lake lake russian lit largest antarctica known lakes located southern pole cold beneath russia station surface central east ice sheet mean sea level surface fresh water lake approximately surface ice places approximately sea level measuring long wide widest point covering area km2 average depth estimated volume lake divided deep basins ridge liquid water ridge compared roughly deep northern basin deep southern lake named station turn named sloop war ship means east russian existence lake region suggested russian based seismic measure thickness ice sheet continued research russian british scientists led final confirmation existence lake laser ice provides continuous record years lake water isolated million years february team russian scientists completed longest ice core pierced ice shield surface lake core frozen lake ice obtained january depth soon ice pierced water underlying lake mixing freezing new clean allegedly water sample obtained january russian team plans eventually lower probe lake collect water samples sediments unusual forms life found lake liquid layer fossil water reserve contains environment sealed ice millions years conditions resemble ice covered ocean moon saturn moon discovery russian scientist proposed idea fresh water ice sheets end 19th century tremendous pressure exerted cumulative mass thousands vertical meters ice increase temperature lowest portions ice sheet point ice melt theory developed russian wrote thesis subject russian seismic region station soviet expedition measure thickness ice sheet suggest existence lake region subsequent research confirmed hypothesis british scientists antarctica performed airborne ice penetrating radar surveys early 1970s detected unusual radar readings site suggested presence liquid freshwater lake ice remote sensing specialist directed satellite turn high frequency array center ice cap data confirmed findings british surveys new data published space based radar revealed body fresh water largest lakes world lakes antarctica russian british scientists lake integrating variety data including airborne ice penetrating radar imaging observations space based radar confirmed lake contains large amounts liquid water kilometer thick ice cap lake liquid water averaging kilometers lake named station turn named ton sloop war ship sailed antarctica russian explorer admiral word means east russian station lake reflects fact located island found central lake january discovery nearby smaller lakes ice cap published named suspected lakes connected network rivers propose lakes antarctica temporarily varying water pressure individual lakes large rivers suddenly form force large amounts water solid ice geological history africa separated antarctica million years ago followed indian early cretaceous million years ago million years ago antarctica connected australia tropical subtropical climate complete fauna extensive temperate basin small wide feature overall setting kilometer wide continental collision zone mountain range dome region lake water bed sediments meters thick offering possibility contain unique record climate life antarctica ice cap formed traits lake water estimated sealed thick ice sheet million years ago initially thought water lake time formation giving residence time order million years later research earth observatory columbia_university suggested water lake continually freezing carried away motion ice sheet replaced water melting parts ice sheet high pressure conditions resulted estimate entire volume lake replaced years effective mean residence time temperature observed earth recorded station july average water temperature calculated remains liquid normal freezing point high pressure weight ice heat earth interior warm lake ice sheet lake cold temperatures surface lake extreme environment expected nitrogen oxygen measuring litres nitrogen oxygen water times higher typically found ordinary freshwater lakes earth surface sheer weight pressure bars psi continental ice cap lake estimated contribute high gas concentration water oxygen gases trapped type structure called structures gases enclosed cage look like packed snow structures form high pressure depths lake unstable brought surface april german russian japanese researchers found lake tides depending position sun moon surface lake rises lake complete darkness bar psi pressure expected rich oxygen speculation organisms inhabiting lake evolved manner unique environment magnetic east coast lake spanning researchers caused earth crust location living micro organisms found deep ice core extant surface dwelling species suggests presence deep utilizing system bedrock lake optimism life lake possible despite high pressure constant cold low nutrient input potentially high oxygen concentration absence sunlight moon saturn moon harbor lakes oceans thick crust ice confirmation life strengthen prospect presence life research researchers working station produced world longest ice joint russian french united_states team analyzed core long ice samples close lake assessed old years assumption lake sealed surface ice sheet formed million years ago drilling core deliberately halted roughly suspected boundary ice sheet liquid waters lake prevent contamination lake ton column prevent collapsing freezing core specifically ice thought formed lake water freezing base ice sheet found suggesting lake water supports life scientists suggested lake possess unique habitat ancient bacteria isolated gene pool containing characteristics developed years ago january head announced team ice left drill order reach water researchers switched new thermal drill head clean oil fluid drill rest way instead drilling way water said stop thermal drill detected free water point drill stopped extracted bore hole removal drill lower pressure beneath drawing water hole left freeze creating plug ice hole drilling stopped february depth research team ice beginning winter season drilling team left aircraft february plan following summer team drill sample ice analyze russians resumed drilling lake january reached upper surface water february researchers allowed rushing lake water freeze bore hole months later collected ice core samples newly formed ice sent france analysis biology results united_kingdom united_states scientists reported evidence ice different team led identifying variety bacteria fungi ice water layer collected drilling projects 1990s according indicates lake ice sterile contains unique ecosystem published july team performed acid dna results allowed pathways represented ice extension lake team found unique gene sequences approximately sequences bacteria taxonomic classifications genus species identification possible sequences general taxa similar organisms previously described lakes water marine environments soil glaciers ice lake sediments deep sea sediments deep sea thermal animals plants sequences resistant organisms present including number newcastle stated dna simply contamination drilling process representative old ice 1990s look evidence past climates buried ice life drilling equipment expert russia doubts cells dna fragments samples belong organisms actually exist lake says probable samples heavily contaminated tissue outside world russia france russian french scientists carrying molecular dna studies water frozen constructing numerous dna libraries collections fragments dna allow scientists identify species bacteria belong samples taken lake far contain water contaminated bacteria previously present drill bit drilling fluid far scientists able identify species found unknown initially lake surface matches international hope unique lake laboratory head study institution said bacteria principle use drilling energy source critics scientific community state valuable information obtained test clean samples lake water drilling fluid regardless contamination issues drilling facility station declared historic monument result recognition achievements russian research antarctica international scientific community unique operations opening performed russian scientists february january russian press stated russian scientists new clean special probe collected water fluid predicted water rise fact water rose lake height october year work suspended southern summer insufficient funding federal russian government contamination drilling drilling project opposed environmental groups scientists argued hot water drilling limited environmental impact main concern lake contaminated russians bore hole scientists taken position assumed life exists long isolation life forms lake require strict protection contamination original drilling technique employed russians involved use prevent collapsing freezing short tons chemicals far ice lake countries particularly united_states britain failed persuade russians pierce lake cleaner technologies hot water drilling available russians claim improved operations continue use contaminated according head new equipment developed researchers ensure lake remains intrusion repeatedly nations drilling affect lake arguing breakthrough water rush freeze seal groups remain arguments argued manner drilling profoundly step lakes antarctica scientists convinced inter linked lake coalition asserted far join countries penetrate smaller isolated lake examining penetration environmentally wise lake allowed reveal secrets course claims hot water drilling dangerous fauna living species plus entire structure water layers lake additionally hot water drilling required power russian expedition generated remote camp
Lake Vostok