“Channels of this magnitude have been observed before elsewhere, but their formation has been attributed to purely oceanic processes rather than meltwater exiting the grounded ice sheet. Now, with the connection to the meltwater system established, readily obtainable observations from the channels have the potential to shed light on how meltwater flows at the base of an inaccessible kilometer-thick ice sheet. The study received funding from Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the European Space Agency (ESA).”
http://scitechdaily.com/scientists-discover-giant-ice-channels-beneath-antarctic-ice-shelf/