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Greenland subglacial lakes detected by radar
Author(s) -
Palmer Steven J.,
Dowdeswell Julian A.,
Christoffersen Poul,
Young Duncan A.,
Blankenship Donald D.,
Greenbaum Jamin S.,
Benham Toby,
Bamber Jonathan,
Siegert Martin J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2013gl058383
Subject(s) - geology , greenland ice sheet , ice sheet , groenlandia , ice stream , glacier , cryosphere , ice core , echo sounding , oceanography , physical geography , geomorphology , sea ice , geography
Subglacial lakes are an established and important component of the basal hydrological system of the Antarctic ice sheets, but none have been reported from Greenland. Here we present airborne radio echo sounder (RES) measurements that provide the first clear evidence for the existence of subglacial lakes in Greenland. Two lakes, with areas ~8 and ~10 km 2 , are found in the northwest sector of the ice sheet, ~40 km from the ice margin, and below 757 and 809 m of ice, respectively. The setting of the Greenland lakes differs from those of Antarctic subglacial lakes, being beneath relatively thin and cold ice, pointing to a fundamental difference in their nature and genesis. Possibilities that the lakes consist of either ancient saline water in a closed system or are part of a fresh, modern open hydrological system are discussed, with the latter interpretation considered more likely.