New map of Antarctica reveals hidden world of lakes, valleys and mountains buried under miles of ice

Scientists have mapped the rock beneath Antarctica’s giant ice sheet in unprecedented detail, revealing the hidden structures that form glaciers.

The ice sheet covers more than 5.4 million square miles (14 million square kilometers) and covers the mountains, valleys, lakes and basins beneath it, according to a new study published Thursday (January 15) in the journal Science.

This polar landscape beneath the ice has long been one of the least mapped planetary surfaces in the inner solar system, the researchers write in the study. Geological features shape how ice flows from below and sculpts the surface of glaciers, and a clearer picture of this process could help scientists predict how the ice will change in response to warming.

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However, much is unknown about the landscape beneath the ice, as ground and aerial surveys are difficult in this area. Scientists often extrapolate information between distant or irregular survey points, which can miss, for example, rock troughs that guide ice flow.

In the new study, researchers addressed this gap by combining high-resolution satellite images of the ice sheet surface with measurements of ice thickness and ice flow analysis based on the physics of how ice flows over bedrock. Scientists combined these data to create a continent-wide map of Antarctica’s topography beneath the ice.

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A new map of the land hidden beneath Antarctica’s ice shows the icy continent in unprecedented detail.

New topographic maps show details of previously unknown terrain beneath Antarctica, including details of hills, ridges, and even entire mountain ranges.

This extensive map reveals previously unknown or scientifically obscure features 1.2 to 18.6 miles (2 to 30 kilometers) beneath the ice sheet. For example, they could be remnants of landforms that predate the ice sheet, such as hundreds of miles of river channels.

The map also reveals sharp changes between upland and lowland topography, suggesting tectonic boundaries. In some areas, where previous aerial surveys had predicted a landscape of ancient ice-covered rivers, new maps actually identified deep valleys beneath.

This map allows scientists to observe how ice sheets have evolved and interacted with the underlying landscape. By visualizing the processes that affect these glaciers, we can improve ice sheet models and more accurately predict ice melt and sea level rise due to climate change.

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