A Huge Plume of Magma Is Bulging Against Antarctica – Scientific American
Article Synopsis – According to a new study, there is a layer of red-hot magma about 1.2 miles (2 km) beneath the ice of West Antarctica’s Marie Byrd Land ice shelf. About 30 years ago, researchers first began to suspect that a magma plume might exist in the area, given the domed shape of the crust. Now the researchers have confirmed their suspicions. This magma plume isn’t an alternative possible cause of recent upticks in melting along the West Antarctic Ice Sheet attributed to human-generated climate change. The plume is far older than the recent period of atmospheric warming, and even the West Antarctic Ice Sheet itself. To read the actual article click here.