Scientists discovered a massive flood of subglacial lakewater that burst through Greenland's ice sheet. This event is unprecedented and challenges existing predictions about the ice sheet's evolution amid climate change. Subglacial lakes are a relatively recent discovery, and their dynamics remain poorly understood. In 2014, a 278-feet-deep crater formed in a short period, releasing 23 billion gallons of water, equivalent to Niagara Falls at peak flow. The team aims to understand the frequency of such events and their impact on the ice sheet.
The existence of subglacial lakes beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet is still a relatively recent discovery, and - as our study shows - there is still much we don't know about how they evolve and how they can impact on the ice sheet system.
Over just ten days in 2014, they watched as a 278-feet-deep crater opened up across a 0.7-square-mile area, causing 23 billion gallons of water to flood out. According to the statement, that's the equivalent of nine hours of water gushing over the Niagara Falls at its peak flow.
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