American, British and French scientists discovered reservoirs, located under a shelf glacier.
In Antarctica discovered four dead lake, hidden in the West of the continent near the Amundsen sea shelf under the Thwaites glacier. Discover lake succeeded with the help of the satellite CryoSat–2.
Researchers found that from June 2013 to January 2014 water from these lakes was in the World’s oceans. This is due to the caving of the overlying the base of the glacier by meltwater.
It is noted that the total area of the ponds is 700 sq m. the Volume of liquid water that fall from them into the ocean is 3.5 km CC Maximum flow velocity, according to experts, was 240 cubic meters per second. This is the highest figure for processes of this kind in West Antarctica.
The study’s authors believe that the shallowing subglacial lakes occur at intervals of 20-28 years and 10% increases the speed of sliding of the Thwaites glacier (which is usually equal to around 11 metres with night) in the ocean, and also leads to a slight rise in Global sea level.
It should be noted that the results of the research confirmed the forecast, according to which Thwaites will slide into the ocean through 200-900 years.
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