The discoveries made during three Antarctic expeditions led by Eugene Domack, Joel W. Johnson Professor of Geosciences, in 2004, 2005 and 2006 were highlighted in the National Science Foundation's online Discoveries publication in July. The Web site features major discoveries in NSF-funded research areas. The article on Domack's findings was one of only two included in the Arctic and Antarctic research area on the site in 2007.
"Demise of Antarctic Ice Shelf Reveals New Life" began with Domack's 2004 expedition during which he and his team discovered an underwater volcano in the Antarctic Sound. In 2005, they returned to study the causes of the collapse of the Larsen B ice shelf. This had been the original focus in 2004 when thick ice prevented access to the area.
Using an underwater video sled to map the seafloor landscape during the 2005 trip, the team discovered a cold-vent chemotrophic ecosystem. In 2006, Domack and his team returned to the area to sample this site. Again, icy conditions prevented any sampling, but a multi-beam image taken of the ecosystem location enabled a German team to study the area during an expedition in January 2007. Unfortunately, the Germans found the community devastated.
Domack believes that without the ice shelf's shelter, the ecosystem was buried by sediment and organic material. He will return next year to study the reasons behind the ecosystem's existence and demise.
"Demise of Antarctic Ice Shelf Reveals New Life" began with Domack's 2004 expedition during which he and his team discovered an underwater volcano in the Antarctic Sound. In 2005, they returned to study the causes of the collapse of the Larsen B ice shelf. This had been the original focus in 2004 when thick ice prevented access to the area.
Using an underwater video sled to map the seafloor landscape during the 2005 trip, the team discovered a cold-vent chemotrophic ecosystem. In 2006, Domack and his team returned to the area to sample this site. Again, icy conditions prevented any sampling, but a multi-beam image taken of the ecosystem location enabled a German team to study the area during an expedition in January 2007. Unfortunately, the Germans found the community devastated.
Domack believes that without the ice shelf's shelter, the ecosystem was buried by sediment and organic material. He will return next year to study the reasons behind the ecosystem's existence and demise.
