Scientists find a huge hidden ice reservoir beneath Utah’s mountains
Geologists have discovered that the Timpanogos Rock Glacier in Utah contains approximately 1.5 million cubic meters of ice, hidden beneath a layer of loose rock. Using advanced gravimeter technology, researchers were able to map the internal composition of the glacier, revealing it is 83% ice.
Why it matters
Identifying hidden water reservoirs in mountainous regions is crucial for understanding regional water supplies and the impacts of climate change on glacial melt.
Rock glaciers look very different from conventional glaciers. Instead of exposed ice, they resemble sprawling fields of loose rock, while potentially concealing large quantities of ice below the surface. These formations are widespread across Utah's Wasatch and Uinta ranges and can also be found on the Colorado Plateau in the La Sal Mountains near Moab.
University of Utah geologists have now taken a detailed look inside one of the state's largest examples, the Timpanogos Rock Glacier beneath the prominent summit of Mount Timpanogos near Salt Lake City and Provo. Two new studies examine how the glacier formed and reveal how much ice is buried inside it. By detecting extremely small differences in the gravitational pull of rock and ice, the researchers developed a new way to create a 3D image of the hidden ice within a large rock glacier.
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