Recent studies have revealed a significant number of volcanoes hidden beneath Antarctica's ice sheets, previously unknown to researchers. These discoveries, primarily made through remote sensing technology, highlight the need for further investigation into these geological features.
Concerns arise from the potential impacts of volcanic activity beneath the ice. An eruption could accelerate ice melt, while the melting ice may trigger volcanic eruptions due to the reduction of pressure exerted on the magma below.
The most well-known volcano in Antarctica is Mount Erebus, located approximately 40 kilometers from McMurdo Station, the largest research base on the continent. Mount Erebus is notable for its active lava lake, which has been studied for an extended period. Another volcano of interest is Mount Waesche, situated 1,500 kilometers away in Marie Byrd Land, where around 100 hidden, ice-covered volcanoes were recently discovered.
Researchers from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology have been studying Mount Waesche for over a decade, focusing on how the ice behaves in the region. Their goal is to understand the responses of both the ice sheet and the volcano to different climatic conditions throughout history.
Preliminary analyses of rock samples from Mount Waesche indicate it was active over 100,000 years ago. Unpublished data suggests that approximately 90% of the 50 identified eruptions occurred during periods with climate conditions similar to today's, when the ice sheet was thinner.