The Bellingshausen Sea hides a massive asteroid crater beneath its frigid Antarctic waters

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Named after a Russian explorer, this remote Antarctic sea is a critical engine for global ocean circulation. Recent research reveals it is warming rapidly, with deep-sea currents transporting heat that threatens the stability of surrounding ice shelves, potentially altering ocean stratification and heat distribution across the entire southern continent.

Located along the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula, the Bellingshausen Sea covers 487,000 square kilometers and reaches depths of 4.5 kilometers. It is defined by its rugged boundaries, including Alexander Island and Thurston Island, and is oceanographically linked to the neighboring Amundsen Sea. The region is named for Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen, the Russian navy officer who explored these waters during his 1819 to 1821 expedition, which also saw the discovery of Peter I and Alexander I islands.

The sea is a site of significant geological and environmental change. Roughly 2.15 million years ago, during the early Pleistocene Epoch, an asteroid between 1 and 4 kilometers in diameter known as the Eltanin impactor struck the edge of the sea. This event created the only known impact crater located within a deep-ocean basin globally. Today, the sea remains a focal point for climate study, as it is currently undergoing rapid warming and shoaling.

Over the last two decades, temperatures in the region have risen by 3 °C due to the persistent influx of warm Circumpolar Deep Waters. These currents enter through the Belgica and Latady Troughs, accessing ice shelf cavities and accelerating melt rates. This process is further complicated by the Antarctic Slope Current, which is believed to originate here due to density fronts rather than wind. As meltwater is injected into the deep ocean, it can rise to the surface, influencing vertical mixing and heat fluxes that ripple across the Antarctic continent.

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