Scientists unveil detailed map of Antarctica's hidden landscape

Scientists have completed a new and detailed map of Antarctica's landscape beneath its ice. This is the third version of the map, called Bedmap3. This map uses data collected from ships, planes, satellites, and sleds to show what lies under 27 million cubic kilometers of ice. This updated map has twice as many data points as the last version. It includes around 82 million points, visualized in three dimensions. The new findings improve our understanding of areas around the South Pole, East Antarctica, Transantarctic Mountains, and the West Antarctic coast. The research has also made it possible to see grounding lines. These are the places where the ice edges meet the sea. The study found that the total volume of ice in Antarctica and its shelves is about 27.17 million cubic kilometers. The ice covers an area of about 13.63 million square kilometers and is nearly 1,948 meters thick. If all the ice melted, it could raise global sea levels by about 58 meters. Dr. Hamish Pritchard, a glaciologist involved in the study, explained that the map is crucial for computer models predicting how ice will move as temperatures rise. He compared the situation to syrup flowing over a rock cake, where the shape of the cake influences how the syrup moves. The map also offers a clearer picture of Antarctica's valleys and mountains. It has helped scientists get more accurate information about the height and thickness of floating ice shelves. Another researcher, Peter Fretwell, noted that the Antarctic Ice Sheet is thicker and contains more ice than previously thought. This makes it more vulnerable to melting due to warm ocean water.