Status: this preprint has been withdrawn by the authors.
New large subglacial lake in Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica, detected by airborne geophysical observations
Lin Li,Aiguo Zhao,Tiantian Feng,Xiangbin Cui,Lu An,Ben Xu,Shinan Lang,Liwen Jing,Tong Hao,Jingxue Guo,Bo Sun,and Rongxing Li
Abstract. Knowledge of subglacial lakes is important for understanding the stability of the Antarctica Ice Sheet (AIS) and its contribution to the global sea-level change. We designed an intensified airborne campaign to collect geophysical data in Princess Elizabeth Land (PEL), East Antarctica, during the 2015–2019 CHINARE expeditions. We developed an innovative method to build a set of evidence of a newly detected subglacial lake, Lake Zhongshan. Adaptive RES data analysis allowed us to detect the lake surface and extent. We quantified the lake depth and volume via gravity modeling. Another dataset collected at Lake Vostok provided the ground truth. The results revealed that Lake Zhongshan, located at 73°26'53"S, 80°30'39"E and ~3,603 m below surface, has an area of 328 ± 1 km2, making it the only one in PEL and the fifth largest in Antarctica. These findings are important for understanding subglacial hydrodynamics in PEL, as well as the stability of the AIS.
This preprint has been withdrawn.
Received: 19 Oct 2021 – Discussion started: 03 Dec 2021
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No subglacial lakes have been reported in Princess Elizabeth Land (PEL), East Antarctica. In this study, thanks to a new suite of airborne geophysical observations in PEL, including RES and gravity data collected during the Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition, we detected a large subglacial lake of ~45 km in length, ~11 km in width, and ~250 m in depth. These findings will help us understand ice sheet stability in the PEL region.
No subglacial lakes have been reported in Princess Elizabeth Land (PEL), East Antarctica. In...