Blood Red Water Burst Through Antarctic Ice - Now Scientists Might Know Why
SlashGear • • science
Key Points:
- Taylor Glacier in East Antarctica exhibits a unique phenomenon called "Blood Falls," where iron-rich ancient brine bursts from beneath the glacier, staining the ice red due to iron oxidation upon exposure to air.
- A new study published in Antarctic Science captured the event in real-time in 2018, linking the sudden brine discharge to the glacier's surface sinking and slowing, alongside a corresponding cold dip in nearby Lake Bonney.
- Researchers concluded that pressure from the glacier's weight traps salty brine beneath it, which builds until it escapes through cracks in pulses, causing the glacier to settle and slow down as the supporting brine drains away.
- Previous studies revealed that liquid brine persists inside the glacier despite subfreezing temperatures due to its high salt
