Scientists say that large rivers flow beneath the Antarctic
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British scientists discovered that rivers, size of major European rivers are at a depth of hundreds of feet beneath the Antarctic ice.
The discovery puts in check the theory that the lakes subglaciais developed over millions of years with autonomy, and that theoretically could harbor primitive forms of life, that would have evolved independently. According to some researchers suggest, if there are microbes in glacial lakes, could also exist in jupiteriana moon Europa or in underground lakes of Mars.
Another consequence of the discovery drill is to review in the deserts of Antarctic ice, with the intention of studying the lakes under the polar cap, where it is believed that there is life.
Previously it was thought water moves under the ice through slow infiltration. But the new findings show that cyclically the lakes beneath the ice cap "overflow", causing massive floods that travel hundreds of miles.
According Duncan Wingham, scientist in charge of the team of researchers responsible for the discovery, "the biggest concern is that delaying the drilling of the lakes is the fear that the equipment may include some microbes from the surface there. The models indicate that any contamination will not be restricted to one lake. "
Using the satellite ERS-2, the European Space Agency, ESA, the scientists measured with great precision the oldest layers of ice and the thick Antarctic continent and found changes in synchronized altitude areas, separated by up to 290 km. According to scientists, the only possible explanation for this change would be the existence of large flows of running water under the ice, and that transfer water from a lake to another.
The discovery of rivers subglaciais creates new speculation that the Lake Vostok, approximately 5,400 cubic km of water - enough to supply Sao Paulo(10 million people) by at least 5 thousand years - may have, historically, produced flooding large enough able to reach the mainland coast.
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