Gamburtsev Ghost Mountains Mystery Solved

Natalie Acosta

A recent article from BBC News titled, “Gamburtsev Ghost Mountains Mystery Solved” written by Jonathan Amos, discusses how scientists say they can now explain the existence and formation of the Gamburtsev Mountains. The Gamburtsevs are completely buried underneath the Antarctic ice and are about the size of the European Alps. According the article, survey data completed by researchers suggests the mountains are over one billion years old (Amos). The creation of these mountains occurred when continents were moving together to form the giant landmass Rodinia. Collision occurred due to these moving continents, pushing up what are now the Gamburstevs. They also formed what the article refers to as a “dense root” in the crust (Amos). Over the years a cycle of erosion and uplift may have occurred pulling apart and re-establishing the mountains. Uplift also occurred when rivers and glaciers engraved deep valleys into the earth. It was these glaciers that helped entomb the Gamburstevs, by spreading out and joining with the East Antarctic Ice sheet. This is why the Gamburstevs are completely buried underneath the surface of the Antarctic ice.

This BBC News article is highly applicable to what we have learned thus far in class. It is especially relevant to what he have learned about landscapes and landscape processes, including erosion and uplift. The article also touches upon the hypothesis of continental drift and the theory of plate tectonics. I believe this article and topic are very important because the article alludes to the fact that the discovery of how this mountain was formed could help researchers get details about past environment details. This includes information about past temperatures and any gases that might have been in the atmosphere. I see this as very fascinating and important to use as a comparison to current environmental details. It allows researchers to see how the environment has changed over the years and may be helpful in determining changes in the future. The article states that they are conducting further research in the Gamburtsev mountain formation as well as testing rock samples for further information. I look forward to keeping up with this topic and any future findings.

Amos, John. “Gamburtsev Ghost Mountain Mystery” BBC News 17 Nov. 2011
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15749757>.