Antarctic explorers from the Australian Antarctic Program are slowly uncovering the mysteries of the largest glacier in East Antarctica. The team of international researchers were deployed to the Totten Glacier near Casey Research Station to find out what is hidden beneath the ice. The researchers were looking to find whether the glacier sits on a bed of liquid water, bedrock of subglacial lakes. Antarctica’s Totten Glacier measures roughly 18.6 miles (30km) across and is up to 1.24 miles (two kilometres) thick.
In order to probe the ancient glacier, the researchers had to detonate a series of small explosives in the ice.
The explosions sent shockwaves through the ice, which bounced back from whatever was hidden under the glacier and were later picked up by specialist microphones.
Australian Antarctic Division glaciologist, Dr Ben Galton-Fenzi, said: “These explosions sent out sound waves, which then echoed off different layers in the ice and bedrock.
“We placed geophones along the surface of the glacier to listen to the reflected sound, giving us a picture of what lies beneath the ice.”
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The explosive study found a “substantial” amount of water hidden beneath the glacier in a series of interconnected lakes.
The water was determined to form a network of sub-glacial lakes, which likely affect the way the glacier moves.
According to Dr Galton-Fenzi, the speed at which glaciers travel is largely determined by what they move across.
He said: “If there’s bedrock under the glacier, it’s sticky and will move more slowly, but if there’s water or soft sediments, the glacier will move faster.
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“This study has shown us for the first time that there are substantial amounts of water contained in subglacial lakes, not far from the ocean, that we know very little about.”
The groundbreaking discovery will help scientists better understand the processes that lead to glacial water escaping into the oceans.
The water flowing in and out of these subterranean lakes likely has a great impact on the amount of ice entering the oceans.
Dr Galton-Fenzi said: “So this research is critical in helping us predict how the melting of Antarctic glaciers will change the world’s oceans into the future.”
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The Totten Glacier is the largest of its kind in East Antarctica but little is known about what lies underneath it.
By studying the lakes under the glacier, scientists including Dr Galton-Fenzi hope to learn how the frozen continent is susceptible to global warming.
The Antarctica expert said: “By understanding how much ocean is under the glacier we can then understand how susceptible they are to climate change.”
The research will also help researchers better predict future sea level rise.
The Totten Glacier has the potential to raise sea levels by a terrifying 22.9ft (seven metres) but more research needs to be conducted to understand these effects.