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Antarctica's creepy Blood Falls have finally been explained by science
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Garrison L. Hilliard
May 2, 2017, 7:04:22 AM5/2/17
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Alison Durkee
Published April 30, 2017
by Alison Durkee
Since they were first discovered in 1911, Antarctica's "Blood Falls"
and its distinctive appearance have remained a mystery. Now, a new
study in the Journal of Glaciology has revealed how the water got its
crimson hue — and it's not blood.
Though past researchers have suggested the water's red tint came from
algae, the Blood Falls' coloring, which makes it appear as though
blood is flowing out of the glacier, actually comes from brine
containing vast amounts of iron, National Geographic noted.
The study, which was conducted by scientists from University of Alaska
Fairbanks and Colorado College, discovered the Blood Falls glacier
sits atop a lake and water system "that has been flowing for a million
years." The researchers solved the century-long mystery by using radar
to scan the layers of ice producing the "bloody" free-flowing water,
along with echolocation to determine where, exactly, the water flowed.
What’s Really In Antarctica’s Mysterious Blood Falls
http://dlvr.it/P1sY0N
12:57 PM - 30 Apr 2017
University of Alaska Fairbanks glaciologist Erin Pettit told Phys.org
the discovery means the Blood Falls "is now the coldest known glacier
to have persistently flowing water" on the planet.
The illusion that blood is flowing from the glacier makes its unique
composition all the more distinctive, but why doesn't it freeze? The
study, as Business Insider reported, revealed there's a "perpetual
hydraulic system" underneath the glacier where freezing water releases
heat energy, which in turn melts the surrounding ice.
This system of freezing and melting is further perpetuated by the
water's particularly salty consistency, which means the water freezes
at a lower temperature than pure water, according to National
Geographic.
The effects of these long-awaited findings could go beyond the earthly
realm, Business Insider noted. The free-flowing glacier's ancient
microbial systems are easier to study than those of frozen ice caps,
potentially giving scientists an easier way to study life on other
planets.
Alison Durkee
Published April 30, 2017
by Alison Durkee
Since they were first discovered in 1911, Antarctica's "Blood Falls"
and its distinctive appearance have remained a mystery. Now, a new
study in the Journal of Glaciology has revealed how the water got its
crimson hue — and it's not blood.
Though past researchers have suggested the water's red tint came from
algae, the Blood Falls' coloring, which makes it appear as though
blood is flowing out of the glacier, actually comes from brine
containing vast amounts of iron, National Geographic noted.
The study, which was conducted by scientists from University of Alaska
Fairbanks and Colorado College, discovered the Blood Falls glacier
sits atop a lake and water system "that has been flowing for a million
years." The researchers solved the century-long mystery by using radar
to scan the layers of ice producing the "bloody" free-flowing water,
along with echolocation to determine where, exactly, the water flowed.
What’s Really In Antarctica’s Mysterious Blood Falls
http://dlvr.it/P1sY0N
12:57 PM - 30 Apr 2017
University of Alaska Fairbanks glaciologist Erin Pettit told Phys.org
the discovery means the Blood Falls "is now the coldest known glacier
to have persistently flowing water" on the planet.
The illusion that blood is flowing from the glacier makes its unique
composition all the more distinctive, but why doesn't it freeze? The
study, as Business Insider reported, revealed there's a "perpetual
hydraulic system" underneath the glacier where freezing water releases
heat energy, which in turn melts the surrounding ice.
This system of freezing and melting is further perpetuated by the
water's particularly salty consistency, which means the water freezes
at a lower temperature than pure water, according to National
Geographic.
The effects of these long-awaited findings could go beyond the earthly
realm, Business Insider noted. The free-flowing glacier's ancient
microbial systems are easier to study than those of frozen ice caps,
potentially giving scientists an easier way to study life on other
planets.
Alison Durkee
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