Giant Trench Under Antarctic Ice Deeper Than Grand Canyon
British scientists have discovered a massive valley buried beneath ice.
Scientists probing the icelands of West Antarctica have discovered a subglacial pit that is deeper than the Grand Canyon.
The researchers were charting the Ellsworth Subglacial Highlands-an ancient mountain range buried beneath several miles of Antarctic ice-by combining data from satellites and ice-penetrating radar towed behind snowmobiles and onboard small aircraft.
The project uncovered a massive subglacial trench, or valley, that is up to 1.9 miles (3 kilometers) deep and more than 15.5 miles (25 kilometers) across. For comparison, the Grand Canyon is 1.13 miles (1.8 kilometers) deep at its deepest point. In places, the floor of the subglacial valley is more than 6,500 feet (2,000 meters) below sea level.
"It's a huge privilege to be able to reveal another piece of the
