An analysis of the geology of the Gamburtsev Mountains in Antarctica showed that they are not of volcanic origin, as previously assumed
This unexpected discovery destroys the idea of the geology of the Southern continent, and, possibly, of the past of our planet in general.
American researchers led by Tina van de Flirdt from the Lamon-Docherty Geophysical Observatory at Columbia University conducted a detailed study of the geophysics and morphology of the Gamburtsev Mountains in Antarctica, a ridge hidden by an ice layer from hundreds of meters to several kilometers.
This ridge is distinguished by anomalous height, reaching up to 3 thousand meters and more. Various hypotheses of the formation of mountains, both volcanic and orogenic, have tried to explain the altitude anomaly.
The results of the analysis of the isotopic composition of rocks showed the absence of signs of relatively recent, by geological standards, volcanic activity and volcanic origin in general.
This means that the Gamburtsev mountains are very ancient, much older than it was thought. Perhaps this is one of the most ancient mountain ranges on the planet.
The age of these mountains was estimated at 500 million years. Perhaps, such ancient mountains in Antarctica have remained so impossibly high, because in the past their height was incredibly high, reports CNews.
