Massive Geological Formation Discovered Under Antarctic Ice

WHO:

Gizmodo - A team of researchers led by geophysicist Egidio Armadillo at the University of Genoa in Italy.

Live Science - John Goodge, a geologist with the nonprofit Planetary Science Institute, provided commentary on the findings.

WHAT:

Gizmodo - Researchers discovered a vast, interconnected geological structure beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, named the East Antarctic Fan-Shaped Basin Province (EAFBP).

Live Science - The structure consists of 30 elongated wedge-shaped valleys, which are triangular basins formed by a tectonic process known as distributed rotational extension.

Live Science - The study was published in the journal Nature Geoscience on June 3.

WHERE:

Gizmodo - The East Antarctic Ice Sheet covers about 3.9 million square miles (10.2 million square kilometers) and extends down 1.4 miles (2.2 km) on average.

Live Science - The East Antarctic Fan-Shaped Basin Province extends between the Gamburtsev Mountains and the Transantarctic Range.

WHEN:

Live Science - The breakup of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana occurred around 180 million years ago, with the separation between Antarctica and Australia happening roughly 70 million years ago.

WHY:

Gizmodo - The discovery complicates the understanding of the geological stability of East Antarctica, suggesting it may not be as stable as previously thought.

Live Science - The formation of the fan-shaped basins may have facilitated the late separation of Antarctica and Australia by weakening a zone that eventually tore apart.

HOW:

Gizmodo - Researchers mapped gravitational and magnetic anomalies via low-altitude airborne surveys and used seismic tools to gather data about subglacial landscapes.

Live Science - The team examined the region's subglacial landscape and geology, utilizing gravitational, magnetic, and seismic data, along with models to simulate the formation of the structure.

(UPDATED June 10, 2026 19:53 UTC)

A team of researchers led by geophysicist Egidio Armadillo at the University of Genoa has discovered a vast geological structure beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, named the East Antarctic Fan-Shaped Basin Province, which consists of 30 elongated wedge-shaped valleys formed by a tectonic process. This significant finding, which complicates our understanding of the geological stability of East Antarctica, suggests that the region may not be as stable as previously believed and may have played a role in the late separation of Antarctica and Australia. The researchers utilized low-altitude airborne surveys and seismic tools to map gravitational and magnetic anomalies, providing new insights into the subglacial landscapes of this remote area.