Glacier melting uncovers hidden island in Antarctica
A team of scientists from the North American PolarTREC expedition discovered an island that is not on the maps in front of the Pine Island glacier.
The island, named Sif island in honor of the Norse goddess associated with the land, was discovered due to the melting of the glaciers around it, according to scientists quoted by the Europa Press agency.
(Credit: @houston-Wellner).
The American team, which studies the region, believes that the island and the mass of ice that still resists were part of the ice platform on the Pine Island glacier, a huge area of floating ice in Antarctica.
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According to the Spanish news agency, the discovery of the hidden island is further evidence of the retreat of Antarctic glaciers driven by global warming.
After being the first visitors, we can now confirm that Sif Island is made of granite and that it is covered by remnant ice shelf, and a few seals. Photos by CD Hillenbrand (BAS) and Laura Taylor (UH). @glacierthwaites @glacieroffshore @GAViglione #nbp2002 @BAS_News @UHEAS pic.twitter.com/dtWtdI95tL
— Julia Smith Wellner (@houston_wellner) February 23, 2020
We know very little about Antarctic geology
The island is only 350 meters long and is mostly made of granite, according to analyzes carried out by the team at the site.
"Antarctica's geology is so ice-covered, we really don't know much about it," said scientist Jim Marschalek of Imperial College London, UK, who participated in the investigation.
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"There aren't any other outcropping rocks [exposure of a rock to the Earth's surface] for almost 70 km in any direction, so this was a special opportunity," concluded Marschalek.
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