Hidden East Antarctic Fan-Shaped Basin Rewrites Gondwana's Breakup
Scientists using radar, gravity, magnetic surveys, seismic data and modeling have identified a giant, fan-shaped network of buried basins beneath East Antarctica, now named the East Antarctic Fan-Shaped Basin Province (EAFBP). This continent-scale structure links Wilkes, Aurora, and Lake Vostok basins, suggesting a single, long-deformed crust formed by distributed rotational extension. The find reshapes understanding of Gondwana's breakup and indicates the buried topography influences ice flow and could affect future sea-level rise projections, though precise timing remains uncertain and more seismic work is needed.
