Hidden Ice Reservoir Found in Utah's Mountains

Topic: Earth Science

Scientists from the University of Utah discovered a huge hidden ice reservoir beneath Mount Timpanogos. They used a new method to create a 3D image of the ice, revealing that it contains about 1.5 million cubic meters of frozen water.

Rock glaciers are different from conventional glaciers. Instead of exposed ice, they look like fields of loose rock. But beneath the surface, they can hold large amounts of ice.

The University of Utah geologists studied one of these rock glaciers, called Timpanogos Rock Glacier, which is located near Salt Lake City and Provo. They used a gravimeter to measure the gravitational pull of the rock and ice. This helped them create a 3D image of the hidden ice within the glacier.

The results showed that Timpanogos Rock Glacier contains about 1.5 million cubic meters of frozen water, which is enough to fill roughly 600 Olympic swimming pools. This is also similar in volume to the largest pyramid at Giza in Egypt.

The researchers found that the rock glacier is surprisingly ice-rich, with 83% ice and 17% loose rock. They also discovered that there's a lot of hidden ice in Utah's mountains, with some areas having up to 120 feet of ice buried beneath the surface.

Why It Matters

This discovery can help us understand how climate change affects our environment. It can also provide valuable information for people living in mountainous regions, where rock glaciers can pose a hazard to communities.

Key Facts

• A huge hidden ice reservoir was found beneath Mount Timpanogos in Utah's mountains.
• The ice reservoir contains about 1.5 million cubic meters of frozen water.
• It takes roughly 600 Olympic swimming pools to hold the same amount of water as the ice reservoir.
• The rock glacier is surprisingly ice-rich, with 83% ice and 17% loose rock.
• There's a lot of hidden ice in Utah's mountains, with some areas having up to 120 feet of ice buried beneath the surface.

Key Terms

Gravimeter

A device that measures the gravitational pull of objects

Rock glacier

A formation where loose rock covers a large amount of hidden ice

Implications

This discovery can help us understand how climate change affects our environment. It can also provide valuable information for people living in mountainous regions, where rock glaciers can pose a hazard to communities.