A new study predicts that almost three-quarters of Antarctica’s meteorites could vanish from the ice sheet surface by the end of the century, making it challenging to locate and retrieve these precious space rocks. The research, published in Nature Climate Change, employed a machine-learning algorithm to forecast how Antarctic meteorites will be affected by simulated climate conditions. These meteorites accumulated in stranding zones on the continent thousands of years ago and are now embedded in the ice. They are commonly found in “blue ice” areas, where wind uncovers older ice that appears blue against the white landscape.
Meteorites are highly sensitive to temperature, and exposure to sunlight can cause their dark surface to warm up, melting the ice beneath them and causing them to sink below the surface. According to the researchers, under all emissions scenarios, at least 5,000 meteorites will disappear annually. With every tenth of a degree of temperature increase, the loss of meteorites could range from 5,100 to 12,200. Under a high-emissions scenario, 76 percent of the areas currently covered by meteorites could be lost.
The potential loss of meteorites would be devastating for space scientists as these rocks contain valuable information about Earth’s geological history and our solar system’s development. Dating back billions of years, meteorites offer insights into stars, planetary formation and even Earth’s geological history. Researchers emphasize that it is crucial to collect as many specimens as possible before they become inaccessible due to global warming impacts on Antarctica’s ice sheet.
Glaciologist Harry Zekollari led this research at ETH Zurich’s department of civil, environmental and geomatic engineering stressed that there is an urgent need for faster efforts to recover Antarctic meteorites before they disappear forever due to rising temperatures caused by climate change.
In conclusion, global warming poses a significant threat to Antarctica’s vast concentration of meteorites with over 60% originating there. This loss would deprive scientists valuable knowledge about Earth’s past and our solar system’s development. Therefore there is an immediate need for increased efforts in collecting as many specimens as possible before they become inaccessible due to melting glaciers or other climate change impacts on Antarctica’s environment.