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The frozen continent is home to around 5,000 scientists around the world who study the pristine region to learn more about the history of the Earth and the effects of climate change. But the researchers were shocked when they discovered more than 100 dormant volcanoes under the continent’s ice sheet, making it the largest volcanic region on Earth. The discovery was particularly important because the activity of these volcanoes could have crucial implications for the rest of the planet.
If one erupts, it could further destabilize some of the region’s ice sheets, which have already been hit by global warming.
And the YouTube channel “What If” presented an even more troubling case during their documentary on the region.
The narrator said: “This huge frozen desert sits atop a volcanic ridge.
Could their hot lava reach the surface of the Earth, or would the thick Antarctic ice stop the lava before it renders the planet uninhabitable?
There are more than 100 volcanoes under Antarctica (Image: GETTY / YOUTUBE)
Climate change is already affecting the region (Image: GETTY)
“Antarctica is the coldest continent on Earth and it’s quite mysterious, we didn’t know it had active volcanoes buried beneath it until 2013, when scientists accidentally detected two groups of small earthquakes.
“Now we have scanned Antarctica with ice-penetrating radar, we know there are many volcanoes hidden under the ice – 138 to be precise.
“They are only the ones we know. How much trouble would we be in if all those volcanoes suddenly erupted? “
The series went on to explain how the normal conditions for volcanic eruptions do not apply to the frozen desert.
He added: “There are usually warning signs before a volcano erupts, such as waves of earthquakes, which indicate that molten rock is moving beneath the surface.
READ MORE: Discovery of Antarctica: a diver “blown away” by incredible sea creatures “evolved” under the ice
Huge chunks of ice could fall into the sea (Image: YOUTUBE)
“Then lava and ash join the party, accompanied by heated gases – on average the lava moves at around 6mph.
“When a large eruption occurs, a volcano can release superheated gas and ash, creating a pyroclastic cloud, which reaches 700 ° C and moves at 50 mph.
“The volcanoes of Antarctica are a different story. They are buried under layers of ice more than four kilometers (2.5 miles) thick.
“We wouldn’t have to deal with volcanic gases making their way to the surface, at least until the first eruption.”
But such an event could have devastating consequences for the rest of the world.
More ice in the waters would raise the sea level (Image: GETTY)
The series added: “The heat would melt the caves into the ice, creating significant amounts of melt water and that’s when things get ugly.
“That meltwater would cause the ice above it to move faster and start heading into the ocean.
“From there, the domino effect would kick in and the magma finds its way out through an eruption.
“In Antarctica, multiple volcanic eruptions could wake up over 100 other volcanoes and destabilize the entire region.
“As they go out, more meltwater would be created, causing more Antarctic ice to slide into the ocean.”
And the documentary revealed how humans would feel all the force around the world.
Mount Erebus is an active volcano in Antarctica (Image: GETTY)
He continued in May: “Antarctic ice would be enclosed by warmer ocean currents – on the one hand, we could have a new look at Antarctic rock, but on the other, the ice wouldn’t disappear, it would melt.
“If the ice melted, it would raise global sea level by about 60 meters, contributing to large storms that move slower and drop more rain.
“Hurricanes and typhoons would wreak havoc on the earth’s surface.
“Wildlife would lose their habitat and the farm sill would be contaminated.
“Extensive flooding would push millions of people to leave the coast: we could see thousands of deaths and storms sweeping away cities and oceans floating inland.”
Experts are also concerned about this possibility.
There is an active caldera on Deception Island (Image: GETTY)
Dr Robert Bingham of the University of Edinburgh said in February: “It is fascinating to discover a wide range of volcanoes on this relatively unexplored continent.
“A better understanding of volcanic activity could shed light on their impact on Antarctic ice in the past, present and future, and on other rift systems around the world.
“If they [the ice sheets] are reduced significantly, this could release pressure on the volcanoes below and lead to eruptions that could further destabilize the ice sheets and increase the sea level rise that is already affecting our oceans. “
But for now, these volcanoes are dormant, which means they haven’t erupted in the past 10,000 years, but they may in the future.
At present, there are only two active volcanoes in Antarctica: Mount Erebus and Deception Island.
Scientists continue to study the region to find out more.
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