Antarctica is known for having the largest concentration of meteorites on Earth, with over 60 percent of all meteorite finds originating there. However, global warming poses a threat to these precious space rocks, with a new analysis predicting that nearly three-quarters of Antarctica’s meteorites could disappear from the ice sheet surface by the end of the century.
The research, published in Nature Climate Change, used a machine-learning algorithm to assess how Antarctic meteorites will be affected by changing climate conditions. These meteorites are typically found in “blue ice” areas, where wind uncovers older ice that appears blue against the continent’s white backdrop. Due to their dark surfaces, meteorites are sensitive to temperature changes, causing them to sink when exposed to sunlight due to melting ice beneath them.
The study projects that under all emissions scenarios, at least 5,000 meteorites will vanish from the surface each year. With every tenth of a degree increase in temperature, between 5,100 and 12,200 meteorites could be lost. Under a high-emissions scenario, 76 percent of the areas currently covered by meteorites may disappear.
This potential loss of meteorites would be devastating for space scientists, as these rocks provide valuable insights into the development of our solar system. Meteorites can offer crucial information about stars, planetary formation, and the Earth’s geologic history, dating back billions of years. Therefore, researchers emphasize the urgent need to collect as many Antarctic meteorites as possible before they become inaccessible.
In a news release, glaciologist Harry Zekollari, who led the research at ETH Zurich’s department of civil, environmental and geomatic engineering, stressed the importance of preserving these meteorites. He compared the loss of Antarctic meteorites to the disappearance of data obtained from rapidly melting glaciers, noting that once these samples are gone, so are some of the universe’s secrets. Accelerating efforts to recover Antarctic meteorites is crucial to safeguarding valuable scientific information for future study and understanding.