A dynamic saline groundwater system mapped beneath an Antarctic ice stream

Document Type

Article

Department or Administrative Unit

Geological Sciences

Publication Date

5-5-2022

Abstract

Shallow, dynamic subglacial water systems provide lubrication that facilitates the movement of overlying ice. But are these thin layers the whole story? Gustafson et al. show that the subglacial sediments beneath Whillans Ice Stream in West Antarctica are saturated with a mixture of fossil seawater and freshwater from the glacier (see the Perspective by Chu). This groundwater, extending downward for more than a kilometer, contains more than 10 times as much fluid volume as the shallow hydrologic system above and actively exchanges with it. Therefore, it has the potential to modulate ice streaming and subglacial biogeochemical reactions.

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This article was originally published in Science. The full-text article from the publisher can be found here.

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Journal

Science

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Copyright © 2022 The Authors

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