Continents lost under Antarctica revealed by old satellite data

Under the millions of square kilometers of Antarctic ice, under the snow thousands of feet thick, land and rocks arise like every other continent. In fact, scientists now say they have discovered a collection of continents hidden under Antarctica dating back to millions of years ago.

Researchers from the University of Kiel in Germany and the British Antarctic Survey who made this surprising discovery rely on data from the European Space Agency's GOCE satellite. GOCE was a simple satellite measuring the gravitational attraction of the Earth as it circled the planet. By measuring exactly where Earth's gravity was highest and lowest, scientists were able to paint a clear picture of the structure and composition of the planet beneath the surface.

"These gravimetric images revolutionize our ability to study the least understood continent of the planet, the Antarctic," said author of the study, Fausto Ferraccioli, in a press release.

With the help of data from this satellite, the researchers examined the Antarctic under ice. They discovered geological structures called cratons, which are the central regions of most tectonic plates. They also found orogens, which are folded regions of plates that are the precursors of mountain ranges. By studying the amount of cratons and orogens, researchers can compare continental plates beneath Antarctica with other regions of the world.

University of Kiel / BAS

For example, East Antarctica is a patchwork of old cratons and younger orogens. The researchers found similar structures in Australia and India. West Antarctica, on the other hand, has a finer and more homogeneous crust, closer to the southern tip of South America.

This new information tells scientists more about the formation of the Antarctic continent. More importantly, it tells scientists what will happen in the future. Antarctica is melting rather quickly, and knowing the underlying structure of the continent can tell us how it will happen and, hopefully, how it will eventually recover.

Follow-up experiments, such as NASA's GRACE mission, can provide even more detail on the lands beneath Antarctica and help scientists paint an even clearer picture of what is hidden beneath the ice. Hopefully, this data can help scientists save at least some of it.