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The Conversation
Environment
Huw Joseph Horgan, Associate Professor of Geophysical Glaciology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

Exploring Antarctica's hidden under-ice rivers and their role in future sea-level rise

The project's drill rig on the slopes of the Kamb Ice Stream. Author provided

Underneath Antarctica’s vast ice sheets there’s a network of rivers and lakes. This is possible because of the insulating blanket of ice above, the flow of heat from within the Earth, and the small amount of heat generated as the ice deforms.

Map of Antarctica showing sub-glacial rivers, ice flow velocity, and ocean depth.
This map shows rivers (white) beneath Antarctica’s ice sheets (grey). Warm colours denote regions of fast ice flow. Huw Horgan/Quantarctica3/K862, CC BY-ND
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