Scientists have developed the first comprehensive archive detailing the identity and morphology of 207 known subglacial volcanoes hidden beneath Antarctica’s immense ice sheet. The international effort, led by the Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC), marks a significant advancement in mapping the continent’s concealed geological landscape and assessing its influence on ice dynamics.
A Breakthrough in Polar Geology
The new continent-wide reference catalogue, named ANT-SGV-25, addresses a long-standing data gap by synthesizing existing scientific information into a unified framework. Led by researcher Cui Xiangbin of PRIC, the team collaborated with institutions including Zhejiang University, Fudan University, and the UK’s University of Exeter to create this foundational resource.
Implications for Ice Sheet Stability
Understanding these subglacial features is critical for climate science. “Subglacial volcanoes hidden beneath the massive ice sheet can alter subglacial topography, promote basal ice melting, regulate subglacial hydrological activity, and ultimately affect ice flow dynamics and the stability of the ice sheet,” explained Cui. Antarctica’s ice sheet, averaging over two kilometers thick, is vulnerable to such underlying geothermal activity.
Advanced Techniques Enable Detailed Analysis
Overcoming past limitations of poor data resolution, the researchers employed integrated datasets and computer vision techniques to extract precise morphological features of each volcano. They built a quantitative index system analyzing size, shape, and slope, which will support future studies on volcanic classification, origins, and their specific impacts on the overlying ice.