# New map of Antarctica shows big surprises



## Brian G Turner (Dec 12, 2019)

New map of Antartica - apparently showing a massive trench 11.5km below sea level:









						Denman Glacier: Deepest point on land found in Antarctica
					

Denman Glacier reaches down to more than 3,500m below sea level. Only ocean trenches go deeper.



					www.bbc.co.uk
				




EDIT: Here's a copy of the image:


----------



## RJM Corbet (Dec 12, 2019)

It's weird looking terrain: those spiky mountains, unlike any other continent. Amazing to see it revealed


----------



## Pyan (Dec 13, 2019)

First thought is how much of the big, roundish continent that we're used to seeing is just ice.

Second thought - what a great map on which to base a best-selling, multi-volume fantasy epic...


----------



## -K2- (Dec 13, 2019)

RJM Corbet said:


> It's weird looking terrain: those spiky mountains, unlike any other continent. Amazing to see it revealed



Do a google search for 'Utah Hoodoo's.'   Then since you're there, check out 'Antelope Slot Canyon."

K2


----------



## Robert Zwilling (Dec 13, 2019)

The new finding shows, for example, previously unrecognised ridges that will impede the retreat of melting glaciers in a warming world 

Trenches might impede the retreating motion of glaciers but I don't think the trenches will impede the melting. Water will settle in the bottom of the trench and help to melt the ice from the bottom up.


----------



## Brian G Turner (Dec 13, 2019)

I've added a bigger picture to the original post to show how fascinating Antartica is.

Some of the underlying geology must be fascinating - those super-deep trenches might suggest tectonic boundaries that haven't been accounted for yet.


----------



## Venusian Broon (Dec 13, 2019)

pyan said:


> First thought is how much of the big, roundish continent that we're used to seeing is just ice.
> 
> Second thought - what a great map on which to base a best-selling, multi-volume fantasy epic...


If you remove the ice cap from Greenland, you get quite a chunky archipelago/ ring of mountains with an inland sea (depending on sea level!)


----------



## Star-child (Dec 13, 2019)

I wonder how much of that depth is from centripetal  effects and how much is due to the glaciers themselves acting as structural material.


----------



## Starbeast (Jan 5, 2020)

It's frightening how fast it's melting.

*Looking back to December of 2004.*





Ice Highway






						USA's Science-Driven "Ice Highway" Hitting Rough Sledding in Antarctica  - Site Selection Online
					

USA's Science-Driven



					siteselection.com


----------



## Robert Zwilling (Jan 6, 2020)

It makes a lot of sense if you figure the polar regions have already melted, they just haven't finished melting yet. This statement is based on the concept of momentum.


----------

