Mysterious underwater structures discovered in Antarctica

An international team of scientists led by specialists from the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) presented Relevant findings related to glaciers .

Specifically, the experts used an autonomous underwater vehicle called Ran, which submerged in a cavity on the Dotson Ice Shelf, located in the Antarctic Western .

The study was conducted over 27 days in 2022, while the unmanned aircraft traveled more than 1,000 kilometers round trip .

In the same way, He traveled 17 kilometers into the cavity .

This is an experience of great importance, because THE scientists They are convinced that the analysis reveals clues about the future rise in the level of sea .

The mission of the submersible Ran’s goal was to create the first detailed maps of the underside of a glacier a task that stands out for its complexity given the conditions.

To accomplish this task, he needed to scan the ice with an advanced sonar system .

The results of his work were published in the magazine Scientific advances .

An article from the University of Gothenburg explains that An ice shelf is a mass of glacial ice fed from the land by tributary glaciers and floating in the sea on a cavity in the plateau.

The oceanography professor at the university, Anna Wåhlin, explained that they had already used “satellite data and ice cores to observe how glaciers change over time “.

However, when deploying the submersible inside the cavity, were able to obtain high-resolution maps of the underside of the ice .

For reference, “It’s a bit like seeing the dark side of the moon” ” said Wahlin.

After analyzing the files, the researchers found that The glacier melts faster where strong underwater currents erode its base .

With the help of the submersible, they were also able to measure the currents under the glacier and demonstrate why the western part of the Dotson Ice Shelf is melting at an accelerated rate .

At the same time, they saw very high melting in vertical fractures extending across the glacier .

Some of the evidence they collected was consistent with what they expected. However, they also saw new models in the database that raise more questions .

In this sense, They noticed the presence of ice peaks and valleys with formations that resemble sand dunes. .

The authors hypothesize that They may have been formed by the flow of water under the influence of the Earth’s rotation. says the Swedish university article.

University of Manitoba (Canada) glaciologist and co-author of the work, Karen Alley, explained that “the maps produced by Ran represent Great progress in our understanding of Antarctic ice shelves “.

“We had indications of the complexity of the base of the ice shelves, but Ran discovered a bigger and more complete picture than ever before “The recordings from the base of the Dotson Ice Shelf help us interpret and calibrate what we see from satellites,” the specialist added.

Wåhlin said that “mapping has given us lots of new data that we need to look at more closely “.

“It is clear that many previous hypotheses about the melting of lower glacier surfaces are inadequate. Current models cannot explain the complex patterns we observe. But with this method, we have a better chance to find the answers,” he stressed.

One of the most relevant points of the Dotson platform is that It is part of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. .

Due to factors such as its size and location, This is considered to have a significant impact on future sea level rise. .

“Better models are needed to predict how quickly ice shelves will melt in the future. It’s exciting when oceanographers and glaciologists work together, combining remote sensing and field oceanographic data. This is necessary to understand the glaciological changes that are occurring; the driving force is in the ocean “, stressed the academic from the University of Gothenburg.

Data collection using the unmanned submersible was carried out in 2022, but two years later, In early 2024, the researchers sent Ran back to the Dotson Ice Shelf to repeat the studies. .

The goal of doing the latter was so that the device can document the changes which occurred during this period.

However, The team was only able to complete one dive before the system disappears without a trace.

This resulted in they couldn’t get it back .

Regarding the above, Wåhlin recounted that “seeing Ran disappear into the dark, unknown depths beneath the ice, performing his tasks for more than 24 hours without communicating, It’s obviously overwhelming. “.

“The experience of more than 40 missions under the ice gave us confidence, but ultimately the harsh environment defeated us (…) Although we got some valuable data, we didn’t get everything. “what we expected,” he said of this second period of operations.

However, the authors They hope to be able to replace the submersible to continue with his research.

In the words of the oceanographer, The work they do “is necessary to understand the future of the Antarctic ice sheet.”

You can read the full survey by clicking click on this link .