NASA maps hidden valleys beneath Greenland ice sheet

NASA scientists have mapped 1,943 hidden valleys beneath the Greenland ice sheet, revealing a complex network of subglacial topography. A significant portion of these valleys, particularly in the west-central region, were previously unknown to researchers.

Using a new technique called Ice Flow Perturbation Analysis, researchers can read buried relief by observing minimal deformations on the ice surface. The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, aims to improve BedMachine Greenland, a high-resolution archive of the terrain beneath the ice.

The discovery of these long, straight valleys suggests a tectonic origin, likely formed by ancient fractures. Understanding this landscape is critical for climate science, as these subglacial routes govern current and future ice flow patterns, which directly impacts projections for sea-level rise as the ice sheet thins.