The oldest glacier in the world is reportedly found in South Africa. The finding of this glacier is said to be the oldest in the world and is under the largest gold deposit. This new finding is quite convincing evidence of the environmental conditions that existed in ancient times.
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Although in fact they are not widely known, they provide a number of theories about the conditions so far. These preserved glacial deposits are considered to be the oldest glaciers.
The Oldest Glacier in the World Discovered by Scientists
Glaciers are masses of ice that are formed from the dense accumulation of snow and turn into ice over time. The process of forming glaciers begins when snow accumulates in large quantities and does not have time to melt completely during the summer.
The snow that doesn’t melt then experiences pressure from the newer snow cover above it. This pressure causes the snow to turn into solid ice.
Over time, the layers of ice that continued to accumulate became thicker and heavier. Due to pressure and gravity, this ice begins to slowly flow downward. From a higher region to a lower region.
This flow of ice occurs through valleys and crevices in the landscape, forming what we know as glaciers. Glaciers can be found in various parts of the world.
Especially in the polar regions and high mountains. Glaciers store large amounts of water in the form of ice, and they play an important role in the global water cycle.
In addition, glaciers also provide a valuable indicator of climate change. Because changes in temperature and precipitation can affect the growth and melting of glaciers. But now scientists have just discovered a glacier located in South Africa.
How to Determine the Age of a Glacier
Scientists use a variety of methods to determine the age of glaciers, such as ice core analysis, radiometric dating and climate modeling. Ice cores from certain glaciers can provide climate records and information about the past history of climate change.
Radiometric dating scientists use to estimate the age of the rock around a glacier which helps in determining the relative age of the glacier. Scientific developments are continuing, and new discoveries and further research can lead to better understanding.
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In fact it is about the oldest glaciers in the world. Like this time the oldest glaciers have been found in South Africa.
Discovery Evidence of the World’s Oldest Glacier
Scientists believe that in the past there was the earliest period of global cooling. The probability of that occurring can rise scientifically. Moreover, there is physical evidence of fossilized glacial moraines.
Even the debris that the glaciers have left behind. The researchers also analyzed oxygen isotope concentrations in ancient rocks to determine climatic conditions at the time of deposition.
It can be seen that the number of the three oxygen isotopes is 16 O, 17 O, and 18 O. The three oxygen isotopes still have slightly different weights. The glacial rock that scientists found this time has a fairly low amount of 18 O.
Meanwhile, the amount of 17O is relatively high. This indicates that the oxygen isotope is formed at cold temperatures. With the geochemical and moraine evidence proving that the glacier they found is the oldest glacier that has ever existed.
Glacier Locations in Discover
Recently scientists have managed to find the oldest glacier in the world. Interestingly, they found this glacier at the bottom of the South African gold fields. These glacier deposits are at the very bottom of the largest gold deposits.
Because of the discovery of this glacier, there was an assumption that South Africa was once located close to the South Pole. The fact that the glacier was found proves the existence of the initial conditions for life on earth.
The discovery of this glacier has also been published in the journal Geochemical Perspectives Letters with the title Earth’s first glaciation at 2.9 Ga revealed by triple oxygen isotopes. Previously, the condition of the earth at that time was still not widely known to them. It’s just that there are remains aged 2.9 billion years.
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It is more likely that this glacier in South Africa is close to the South Pole. It is also possible that it could be during the snowball period when concentrations of CO2 and CH4 lead to a reverse greenhouse effect which causes large parts of the planet to freeze over.
Researchers are increasingly believing that this event occurred several times in the past. The period that occurred was the earliest period of global cooling until the formation of the world’s oldest glacier was created. (R10/HR-Online)
2023-07-17 11:37:20
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