New Antarctica map unveils hidden features beneath ice

A new map revealing what lies beneath Antarctica's ice has been released by a team of international scientists. This detailed map, called Bedmap3, shows hidden mountains and deep canyons under the ice sheets. The British Antarctic Survey led the project, which used over 60 years of data collected from various sources including planes, satellites, and ships. The map is the third version made since the project began in 2001. The latest edition includes 82 million data points, with significant updates from East Antarctica, which previously had many gaps in data. One major finding is that the thickest ice in Antarctica is located in a canyon in Wilkes Land, measuring over 15,000 feet thick. Earlier maps suggested the thickest ice was in a different area. Understanding this hidden landscape is important for predicting how Antarctica will respond to climate change. Dr. Hamish Pritchard, a glaciologist involved in the study, explained that the ice's flow is influenced by the shape of the land beneath it. He compared it to syrup pouring over a cake - the shape affects how fast and where the syrup flows. The scientists found that the Antarctic Ice Sheet is thicker and has more ice than previously thought. This increases concerns about its stability as warm ocean water reaches the edges of the continent. As Peter Fretwell, a mapping specialist, noted, the findings suggest that Antarctica could be more vulnerable to melting than scientists realized.