A 2014 lake hidden beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet suddenly began to drain, releasing 90 million cubic metres of water in just 10 days. The event was so powerful that it created a crater one kilometre deep and sent a surge of water upwards, splitting through the ice.
Researchers from Lancaster University were surprised by what they found downstream: 385,000 square metres of fractured and distorted ice, including enormous blocks 25 metres high and six square kilometres of scoured ice. This was not previously seen in this area before the flood.
Using high-resolution surface models and satellite data, the team studied the lake and flood event in detail. They discovered that meltwater can be forced upwards through the ice under pressure, rather than flowing from the surface down to the bed and out to the ocean.
The study reveals a new understanding of Greenland’s subglacial hydrological system, which is poorly understood. The findings raise questions about whether current models accurately capture the behaviour of the Greenland Ice Sheet under a warming climate.
As global temperatures rise, more meltwater events like this could happen, yet scientists still have much to learn about how they affect the future of our ice sheets. This discovery highlights the importance of continued research into the complex interactions between the Earth’s surface and atmosphere.
Source: https://www.discoverwildlife.com/environment/greenland-ice-sheet-flood