The waterfall was first discovered by Australian geologist Griffith Taylor in 1911. Initially, the strange color of the waterfall was believed to be due to red algae.
In 2003, almost 100 years after Taylor discovered the waterfall, the researchers theorized that the red color was caused by oxidation of iron and water which might have originated from underground saltwater lakes.
Researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Colorado College finally confirmed the oxidation in a study published this week in the Journal of Glaciology.
Quoted from Sfgate, Monday (1/5/2017), using echolocation (echolocation) to track the flow of water, researchers found a 5 million-year-old lake under Taylor Glacier. According to scientists, when lake water comes out to the surface, salt water is oxidized when in contact with air.
Even more surprising, the water is still in the form of liquid even though it is inside a frozen glacier.
"Taylor Glacier is currently the coldest glacier whose water flows continuously," said co-author Christina Carr.
Reported by National Geographic, the lake below the glacier has a very salty consistency. Because salt water has a freezing point lower than pure water and releases heat when it freezes, it melts ice and allows the river to flow.
This makes glaciers support the flow of water. In addition Taylor Glacier is also the coldest glacier on Earth with water that is always flowing.
The study also measured the amount of iron-rich salt water in river water. Based on research, the salt water content increases when approaching the waterfall.
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