The discovery of 138 volcanoes, 91 of them new, makes West Antarctica one of the densest volcanic zones on Earth and it's melting the ice from below.
In a discovery that fundamentally rewrites our understanding of the frozen continent, scientists from the University of Edinburgh have confirmed the existence of one of the planet's largest volcanic systems, buried miles beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
The research team, using a combination of advanced remote sensing techniques, has mapped a staggering 138 volcanoes hidden in the ice-locked region, 91 of which were previously unknown to science.
This revelation, pieced together from ice-penetrating radar, satellite imaging, and sophisticated bedrock mapping, has uncovered a hidden world of towering peaks. Some of these concealed volcanoes are colossal, soaring to nearly 13,000 feet (4,000 meters)—rivaling mountains like the Eiger in the Alps or Mount Rainier in the United States, all completely entombed in ice.
The discovery makes West Antarctica one of the most densely packed volcanic regions on Earth, comparable to the notoriously active East African Rift.
The Looming Threat: A Continent Melting from Two Sides
While most of these volcanoes are believed to be dormant, their mere presence is a cause for serious concern. The problem isn't necessarily eruption, but geothermal heat.
Like a hot plate set beneath an ice cube, this vast volcanic system is constantly leaking heat, melting the ice sheet from the bottom up. This process, known as "basal melting," creates a layer of meltwater that lubricates the base of the ice sheet, dangerously accelerating its slide toward the ocean.
This internal threat is compounding the well-known external threat. The West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) is already considered the most vulnerable part of the continent, as warming ocean waters are rapidly eroding its edges. Now, scientists must contend with a two-front battle: a continent being melted from above by a changing climate and from below by its own hidden fire.
The 10-Foot Question
The implications of this instability are immense. The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is a keystone of our global climate system, and it is perched precariously. Much of its ice sits on bedrock that is below sea level, making it inherently unstable.
If this region were to collapse, the WAIS alone holds enough water to raise global sea levels by nearly 10 feet (3 meters).
A 10-foot rise in sea level would not be a slow, manageable event; it would be a global catastrophe, redrawing coastlines, displacing hundreds of millions of people from cities like Miami, Shanghai, Mumbai, and New York, and rewriting global climate models.
Antarctica, long viewed as a silent, static, frozen world, is now emerging as a complex and geologically active frontier. This discovery confirms that its hidden volcanoes hold vital clues not only to the planet’s dynamic past but also to its uncertain future. The question scientists must now urgently answer is no longer if the ice is melting, but how fast this hidden furnace is accelerating the process.
Thế Anh
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