21-01-2008, 23:40
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The Invisible Woman
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Join Date: Jun 2003
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Ancient Antarctic eruption noted
Interesting reading. 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7194579.stm
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Scientists have found what they say is the first evidence of a volcanic eruption under the Antarctic ice sheet. They believe the volcano erupted about 2,000 years ago, and would have burst through its ice covering, producing a burst of steam and rocky debris.
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Combined with satellite evidence showing that the West Antarctic sheet is losing mass, this had led some polar scientists to suggest that warmer ocean waters are accelerating the flow of ice into the sea. In the long run this could make a substantial contribution to rising sea levels.
But volcanoes which are not conspicuously active at present may also be generating heat under the ice.
"This one is probably producing heat and melt water," said Professor Vaughan.
"That would end up under Pine Island Glacier and could be thinning it.
"This complicates things. However, it cannot explain the more widespread thinning of West Antarctic glaciers that together are contributing nearly 0.2mm per year to sea level rise."
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