Even in the 'Frozen Ice Age', Glaciers Collapsed

Investigation of Antarctic Scotia Sea Glacier Collapse During the Last Ice Age

[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] Korean researchers have discovered traces of glaciers collapsing during the Ice Age in the Antarctic sea.

A joint research team from the Korea Polar Research Institute, Australian National University, and Chungnam National University analyzed sediments believed to originate from glaciers in the Scotia Sea, Antarctica, in 2003. They identified the last Ice Age, 22,000 years ago, as the period when these sediments were deposited. The research results were announced on the 10th in the November issue of the international academic journal "Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology."

The study shows that glaciers collapsed and supplied sediments to the sea even during the Ice Age. For sediments contained in glaciers to reach the sea, the glaciers must have fractured or melted away.

More than 70% of the sediment particles analyzed by the research team were sized between 0.016 and 0.063 mm, smaller than those from interglacial periods, and magnetic minerals were more than four times as abundant. Magnetic susceptibility refers to the degree to which a material exhibits magnetism. It is typically high in sediments originating from land. Glacial sediments show similar characteristics, and the sediments dredged from the Scotia Sea also fall into this category.

The Scotia Sea in Antarctica is located between South America and the Antarctic Peninsula, at the edge of Antarctica. It retains well-preserved traces of glaciers that expanded and contracted during glacial and interglacial periods, attracting significant scientific interest.

Senior Researcher Seonghan Kim of the Korea Polar Research Institute stated, "The records of glacier movements and collapses found in past data serve as fundamental information for climate change modeling and are expected to be utilized for accurately predicting future climate."

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