Abstract
Abstract The morphology, physics, and chemistry of Lake Miers (78° 07′ S, 163° 54′ E), a warm freshwater Antarctic lake, are discussed. The presence of rock debris on the floating lake ice has led to the formation of dirt cones and melt pools. Fossil levels of these pools show that the annual ablation is 15–20 cm. Despite a mean annual air temperature of − 20 ° c, the bottom waters of the lake are at + 5 ° C. This is shown to be a natural example of solar heat storage and the observed temperature profile is satisfactorily accounted for. Chemical evidence suggests that the lake has been filled by freshwater containing K, Na, Cl, and O2 , and that it is now stagnant below the 4° C depth. In this lower zone Ca, Mg, CO2, and SiO2 are diffusing upwards from the lake bed, possibly partly released by anaerobic biological activity.
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