Radar sounding survey over Devon Ice Cap indicates the potential for a diverse hypersaline subglacial hydrological environment

• Published in: The Cryosphere
• Main Authors: A. Rutishauser, D. D. Blankenship, D. A. Young, N. S. Wolfenbarger, L. H. Beem, M. L. Skidmore, A. Dubnick, A. S. Criscitiello
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Copernicus Publications 2022
• Subjects: geo; envir; Arctic; Devon Ice Cap; Ice cap; The Cryosphere
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-379-2022; https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/16/379/2022/tc-16-379-2022.pdf; https://doaj.org/article/1c65ec8e5bbf4803b7724bedac2a6dbe

Prior geophysical surveys provided evidence for a hypersaline subglacial lake complex beneath the center of Devon Ice Cap, Canadian Arctic; however, the full extent and characteristics of the hydrological system remained unknown due to limited data coverage. Here, we present results from a new, targeted aerogeophysical survey that provides evidence (i) supporting the existence of a subglacial lake complex and (ii) for a network of shallow brine/saturated sediments covering ∼170 km2. Newly resolved lake shorelines indicate three closely spaced lakes covering a total area of 24.6 km2. These results indicate the presence of a diverse hypersaline subglacial hydrological environment with the potential to support a range of microbial habitats, provide important constraints for future investigations of this compelling scientific target, and highlight its relevance as a terrestrial analog for aqueous systems on other icy worlds.