Friday, 15 August 2025

Uphill Rivers

Water goes with gravity, so of course rivers flow downhill. Yet uphill rivers are real: in Antarctica. It happens to the liquid water under the ice sheets and has naught to do with gravity.


Under Pressure


Instead, the thick layers of sheet ice create colosal pressure from their sheer weight. 
      This weight-sourced pressure acts on the water below. The thicker the ice, the heavier the weight, meaning more pressure is exerted below.
      Now, things move from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. Downhill areas receive more pressure because they're covered by more ice; uphill areas receive less pressure because they're covered by less ice.
      So, if water moves from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure, this means Antartican water below the sheet ice moves from downhill to uphill.


Defying Gravity?


This isn't water defying gravity. 
      Rather, the force exerted by the ice sheet's pressure overcomes the force of the Earth's gravitational force. Gravity is rather weak on our planet so this isn't difficult. 
      (After all, birds wouldn't be able to fly and we wouldn't be able to stand up otherwise!)

No comments:

Post a Comment