Under the ice of Antarctica, volcano

2008/03/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Geologia

Nature Geosciences has published a volcano that is still active under the ice sheet of western Antarctica. This is the first time scientists have detected the activity of a volcano under ice. To do this, they sounded the ice using radar and discovered a layer of ash produced by a volcano erupted 2,000 years ago. In addition to discovering it, thanks to the radar they have known other data of this eruption, such as the moment in which it occurred, the force it had and the surface occupied by the ashes. They say it was the most violent eruption in Antarctica in the last 10,000 years. It formed a large hole in the ice sheet, forming a layer of gas and ashes of about twelve kilometers.