Antarctic Subglacial Lake Lost 78 Million Cubic Meters of Water

A subglacial lake in East Antarctica lost approximately 78 million cubic meters of water between 2016 and 2021, causing the overlying ice to sink by more than six meters. The discovery, made by South Korean scientists using satellite radar data, reveals dynamic water movements hidden beneath the ice sheet. Source: Gizmodo Source: infobae

The Discovery

Researchers Jihyun Moon and Hoonyol Lee from Kangwon National University analyzed images from the Sentinel-1 satellite using double-difference radar interferometry. They processed 77 observation sets from 2016 to 2021, distinguishing vertical sinking from the natural horizontal movement of glaciers. The results were cross-checked with data from CryoSat-2 and ICESat-2 satellites. Source: Gizmodo

Key Findings

• The sinking affected a nearly circular area of about 61 square kilometers. At its center, the ice dropped 6.37 meters (Gizmodo) or 6.4 meters (infobae) over five years. The average subsidence across the area was roughly 1.3 meters. Source: Gizmodo Source: infobae
• Most of the water loss occurred early: between 2016 and 2017, the central point sank about 3.8 meters. After that, the sinking slowed considerably, suggesting prolonged drainage or multiple partial drainage events. Source: Gizmodo
• The study was published on October 12, 2026, in Scientific Reports. Source: Gizmodo

What Happened to the Water?

The fate of the 78 million cubic meters remains unclear. Satellite images show some nearby areas rose while others sank, indicating the water may have moved to adjacent subglacial reservoirs. Source: Gizmodo Source: infobae This movement could affect glacier flow by reducing friction between the ice and bedrock. Source: infobae