Rebecca Manzi The submarine "Ran" explored the Dotson ice shelf in Antarctica, discovering mysterious structures and significant irregularities
@279photo/123rf
A recent study conducted by an international team of scientists has revealed a surprising discovery beneath the Dotson Ice Shelf in West Antarctica. Using the unmanned submersible “Ran” from the University of Gothenburg, researchers explored a vast cavity under the ice, uncovering mysterious structures and unexpected phenomena.
This 27-day exploration covered nearly 620 miles (1,000 kilometers), providing new insights into how Antarctic glaciers melt and the complex formations found beneath the ice sheet.
The hidden cavities of the Dotson Ice Shelf
The Dotson Ice Shelf is a large expanse of ice floating on the ocean, and like many other Antarctic ice structures, it conceals unexplored cavities beneath it. Contrary to what one might imagine, the base of these ice shelves is not flat but features significant irregularities.
Ice loss in Antarctica has contributed to sea level rise of about 0.05 inches per year
During the mission, the Ran submersible discovered formations resembling sand dunes, a phenomenon scientists believe may be caused by water flow generated by Earth’s rotation. This surprising discovery challenges previous assumptions about Antarctic glacier melt, suggesting that underwater currents affect different areas of the ice in various ways.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report highlighted that sea levels rose rapidly during the 20th century, partly due to ice melt in regions like Antarctica and Greenland. NASA’s GRACE and GRACE-FO missions estimated that between 2002 and 2023, Antarctica lost enough ice to contribute to a sea level rise of about 0.05 inches (1.2 millimeters) per year.
@Science Advance
New perspectives on climate change and ice shelf dynamics
The mission beneath the Dotson Ice Shelf has provided new perspectives on how climate change is impacting these glacial structures. However, the mission was not without challenges: the Ran submersible disappeared after just one dive. Despite this setback, the researchers are determined to continue their explorations, believing that these discoveries could offer further crucial information for better understanding the impact of climate change on Antarctic ice.
