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Scientists Discover 91 Volcanoes Below Antarctic Ice Sheet (theguardian.com)

Posted by msmash on from the what's-happening dept.

Reader schwit1 writes: Scientists have uncovered the largest volcanic region on Earth -- two kilometres below the surface of the vast ice sheet that covers west Antarctica. The project, by Edinburgh University researchers, has revealed almost 100 volcanoes -- with the highest as tall as the Eiger, which stands at almost 4,000 metres in Switzerland. This is in addition to 47 already known about and eruption would melt more ice in region affected by climate change, the report added. Geologists say this huge region is likely to dwarf that of east Africa's volcanic ridge, currently rated the densest concentration of volcanoes in the world. And the activity of this range could have worrying consequences, they have warned. "If one of these volcanoes were to erupt it could further destabilise west Antarctica's ice sheets," said glacier expert Robert Bingham, one of the paper's authors. "Anything that causes the melting of ice -- which an eruption certainly would -- is likely to speed up the flow of ice into the sea.

6 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. Worry worry worry by 110010001000 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    One thing I have noticed about these guys who study ice sheets is that they worry a lot. They didn't even know there were 91 volcanoes there that have been there for who knows for how long. Yet they are "worried" about it, suddenly. Needs more money for studies I guess.

    1. Re:Worry worry worry by kwbauer · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Volcanoes are driven by the molten mass that is the core of the Earth which is around 6,000 C. Can you please explain how trace amounts of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere are going to affect the core of the Earth. Volcanoes happen when fissures in the Earth's crust open from seismic activity and such and open a channel to the surface. If a large enough channel opens, the ice won't stand a chance.

      Global warming has zero affect on volcanoes but you idiots will try anything when imitating Chicken Little. Volcanoes, on the other hand, could have everything to do with warming surface temperatures if the insulation (Earth's crust) is growing thinner.

    2. Re:Worry worry worry by Hylandr · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Wrong.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

      Ice isn't going to stop Lava, and if you watched videos of Mt. St Helens erupting , blowing thousands of tons of mountainside into the *air* for *miles* a relatively thin sheet of ice isn't going to be a deterrent.

      Applying the principle of occam's razor; Increased global geothermal activity has been melting the glaciers. Heat beats Ice.

      --
      ~ People that think they are better than anyone else for any reason are the cause of all the strife in the world.
  2. MODERATORS ARE CENSORING POSTS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Notice that all the posts (like mine) that are skeptical of global warming have been censored to -1. Science advances when people find problems with current theories and new theories have to be developed to explain the evidence. However, in the case of global warming, all the evidence against it is censored and the researchers have their character attacked. It's a shame that quality research is censored and science is being prevented from advancing in this area.

    1. Re: MODERATORS ARE CENSORING POSTS by cbeaudry · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The results are not reproducible.

      You made that up. That is the problem with climate science.

      Heck, they are going around saying now that climate science is "special" and does not need to be falsifiable.

      They are basically redefining the definition of SCIENCE.

      http://theconversation.com/cli...

  3. And translating you by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You improperly read and pull any old shite from your anus to fling at science because it shows a problem your politics would rather ignore and cannot handle.