Scientists have produced the first detailed map of the last unexplored mountain range on earth, which was hidden under the thick ice of east Antarctica.
Research involving University of Edinburgh scientists shows that the Gamburtsev mountains, in the middle of east Antarctica, have a similar form and size to the European Alps, said a news release from the University on Thursday.
The findings shed light on how the climate in the region has changed, and offer some details about the timescale over which Antarctica's ice sheet formed. The site is also believed to mark the spot from which the ice sheet originated.
According to the study, the mountains were first eroded by water, then carved by glaciers, long before the Antarctic ice sheet came into being believed to be some 14 million years ago.
Scientists first realized the mountains existed over 50 years ago when a seismic survey indicated peaks in the area. The latest survey, using radar, surveyed a 30km by 30km area in detail and represents the first in-depth study of the mountain range.
The range has peaks higher than 2000m, surrounding a valley filled with ice 3km thick. The mountains feature crests, ridges, hanging valleys, and basins carved by glaciers -- features which are also found in the mountains of the Highlands or Snowdonia.
The research, published in Nature, was carried out by a collaboration involving the Polar Research Institute of China and the National Institute of Polar Research in Japan. It was part-funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and the Scottish Alliance for Geoscience, Environment and Society.
Professor Martin Siegert, of the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, said: "Until recently we knew more about the surface of Mars than we did about Antarctica. This is an exciting discovery, revealing a major mountain range in detail, and giving us lots of clues about how the climate in the region has changed, which is of valuable scientific interest."
Source:Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article