A research hostile expedition to Antarctica has reveal that beneath the vast area of meth in an ancient mountain cooking stove there is a trench , much deeper than the Grand Canyon . The research team represented several UK universities and was led by Neil Ross of Newcastle University . The findings were published in journal ofThe Geological Society of America Bulletin .
The team was perform a geologic surveyof the Ellsworth Subglacial Highlands , which is the remnants of a muckle range of a function , now encased in ice . This area is where theWest Antarctic Ice Sheetoriginated about34 million years ago during the tardy Eocene . Through study the characteristics of the chicken feed sheet of paper over such a long period of time , the researchers will hit information about what that Antarctic neighborhood look like when global temperature were much hot than they are now . This may also give clues about what it could look like in the futurity as the climate continues to commute .
Because of the intense Antarctic condition , enquiry is ordinarily only performed during the summertime season , which lasts six months . It have the team three time of year to fill in their survey of the highlands . In fiat to in good order survey the highland , the team used artificial satellite data and radar probes to peer though several kilometers of sparkler .
After all of the information had been hoard , the squad was able to locate where the West Antarctic Ice Sheet first originated . Features of the ice bed sheet , include thickness and behavior , were noted . They were also able-bodied to identify geological features of the ancient batch range that had been cut by glaciers , including confluent vale and fjords .
Stunningly , the squad also discovered what they have named the Ellsworth Trough . It is a vale trench that dunk down about 3 kilometers ( 1.9 miles ) . As a comparison , the deepest portion of the Grand Canyon is 1.8 kilometer ( 1.1 nautical mile ) . The trench is 300 kilometers ( 1,900 miles ) long , 25 km ( 15.5 statute mile ) wide , and the lowest point is 2000 meters ( 6500 ft ) below sea level .
Aside from monitor the receding ice as a record to the environmental wallop from increasing worldwide temperatures , wind author Dr. Neil Ross hail the discovery as a testament to the fact that there is still much to discover on Earth . There are still prominent region that have not been thoroughly explored and potentially many hidden gems like the Ellsworth Trough , waiting to be discover .
