For several weeks, the ice surrounding Vernadsky's research base in Antarctica has looked like a bloodbath.
In recent weeks, the ice surrounding the Ukrainian research base in Vernadsky, Antarctica, has been covered with what researchers call "raspberry snow". A sight that may sound scary but has a simple scientific explanation, says British media The Sun.
What looks like a bloodbath is actually linked to the presence of a red-pigmented alga, called Chlamydomonas nivalis. The latter develops in icy water and generally remains dormant under snow and ice until summer melts some of the snow. Once in the sun, its red pigment helps the algae absorb heat and thrive. As a result, the presence of this organism has the effect of causing faster melting of snow and ice since the more it absorbs heat, the faster the surrounding ice melts.
A phenomenon that worries some scientists. On Facebook, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine believes that these algae "contribute to global warming".
A vicious circle
"Because of its crimson red color, snow reflects less sunlight and melts faster. As a result, more and more algae are produced", the ministry said. The more algae, the more the ice melts and the less ice there is, the more the algae spread. A vicious circle exacerbated by high temperatures.
This phenomenon is not unusual. However, if global temperatures continue to rise, these strange events will eventually become more frequent and help melt snow and ice faster.