Satellite images reveal relics of "lost continents" hidden under Antarctica

The European Space Agency (ESA) has discovered remnants of lost continents hidden under Antarctica for millions of years.

Satellite images reveal a chronology of ancient land mbades buried 1.6 km below the icy continent, reports the Daily Mail.

Scientists have said that these shots shed new light on Antarctica, "the least understood continent on Earth".

They used data from the long-deceased gravity field and Oceanic Circulation Explorer (GOCE), which plunged into the Earth after a fuel outage in 2013.

While the satellite has been out of use for five years, scientists continue to pour out a wealth of data collected on the gravitational pull of the Earth.

A team of scientists used GOCE readings to map tectonic plate movements of the Earth under Antarctica.

Their research has allowed them to spot hidden tectonic changes over the past 200 million years, providing new insights into Antarctic formation.

"These gravimetric images revolutionize our ability to study the least understood continent of the planet: the Antarctic," said co-author Fausto Ferraccioli, scientific head of geology and geophysics at the British Antarctic Survey.

"In East Antarctica, we see an exciting mosaic of geological features that reveal fundamental similarities and differences between the crust found under Antarctica and the other continents to which it has been attached until there are 160 millions of years. "

Scientists have combined GOCE readings with seismological data to create 3D maps of the Earth's lithosphere.

The lithosphere consists of the earth's crust and the melted mantle below the surface of the Earth. It includes mountain ranges, seabeds and rocky areas called cratons.

The cratons are the remains of ancient continents embedded in continents as we know them today.

The new readings have highlighted the breakup of Gondwana, a long-time "supercontinent" that was home to what is now Antarctica.

Although the landmbad split about 130 million years ago, the map shows that Antarctica and Australia remained linked 55 million years ago.

The study also revealed that the crust of West Antarctica was thinner than that of East Antarctica, which has a "family resemblance with Australia and India" .

Scientists hope to use their findings to examine the impact of the geology and continental structure of Antarctica on the melting of its ices.

Roger Haagmans, GOCE mission scientist, said: "It is interesting to note that the direct use of gravity gradients, measured for the first time with GOCE, leads to an independent new look at the Earth, even under a thick ice layer.

"It also provides context for how the continents may have been connected in the past before they split due to the movement of the plates."