A Contemporary Microbially Maintained Subglacial Ferrous "Ocean"

• Published in: Science
• Main Authors: Mikucki, Jill A., Pearson, Ann, Johnston, David T., Turchyn, Alexandra V., Farquhar, James, Schrag, Daniel P., Anbar, Ariel D., Priscu, John C., Lee, Peter A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2009
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctic; Ice Sheet; Taylor Glacier
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1167350; https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.1167350

An active microbial assemblage cycles sulfur in a sulfate-rich, ancient marine brine beneath Taylor Glacier, an outlet glacier of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, with Fe(III) serving as the terminal electron acceptor. Isotopic measurements of sulfate, water, carbonate, and ferrous iron and functional...