Scientists Uncover Vast Network of Submarine Canyons Off Antarctica

Researchers have discovered a huge network of 332 massive submarine canyons off Antarctica's coast, which is five times more than previously identified. According to a study published in the journal Marine Geology, some of these canyons plunge over 4,000 meters into the abyss, shaped by glacial forces and powerful sediment flows.

New high-resolution bathymetric data were used by two researchers from University College Cork in Ireland and the University of Barcelona in Spain to map the hidden canyons that lie off the coast of Antarctica.

The canyons play a vital role in ocean circulation and drive ocean currents, creating habitats rich in biodiversity and influencing global climate and ice shelf stability.

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In a statement, David Amblas, from the Consolidated Research Group on Marine Geosciences at the Faculty of Earth Sciences of the University of Barcelona, said, "Some of the submarine canyons we analysed reach depths of over 4,000 meters."

"The most spectacular of these are in East Antarctica, which is characterised by complex, branching canyon systems. The systems often begin with multiple canyon heads near the edge of the continental shelf and converge into a single main channel that descends into the deep ocean, crossing the sharp, steep gradients of the continental slope."

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Difference between East and West Antarctica

The canyons in East Antarctica are more complex and branched, with U-shaped cross-sections, while those in West Antarctica are shorter and steeper with V-shaped cross-sections.

The study underscores the need for additional research and enhanced climate models to comprehend the influence of submarine canyons on ocean dynamics and climate change.

Less than one-third of the seafloor has been mapped with high precision. The researchers estimate tens of thousands more submarine canyons may exist globally.