As glaciologist Harry Zekollari explains, the loss of Antarctic meteorites would be catastrophic for space scientists. These rocks offer invaluable insights into the development of our solar system and the Earth’s geologic history. 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, researchers are urgently calling for efforts to recover as many of these precious space rocks as possible before they become inaccessible.
The study, published in Nature Climate Change, used a machine-learning algorithm to assess how Antarctic meteorites will be affected by changing climate conditions. Meteorites are typically found in “blue ice” areas, where wind uncovers older ice that appears blue against the continent’s white backdrop. However, due to their dark surfaces, these rocks are sensitive to temperature changes and sink when exposed to sunlight due to melting ice beneath them.
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 entirely. This potential loss would have devastating consequences for space science and our understanding of our solar system’s development.
Researchers emphasize that urgent action is needed to collect as many Antarctic meteorites as possible before they become inaccessible due to global warming’s effects on the continent’s ice sheet surface. As Zekollari notes: “The loss of these samples is like losing data obtained from rapidly melting glaciers – once they are gone forever, so too are some of the universe’s secrets.” By accelerating efforts to recover Antarctic meteorites today, we can safeguard valuable scientific information for future study and understanding.
