The mystery of the Solar System can be found in Antarctica?

The iron meteorite layer beneath the surface of the Antarctic ice sheet can carry a lot of information about our solar system formation.

Antarctic ice sheets always hide many mysteries. Last January, scientists discovered a system of the world's largest canyons beneath the ice surface of East Antarctica. This system is said to be twice the size of the magnificent grand canyon - Grand Canyon - one of the world's natural wonders.

Most recently, a study published in Nature Communications suggests that a "latent iron meteorite" could be found beneath the Antarctic ice sheet less than half a meter. According to scientists, this iron meteorite is capable of providing clues about the formation of the Solar System.

The Antarctic remains famous as a " meteorite " site, for two main reasons. First of all , meteorites are usually dark in color, contrasting with the pristine white ribbon plain of the southern continent.

The remnants of the Solar System's origins can be hidden beneath the surface of the Antarctic ice sheet.(Photo: Volodymyr Goinyk / Shutterstock).

Second , the ancient meteorites deep under the ice are moving gradually to the surface by the other ice layers pushed up. This happens when the glaciers suddenly slow down, pressing other parts of it. This mechanism helps to gather surface meteorites, usually near the mountains, in areas called "aground meteorites".

There are about 35,000 meteorite samples, accounting for more than two-thirds of all the specimens collected by the world in Antarctica. Among these are many specimens from the Moon and Mars.

However, most of these meteorites are rock meteorites. According to scientists, the number of iron meteorites that humans obtain in Antarctica is much less than elsewhere on Earth. This confuses scientists.

To uncover the mystery of this issue, a team of researchers from the University of Manchester (UK), did an experiment to find out if the iron meteorites were hidden beneath the ice.

Specifically, they encased two spherical meteors, a rock meteorite and an iron meteorite, in an ice block, placed in a temperature control chamber. Then, they projected a lamp that simulated Antarctic natural sunlight into two samples.

Although both samples are hot enough to melt the surrounding ice, the iron meteorite coating dissolves 1.6 times faster than the rock meteorite cover. That means, the metal components of iron meteorites have caused ice to melt faster.

Two-thirds of the total meteorites that humans collected are in Antarctica.

To confirm the results of the study, the scientists applied to meteorites at the foot of Mount Frontier (Antarctica) , a famous "meteorite trap" site . Computer simulations show that rock meteorites almost always appear on the surface, while iron meteorites are able to sink under the ice.

If this hypothesis is correct, an iron meteorite layer may be under the icy surface of Antarctica.

"Each iron meteorite is capable of representing the internal structure of a pre-planet or basic planet (protoplanet), " said Dr. Katherine Joy. "This means, by searching for them, we can learn more about the planets that no longer exist."

Thus, each asteroid can provide an insight into the creation, evolution, and destruction of some of our solar system's youngest rock planets.