New analysis predicts that a significant portion of Antarctica’s meteorites could vanish from the ice sheet surface by the end of the century, posing a threat to space scientists and their valuable information about our solar system. Researchers at ETH Zurich used a machine-learning algorithm to forecast how Antarctic meteorites will be affected by simulated climate conditions. These meteorites accumulated in stranding zones on the continent thousands of years ago and are now embedded in the ice. They are commonly found in “blue ice” areas, where wind uncovers older ice that appears blue against the white landscape.
Meteorites are highly sensitive to temperature, and exposure to sunlight can cause their dark surface to warm up, melting the ice beneath them and causing them to sink below the surface. Under all emissions scenarios, at least 5,000 meteorites will disappear annually. With every tenth of a degree of temperature increase, the loss of meteorites could range from 5,100 to 12,200, and under a high-emissions scenario, 76 percent of the areas currently covered by meteorites could be lost.
The potential loss of these valuable specimens would be devastating for space scientists as they contain valuable information about our solar system’s development. Dating back billions of years, meteorites offer insights into stars’ formation, planetary formation, and even Earth’s geological history. The researchers emphasize the importance of collecting as many meteorite specimens as possible before they become inaccessible to science. Glaciologist Harry Zekollari who led this research said that efforts should be accelerated to recover Antarctic meteorites before it is too late. He likened it to losing data from melting glaciers stating that once these valuable specimens are gone forever; so too might some secrets about our universe.