A Submarine Found Something Strange On The Ocean Floor - Then It Disappeared

Key Points:

• In 2022, an autonomous underwater vehicle named Ran explored the underside of West Antarctica's Dotson Ice Shelf, revealing complex ice formations such as terraces, channels, grooves, and teardrop-shaped pits not visible via satellite.
• Ran disappeared mysteriously during a return mission in early 2024, with no signals or debris found despite extensive search efforts; possible causes include mechanical failure, collision with ice, or environmental factors.
• The melting of the Dotson Ice Shelf is driven by the Circumpolar Deep Water current, whose varying speeds create the diverse ice shapes and cause uneven melting, with stronger currents and faster melting on the shelf's western side.
• The Dotson Ice Shelf acts as a critical "doorstop" holding back glaciers on land; as it thins and weakens, glaciers accelerate into the ocean, contributing to global sea level rise and increasing flood risks worldwide.
• The detailed maps and data from Ran's mission, published in Science Advances, provide valuable insights that improve predictions of Antarctic ice melt and its impact on future sea level changes.