New map reveals hidden landscape under Antarctica's ice sheet
KSL.com • • science
Key Points:
- Scientists have created the most detailed map to date of Antarctica's subglacial terrain, revealing a diverse landscape of mountains, canyons, valleys, plains, and over 30,000 previously uncharted hills.
- The mapping used high-resolution satellite data combined with ice-flow perturbation analysis, allowing researchers to estimate the bedrock topography beneath the ice sheet, including areas previously uncharted.
- Understanding the detailed subglacial landscape is crucial for improving models that predict the ice sheet's flow, retreat, and contribution to global sea-level rise, as rough terrain can slow ice loss.
- The new map provides a comprehensive view of Antarctica's hidden landscape, which shares similarities with glaciated regions in Scotland, Scandinavia, northern Canada,
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