Antarctica’s Hidden Volcanoes are About to be a Problem

About this Video

• Video Title: Antarctica’s Hidden Volcanoes are About to be a Problem
• Channel: SciShow
• Speakers: The transcript does not name the speaker.
• Duration: 00:07:22

Introduction

This SciShow video discusses the potential for increased volcanic activity in Antarctica due to climate change. The video explains how melting ice sheets reduce pressure on underlying magma chambers, leading to magma expansion, decompression melting, increased gas formation, and the creation of new pathways for magma to reach the surface, thus increasing the frequency and intensity of volcanic eruptions.

Key Takeaways

• Antarctica possesses over 100 volcanoes, many hidden beneath its ice sheet.
• Melting ice sheets, due to climate change, reduce pressure on subglacial magma chambers. This triggers several mechanisms that increase volcanic activity: magma expansion, decompression melting, increased gas formation (leading to bubble formation), and the creation of new pathways for magma flow.
• This process, termed isostatic rebound, has been observed in Iceland, where deglaciation has correlated with a significant increase in volcanic eruptions.
• A 2024 study using computer models predicted that melting Antarctic ice will cause future eruptions to be longer and more frequent.
• Eruptions under ice can create a feedback loop: lava melts ice, destabilizing it and causing it to slide into the ocean, further reducing pressure and triggering more eruptions. This also contributes to rising sea levels.