Science
Criosfera 1, the first Brazilian standalone module for atmospheric data collection, has arrived at its destination on the West Antarctic ice sheet. “It is a pioneering achievement of Brazil’s institutions and a landmark for the Brazilian Antarctic Program. When we return from the expedition, automatic equipment of weather monitoring, measurement of carbon dioxide, also [...]
An ancient lake hidden deep beneath West Antarctica’s Ice Sheet may reveal vital clues about climate change and future sea level rises, and uncover new forms of life, according to a group of UK engineers and scientists. Sub-glacial Lake Ellsworth Project (SLE) British Antarctic Survey (BAS) engineers are preparing to head off to Lake Ellsworth, [...]
The Sub-glacial Lake Ellsworth Consortium have launched a new website for the Lake Ellsworth drilling project. www.ellsworth.org.uk The website gives a great overview of the project, which will look for life in Antarctic sub-glacial lakes. There are sections on science goals; engineering and logistics challenges; and how the environment will be protected. The site also [...]
ALE has been named as the primary logistics provider for a major scientific undertaking in West Antarctica. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office recently published a Draft Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation of the proposed exploration of Subglacial Lake Ellsworth. This project has two main aims: to determine the presence of life in an Antarctic subglacial lake; and [...]
Scientists from the Centro de Estudios Cientificos, of Valdivia Chile, continued glacier flow rate and bedrock studies in the Ellsworth Mountains, using ground penetrating radar. During their 2010 fieldwork they extended our knowledge of sub-glacial lakes near Lake Ellsworth. We were pleased to once again host a team from the National Science Foundation’s POLENET project. The [...]