What did they find under the iceberg detached from a layer of ice – accidental discovery – what does it show – how is there life under such ice?
Researchers were working off the Antarctic coast when a giant iceberg of about 19 miles was detached from the ice layer on January 13, revealing an area of ocean that has not been a spectator for decades.
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The group on a research vessel called Falkor decided to investigate the bottom of the sea under the recently “exposed” ocean. No man had explored the deep sea there before.
“It’s the kind of fact that when you happen, you leave whatever you do,” said Patricia Esquete, the head of the mission.
What did they find under the iceberg
However, expectations were not high. Scientists did not believe that it could thrive very much life hidden under such a thick layer of ice.
However, what the team members found under their iceberg surprised: giant sea spiders, octopuses, ice fish, corals and sponges, including a jar -shaped jar that may be hundreds of years. Overall, researchers believe that they will be able to identify dozens of new species on the mission.
“We were really amazed at the different ecosystems and rich ecosystems we found down there,” said Esquete, who is a researcher at Aveiro University in Portugal.
The discovery, announced on Thursday, not only shows how life finds a way in almost every corner of the world – including “buried” under floating glaciers – but also provides a critical basis for understanding how life can change in deep waters on a planet.
Random discovery
“They were really in the right place at the right time to see an ecosystem,” said Jyotika Virmani, head of Schmidt Ocean Institute, a non -profit organization organized by the research.
During about a month of mission, the researchers managed a remote -controlled vehicle to take photos and videos and collect samples from some of the deepest points of Antarctica. The team also explored areas of the remote sea bellingshausen farther than the ice mattress. Among the species that are potentially new in science are crustaceans, sea snails, worms and fish.
It will take months of laboratory analysis to confirm the discovery of any new kind. “Most of the work starts now,” said Esquete.
Following a mission from Schmidt Ocean Institute off the coast of Chile last year, scientists identified more than 70 new species, including lobster and sea snails that were completely new to science.
How is there life under such ice?
Outside Antarctica, the greatest mystery does not focus on any particular creature but on the whole ecosystem: how exactly is there so much life under so much ice?
In other parts of the ocean, photosynthetic organisms “throw” nutrients to preserve the creatures of the bottom of the sea. But no one does it under the dark ice of Antarctica. In contrast, ocean currents, melted water of glaciers or something else help nourish deep water creatures.
“This is an area of active scientific research now because of this discovery,” Virmani said
Esquete hopes to return to see how life changes under an ice -covered area, providing a window into how life in deep waters in polar regions can change as temperatures rise and more icebergs are born in Antarctica and elsewhere. In the George VI ice layer from which the iceberg broke, extensive melting has been observed in recent years.
Author information: Dino Grandoni is a reporter who covers wildlife, biodiversity and other climate and environmental issues. He is the author of Animalia, a column that explores the strange and exciting world of animals.
Source: Skai
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