Greenland subglacial lakes detected by radar
Greenland subglacial lakes detected by radar
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DOI：
10.1002/2013gl058383
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发表时间：
2013-12-16
影响因子：
5.2
通讯作者：
Siegert, Martin J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Palmer, Steven J.;Dowdeswell, Julian A.;Siegert, Martin J.
冰下湖泊是南极冰盖基础水文系统的一个已确定的重要组成部分，但格陵兰岛没有报道过冰下湖泊。在这里，我们提出了机载无线电回声测深仪（RES）的测量结果，为格陵兰岛冰下湖泊的存在提供了第一个明确的证据。两个湖泊的面积分别为8 km和10km(2)，位于冰盖西北侧，距冰缘约40km，低于757 km和809m。格陵兰湖的环境与南极的冰下湖不同，它们位于相对较薄和较冷的冰层之下，这表明它们的性质和成因存在根本差异。讨论了湖泊由封闭系统中的古代咸水或新鲜现代开放水文系统的一部分组成的可能性，认为后一种解释更有可能。
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 similar to 8 and similar to 10km(2), are found in the northwest sector of the ice sheet, similar to 40km from the ice margin, and below 757 and 809m 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.