(Photo: Wikimedia Commons/National Science Foundation/Peter Rejcek)
The mysterious Blood Falls in Antactica's McMurdo Dry Valleys has earned its name from the crimson water flowing against the white glacier. While it gives an eerie feeling to anyone seeing it, it can support life.
Life Thrives in Antarctica's Blood Falls
Blood Falls is one of the creepiest landmarks in Antarctica. Initially, researchers thought its color was due to red algae, which wasn't the case. Although the waterfall appears dreary, it is conducive to life.
In one study, lead author W. Berry Lyons of The Ohio State University and his colleagues examined samples from Taylor Glacier. They used the IceMole, an independent scientific probe that makes room for itself by melting the ice around it. Thanks to this, they were able to gather samples en route. To access the brine beneath Taylor Glacier, the researchers sent the IceMole through 56 feet (17 meters) of ice.
Subsequently, brine samples were examined to determine the geochemical composition of the material. Their research mainly concentrated on salinity, ion concentrations, and other dissolved substances. Thus, the researchers deduced that in addition to high quantities of iron and sulfate, the subglacial environment of Taylor Glacier contains active microbiological processes based on the reported concentrations of dissolved nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon. Alternatively, the surroundings could support life.
Lyons and his colleagues considered the conclusions of other studies in light of their findings to ascertain the origin and evolution of the subglacial brine at Taylor Glacier. Ultimately, scientists concluded that the subglacial brine's origins can be traced back to when the ocean flooded Taylor Valley. They couldn't agree on a specific time frame, though.
They discovered that the brine's chemical makeup differed significantly from that of contemporary seawater. This implied that the brine traveled through the glacier environment for an extended length of time. Additionally, weathering caused notable changes in the water's chemical makeup.
According to Lyons and his colleagues, there is a good chance that life exists in this subglacial brine environment. The fact that sub-cryospheric habitats like this one can support life on Earth raises the chance of discovering life in comparable settings elsewhere in our solar system.
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Mysterious Blood Falls Explained: What's Behind Its Crimson Color?
As mentioned, the waterfall's bloody color was thought to be due to red algae. However, one study that examined the layers of ice from which the river pours using radar-echo sounding (RES) discovered that the color was due to the high iron content.
The enigma was solved using imaging from beneath the glacier. This showed a convoluted network of subglacial rivers and a subglacial lake, all filled with brine rich in iron, which gave the falls their scarlet hue.
Another mystery aside from its color was how the waterfalls flow with a mean temperature of 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (-17 degrees Celsius). At this temperature, the water freezes. The researchers found out that the brine was behind the flow.
Since saltwater has a lower freezing point than pure water and releases heat when it freezes, it melts the ice beneath the glacier and allows the rivers to flow. This is why the lake beneath the glacier has an abnormally salty consistency.
This also indicates that the glacier can support water flow and that it is the coldest glacier on Earth with a continuous flow of water, albeit with an iron-rich appearance.
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