Antarctica's Mysterious Lake is certainly worthy of its name. The lake, completely covered in ice due to a permanently frozen state, and named for the strange cone of debris at its center, was recently found to have a layer of fresh water hidden beneath the ice - and it's home to a diverse array of microorganisms.
Between November 2019 and January 2020, scientists conducted a study of the lake using ground-penetrating radar and found at least 12 meters (40 feet) of liquid water beneath the ice surface. The researchers then drilled through the ice and used a camera to explore the lake's depths.
The team first tested the water to determine its origin. This was crucial because the area receives little precipitation, experiences high winds, and has intense solar evaporation, making it surprising that there would still be any water remaining in Lake Enigma.
Based on the chemical makeup of the salts in the water, the researchers believe that the lake's water is constantly replenished through an underground passage connected to the nearby Amorphous Glacier.
Unseen ecosystem beneath Antarctic ice
The researchers have discovered that, despite being disconnected from the atmosphere, Lake Enigma harbors a variety of microbial life that forms layered clusters known as microbial mats on the lake's bottom. Many of these microorganisms are able to make their own food through photosynthesis, which contributes to a high concentration of dissolved oxygen in the lake's waters.
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Possibly may have developed unique metabolic adaptations in order to survive.
"This finding highlights the complexity and diversity of food webs in Antarctic permanently ice-covered lakes, with symbiotic and predatory lifestyles a possibility not previously recognized," the researchers wrote in the study.
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