Researchers have found 332 new submarine canyons beneath Antarctica. This discovery could help expand our understanding of the continent’s underwater landscape.
The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Marine Geology. The work was led by Dr David Amblàs and Dr Riccardo Arosio.
The catalogue identifies five times as many Antarctic canyons as earlier studies, showing how underexplored these regions are.
Some of the newly identified canyons reach depths greater than 4,000 metres, especially in East Antarctica.
In East Antarctica, canyons are larger, more complex, and U-shaped, shaped by prolonged glacial and sedimentary processes.
In West Antarctica, canyons are shorter, steeper, and V-shaped, indicating different geological histories.
The study used the IBCSO v2, the most detailed bathymetric map of the region to date, with 500 m/pixel resolution.
Antarctic canyons are primarily shaped by glaciers and turbidity currents, fast, sediment-laden flows that carve deep valleys in the seafloor.
The canyons help shape the flow of cold, dense Antarctic Bottom Water, a key driver of global ocean circulation.
Current climate and ocean models don’t fully include how canyons affect water flow, which makes their predictions less accurate.
Submarine canyons support biodiverse ecosystems, acting as corridors for sediment and nutrient transport from coastal to deep-sea environments.
Better knowledge of these canyon systems means more reliable models for predicting climate and weather patterns worldwide.
Read more at: ScienceDaily.com
Findings published in Marine Geology