Why is the Pine Island Glacier flow volume increasing? A volcano under the ice could be could be part of the story.

Volcanic Activity
Near the Pine Island Glacier lies the. Takahe Volcano.



Mt Takahe is a large shield volcano which rises to over 11,000 feet or 3,460m with an 8 km wide caldera. The last eruption occurred in 5550 BC. Takahe is likely to be responsible for volcanic ash layers, broadly found in West Antarctica.

Recently evidence of a 'subglacial' volcano has been discovered near Pine Island Glacier.

Quote:

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Using airborne ice-sounding radar, scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) discovered a layer of ash produced by a ‘subglacial’ volcano It extends across an area larger than Wales.... This eruption occurred close to Pine Island Glacier on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. ... The volcano on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet erupted 2000 years ago (325BC) and remains active.

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Quote:

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“This eruption occurred close to Pine Island Glacier on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. The flow of this glacier towards the coast has speeded up in recent decades and it may be possible that heat from the volcano has caused some of that acceleration. 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. This wider change most probably has its origin in warming ocean waters.”
"The flow of this glacier towards the coast has speeded up in recent decades and it may be possible that heat from the volcano has caused some of that acceleration. 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. This wider change most probably has its origin in warming ocean waters.”

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Check put the attached placemark from the BAS for a video of the survey aircraft.

Edited by blt (02/17/08 12:57 PM)

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