Antarctica’s melting ice may awaken hidden volcanoes, study warns
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Frozen continent is home to over 100 volcanoes. Melting ice in Antarctica could trigger volcanic eruptions beneath the continent’s vast ice sheet, creating a slow but dangerous feedback loop, scientists warn. A new study suggests the melting of Antarctica’s ice sheet, driven by the climate crisis, may increase volcanic activity under the surface.
Antarctica is home to over 100 volcanoes, many of which lie hidden beneath the ice sheet, particularly along the western coast. While some of these volcanoes peak above the ice, many are buried deep below, making them harder to detect and study. Researchers ran 4,000 computer simulations to examine how the gradual loss of ice affects magma chambers buried under the Antarctic ice sheet.
The findings indicate that as the ice melts, it relieves pressure on the rocks below, allowing the compressed magma to expand. This process increases pressure on the walls of magma chambers, potentially triggering volcanic eruptions. The study highlights how the weight of the ice sheet acts as a cap on the magma below. When the ice melts, the overburden pressure drops, allowing gases dissolved in the magma to escape — much like opening a soda bottle. This gas release builds pressure in the magma chamber, increasing the likelihood of an eruption.
Though these eruptions occur beneath the surface and may not be visible, they can have significant consequences. Heat from subglacial volcanic eruptions can accelerate melting deep below the surface, weakening the ice sheet and potentially leading to further volcanic activity.
