Science & Technology

Whole new island discovered in Antarctica

By T.K. Randall
March 1, 2020

Image: Antarctica - Petermann Island
Credit: W. Bulach / CC BY-SA 4.0 (adapted) Given that the typical view of the Earth's southernmost continent is a landscape of seemingly limitless ice as far as the eye can see, it's easy to forgot that there's a solid, rocky landmass underneath it all.

Over the last few years however, as global warming has started to take its toll, some of Antarctica's outlying islands have begun to emerge for the first time in several millennia.

One such example has now been documented by researchers with the Thwaites Offshore Research (THOR) mission who spotted a rocky outcropping in Pine Island Bay.Covering 634,400 square feet, the island - which has since been named Sif after the Norse goddess of fertility and family - is comprised mainly of granite and will help researchers better understand how the continent is shifting as the glacier that was previously covering the island continues to retreat.

"This one island could hold a lot of clues," said glacial geologist Lauren Simkins.

After being the first visitors, we can now confirm that Sif Island is made of granite and that it is covered by remnant ice shelf, and a few seals. Photos by CD Hillenbrand (BAS) and Laura Taylor (UH). @glacierthwaites @glacieroffshore @GAViglione #nbp2002 @BAS_News @UHEAS pic.twitter.com/dtWtdI95tL

— Julia Smith Wellner (@houston_wellner) February 23, 2020

Source: Tech Times

Tags: Antarctica