Melt: The Hidden Key to Climate Change

The research unveils striking differences between the canyons of East and West Antarctica. The Eastern ones are more complex and branched, often forming extensive U-shaped systems. Therefore, this suggests they developed slowly under prolonged glacial pressure. In contrast, the Western canyons appear shorter and steeper, with V-shaped cross-sections.

“It was particularly interesting to see the differences between the canyons in the two main Antarctic regions, as this hadn’t been described before,” notes Riccardo Arosio from University College Cork.

This discrepancy solidifies the hypothesis that the East Antarctic ice sheet formed earlier and developed over a longer period than in other regions of the continent.

These undersea valleys play a critical role in oceanic circulation and global climate change. Specifically, they facilitate the exchange of water between the deep ocean and the continental shelf. How exactly do they do this?

Cold, dense water formed near the ice shelves descends through these structures into the deep ocean, creating the so-called Antarctic Bottom Water. This water mass is immensely significant for global oceanic circulation. Consequently, these features influence the climate of the entire planet.

Warming the Coast: Canyons and Ice Melt

The submarine canyons around Antarctica channel warmer water masses toward the continent’s coastline. This precise process is now identified as one of the key mechanisms accelerating the melting of coastal glaciers, thanks to Antarctica’s melting canyons. According to the researchers, the effects are global: they lead to rising sea levels and may completely alter current climate models.

New Climate Models Are Coming

Current models of oceanic circulation, used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), do not accurately represent the physical processes occurring within these canyons.

The discovery of these extensive undersea structures means climate scientists must urgently update their existing calculations and, thus, better predict upcoming changes.

“Therefore, we must continue to collect detailed bathymetric data in unmapped areas,” emphasize the researchers.

This will allow them to discover more canyons and, subsequently, increase the precision of climate predictions regarding Antarctic Canyons and Melt.

Read this article in Polish: To podmorskie kaniony Antarktydy powodują topnienie lodowców