Antarctica is a place that captures everyone’s attention, but especially that of scientists. Now it remains a trending topic after an unmanned submarine disappeared while exploring what happens beneath the giant ice shelf.
The idea was for this submarine to map, measure and observe what happens underneath the massive structure we see from above, but suddenly it stopped sending signals, and of course, nobody knew what was happening or what had happened to the submarine. What was going on? What had this project managed to see?
Observing the ice from below
The University of Gothenburg was responsible for this project, which also had international participation. And the goal was very clear: to understand why some areas of Antarctica melt much faster than others, because that is curious, right?
These ice shelves work like a brake. While they remain intact, the glaciers behind them do not move, but if they weaken or collapse, the continental ice begins to slide into the sea and that is when sea level starts to change, and yes, if you are still wondering, it is a big problem. So they decided to investigate West Antarctica, one of the regions most vulnerable to global warming.
What was under the ice
Before being lost, the submarine managed to map more than 100 square kilometers of the ice shelf. To everyone’s surprise, it was not a smooth surface. There were cavities, deep channels and real underwater landscapes created by basal melting, ice that melts from below when it comes into contact with warmer ocean water.
And suddenly, silence
After almost a month of continuous work under the ice, the submarine stopped transmitting signals, and recovering it was practically impossible. It was kilometers deep in an inaccessible region. So its journey ended there. Researchers suspect it may have become trapped by shifting ice, but if there is one thing to be grateful for in this mission, it is that it collected such valuable data for science.
What is this knowledge useful for?
Basically to understand how the interior of Antarctica works. The ocean is attacking the ice from below. The warmer our oceans become, the faster glacier ice melts, and this is happening much faster than previously thought.
For years, many climate models did not believe this was possible, but now it is much clearer that warmer water sneaks in through channels and accumulates until it erodes the ice.
What would happen if sea level rose?
The beaches where you love to spend your summers would completely disappear, taking entire cities and communities with them. All populations at sea level would have to relocate elsewhere because many would become almost flooded and inaccessible.
A martyr
Although this submarine never returned, the mission served exactly the purpose it was created for: to find out what was happening, and it succeeded even though it did not come back to tell the story.
Racing against time
We have to accept that we are late when it comes to climate change, and that everything is happening out of our sight. Everything is changing beneath the surface of Antarctica and we have to take action, as a society, as individuals and as a world, to reverse this problem. Will we arrive in time or will the first cities have to sink for us to wake up?