Scientists amazed: Giant mysterious structure discovered under Antarctic ice

An international team of scientists has identified a previously unknown geological structure of continental scale beneath the East Antarctic ice sheet. It consists of a system of giant basins hidden under ice up to three kilometers thick, named the "East Antarctic Rift Province." This was reported by the Durham University press office.

It is reported that this geological structure includes several previously studied objects, such as the Wilkes and Aurora basins, as well as the basin containing Lake Vostok, the largest subglacial lake on Earth. Although they were studied separately in the past, it has now been confirmed for the first time that they are part of a single, interconnected system.

According to scientists, this structure was formed as a result of the radial rotational stretching of the Earth's crust, a process that gradually expanded from a central point, creating triangular basins. Researchers compare this system to an open palm, where the thumb remains stationary at the base while the other fingers spread outward. It is likely that this province formed during several tectonic stages related to the evolution of the supercontinent Gondwana and the subsequent separation of Antarctica and Australia.

This discovery is important not only for reconstructing the continent's geological past but also for studying the influence of subglacial topography on ice movement today. At the same time, it may serve to assess the stability of ice sheet regions that are most sensitive to climate change.