Hotspot under Antarctica

You are likely aware that earth's polar regions are icy, but not identical. The Arctic ice covers an ocean, while down south, Antarctic ice conceals one of our planet's seven continents. Thirty years ago, a Colorado scientist speculated that a mantle plume might exist beneath Antarctica, which could explain some puzzling surface water features and activity.

Recently, researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the University of California, Irvine used numerical modeling to illustrate the physics of Antarctic ice sheets. They enhanced the results to show the natural sources of heating and heat transport from freezing, melting and liquid water, friction and other processes. This data modeling will help scientists discern the effects of human influence on climate change from complex natural phenomena.

Here's more from GeologyPage.