Large channels of meltwater snake beneath the ice in the Weddell Sea region of Antarctica. This water affects the speed of ice flow above and the melt rate of the ice when it reaches the ocean, having a direct role in the response of Antarctica to climate change.
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References
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This is a summary of: Dow, C. F. et al. Antarctic basal environment shaped by high-pressure flow through a subglacial river system. Nat. Geosci. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-022-01059-1 (2022).
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Hidden rivers under Antarctica impact ice flow and stability. Nat. Geosci. 15, 869–870 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-022-01060-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-022-01060-8