Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
13:38
Laser-Induced Fluorescence Emission L.I.F.E. as Novel Non-Invasive Tool for In-Situ Measurements of Biomarkers in Cryospheric Habitats
Published on: October 26, 2019
8.0K
Coastal bathymetry in central Dronning Maud Land controls ice shelf stability
H Eisermann1, G Eagles2, W Jokat2
1Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Am Alten Hafen 26, Bremerhaven, Germany. heiserma@awi.de.
Scientific Reports
|January 16, 2024
Summary
Accurate bathymetry of Antarctica
Area of Science:
- Geophysics
- Glaciology
- Oceanography
Background:
- Antarctic margin bathymetry is critical for understanding ice-ocean interactions and sea level change.
- Current bathymetric data is limited in areas covered by ice shelves and sea ice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a bathymetric model for the central Dronning Maud Land margin.
- To assess the accuracy of airborne gravity data for mapping inaccessible Antarctic regions.
Main Methods:
- Constrained inversion of airborne gravity data.
- Development of a new bathymetric model for the Dronning Maud Land margin.
Main Results:
- Revealed deeper ice shelf cavities than previously mapped.
- Identified shallow sills shielding cavities from Warm Deep Water and basal melting.
- Demonstrated airborne gravity's accuracy over multi-year sea ice.
Conclusions:
- Airborne gravity surveys can effectively map vast, inaccessible Antarctic margins.
- The new model provides crucial data for oceanographic and glaciological research.
- Findings improve understanding of ice-ocean dynamics and sea level change contributions.
Related Concept Videos
03:12Freezing Point Depression and Boiling Point Elevation
Boiling Point Elevation
The boiling point of a liquid is the temperature at which its vapor pressure is equal to ambient atmospheric pressure. Since the vapor pressure of a solution is lowered due to the presence of nonvolatile solutes, it stands to reason that the solution’s boiling point will subsequently be increased. Vapor pressure increases with temperature, and so a solution will require a higher temperature than will pure solvent to achieve any given vapor pressure, including one...
The boiling point of a liquid is the temperature at which its vapor pressure is equal to ambient atmospheric pressure. Since the vapor pressure of a solution is lowered due to the presence of nonvolatile solutes, it stands to reason that the solution’s boiling point will subsequently be increased. Vapor pressure increases with temperature, and so a solution will require a higher temperature than will pure solvent to achieve any given vapor pressure, including one...
01:24Freezing Point Depression and Boiling Point Elevation
When a non-volatile solute is added to a pure solvent, it results in the lowering of the freezing point of the solvent. This phenomenon is called freezing point depression. The extent to which the freezing point is lowered depends on the molality of the solute -the number of moles of solute per kilogram of solvent and the cryoscopic constant of the solvent.From the plot of chemical potential, μ, against temperature, it is evident that the μ of both solid and liquid solvents decrease with...
01:26Influence of Earth's Curvature and Atmospheric Refraction on Leveling
During leveling, the Earth's curvature and atmospheric refraction introduce deviations in the line of sight from a true horizontal reference. When the line of sight is leveled, it remains perpendicular to the plumb line only at a single point. Beyond this, it deviates due to the Earth’s curvature, represented by the correction C. For a sight distance D, the deviation can be derived using the relationship:This relationship shows that the deviation increases quadratically with distance. Over a...
01:19Design Example: Maintaining Level of an Embankment
Constructing a roadway embankment over uneven terrain requires precise leveling to ensure stability and proper drainage. Surveyors use a leveling instrument and staff to calculate ground elevations and determine the required fill material at each point along the embankment alignment.The process begins by positioning a leveling instrument near a benchmark with a known elevation. A backsight reading establishes the instrument height, which serves as a reference for subsequent measurements. A...
01:11Buoyancy and Stability for Submerged and Floating Bodies
In fluid mechanics, buoyancy and stability are key concepts for understanding the behavior of submerged and floating bodies. When a stationary body is fully or partially submerged in a fluid, the fluid exerts a force on the body known as the buoyant force. This force acts vertically upward through a point called the center of buoyancy, which is the center of the displaced fluid volume. According to Archimedes' principle, the magnitude of the buoyant force is equal to the weight of the fluid...
01:18Boundary Layer Characteristics
When a fluid encounters a solid surface, a boundary layer forms due to the interaction between the fluid's motion and the stationary surface. This phenomenon is characterized by a thin region adjacent to the surface where viscous forces dominate, influencing the fluid's velocity profile. The development of the boundary layer begins at the leading edge of the surface and evolves as the fluid moves downstream.As the fluid flows over the surface, friction between the fluid and the wall slows down...