Melting glaciers: A catalyst for shifting continents and volcanic surges
Can melting glaciers accelerate continental drift and volcanic activity? New research suggests that it is possible and has a significant impact on Earth's geological processes.
Melting glaciers can accelerate the movement of continents and cause an increase in volcanic activity, or at least that is the argument put forward by scientists from the University of Colorado Boulder. According to the SciTech Daily portal, researchers have discovered that the reduction of glaciers from 10,000 years ago significantly affected Earth's geological dynamics. Data analysis can indicate what changes may occur in the context of current glacier melting.
The impact of glacier melting on continental movement
Geophysicists Tao Yuan and Shijie Zhong used computer models to examine Earth’s conditions 26,000 years ago. They discovered that the melting of the Laurentide Ice Sheet, which covered a large part of North America, could have accelerated the movement of the North American continental plate by 25%.
The research showed that between 12,000 and 6,000 years ago, drift on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge could have increased by as much as 40%. The scientists emphasise that glacier melting not only caused the plates to rise but also to move horizontally.
Consequences for the modern world
The results published in "Nature" could have enormous significance for today’s world. Glaciers in Greenland are melting rapidly, which could lead to an increase in volcanic activity in Iceland.
The research is financially supported by the National Science Foundation USA. Scientists Yuan and Zhong suggest that the melting of glaciers in Greenland and West Antarctica could, in the future, increase the spreading of the ocean floor and volcanic activity.
