subglacial lake: Quick Facts

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Photos

Artist's cross-section of Lake Vostok beneath Antarctic ice, showing the lake's position under thick ice and a drilling core. Inset map highlights Lake Vostok's location in Antarctica.

subglacial lakes in Antarctica

Two maps displaying the locations of Earth's known subglacial lakes as of 2023, with Antarctica on the left and Greenland on the right. Orange triangles indicate draining (active) subglacial lakes, while purple circles show non-draining (stable) lakes. Antarctica has a high concentration of both types, especially in East Antarctica, while Greenland and Iceland show mostly stable lakes with a few active ones. Major surrounding geographic features and seas are labeled for context.

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Topics

glacier ice sheet lake ice in lakes and rivers 6 Lakes That Are Drying Up 9 of the World’s Deepest Lakes oxbow lake Cenote

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