The mysterious hydrological phenomenon beneath Greenland’s ice puzzling scientists: Are “vertical” floods real?
hidden secrets that are just beginning to be revealed. A team of scientists has discovered: a subglacial water-induced flood that, instead of , made its way upwards, cutting through dozens of meters of ice and reshaping the icy landscape in a matter of days.
A hidden lake defying gravity
, is based on satellite data from missions like and . Researchers identified an unknown subglacial lake in northern Greenland that released, in just ten days, around 90 million cubic meters of water. The result was an 85-meter-deep crater and an eroded surface equivalent to six square kilometers.
, labeled as a “vertical flood,” contradicts previous ideas about how water circulates under the ice. Until now, and then to the sea, without reversing its path towards the surface.
Unexpected consequences for the future of ice
left visible scars on the ice sheet: deep cracks, uprooted ice blocks, and a deformed area the size of 54 soccer fields. According to Jade Bowling, lead author of the study, was not accounted for in models attempting to predict the future of Greenland’s ice.
warn that global warming could intensify these episodes, increasing the risk of subglacial lakes draining abruptly and altering the stability of the ice sheet. will be crucial to improve projections of the impact of climate change on the poles and sea levels.
