Chinese scientists have achieved a milestone in polar exploration using a hyperspectral ultra-wideband microwave radiometer designed to map the distribution of temperatures beneath the ice sheet in Antarctica.
This innovative equipment is part of China’s 41st Antarctic expedition, which conducted air-land experiments with helicopters and snowmobiles.
Experiment Details
- Advanced technology: Detects microwave radiation energy from within the ice sheet. Allows measuring temperatures at depths of up to 4,000 meters.
- Objective: To investigate temperatures and ice sheet melting, subglacial lakes, and sea level changes.
- Advantages over traditional methods: Cost reduction and higher efficiency compared to traditional techniques, which are more complex and costly.
Importance of the discovery
According to Zhu Di, researcher at the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, ice sheet melting usually starts from the bottom, a phenomenon that this technology can accurately analyze.
The generated data is crucial for understanding polar dynamics and predicting the impact of climate change on oceans and global ecosystems.
Chinese scientists discover 46 lakes under Antarctica’s ice
A team of Chinese scientists has discovered 46 subglacial lakes beneath Antarctica’s ice sheet using a new analysis method that enhances search accuracy.
“The study of subglacial lakes in Antarctica is of great importance for understanding ice sheet dynamics, sedimentary processes, subglacial geochemical cycles, and the evolution of life,” explained the expert from the Chinese Polar Research Institute (IIPC), Tang Xueyuan, as cited by the official Xinhua agency.
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