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Establishment of Microbial Eukaryotic Enrichment Cultures from a Chemically Stratified Antarctic Lake and Assessment of Carbon Fixation Potential
Published on: April 20, 2012
Rapid discharge connects Antarctic subglacial lakes
Duncan J Wingham1, Martin J Siegert, Andrew Shepherd
1Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, Department of Space and Climate Physics, Pearson Building, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK. djw@cpom.ucl.ac.uk
Subglacial water beneath East Antarctica is actively discharging, with 1.8 km3 transferred between lakes in 16 months. This rapid drainage challenges existing models and highlights risks for subglacial exploration.
Area of Science:
- Geophysics
- Glaciology
- Hydrology
Background:
- Subglacial water systems beneath the East Antarctic ice sheet are crucial for understanding ice flow and glacial processes.
- Current knowledge of subglacial hydrology is limited, despite the widespread presence of subglacial lakes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate rapid water discharge events from subglacial lakes in central East Antarctica.
- To understand the implications of dynamic subglacial hydrology for ice sheet behavior and subglacial environments.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of ice-sheet surface elevation changes using satellite data.
- Interpretation of geodetic data to infer subglacial water transfer.
Main Results:
- Observed rapid discharge of 1.8 km3 of water over 290 km in 16 months.
- Evidence suggests subglacial lake systems are unstable and prone to periodic, large-scale flushing.
- Discharge events challenge assumptions of long residence times and slow circulation in subglacial lakes.
Conclusions:
- Subglacial lake systems exhibit dynamic behavior, with rapid discharge events being a common drainage mode.
- Periodic flushing of entire subglacial drainage basins may occur.
- Rapid water transfer poses risks of solute and microbe relocation and contamination for future in situ exploration.
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