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Uncovering Antarctica's ice-draped landscape.

  • Published In: Science, 2026, v. 391, n. 6782. P. 235 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Young, Duncan A. 3 of 3

Abstract

Earth's largest ice sheet covers more than 14 million km2 (5.4 million square miles) of Antarctica, obscuring the landscape underneath. This subglacial topography (called bed), which includes mountain ranges, plains, deep valleys, basins, and lakes, controls glacial ice flow and affects the shape of the Antarctic ice sheet's surface. Consequently, information on the underlying landscape is critical for projecting ice sheet evolution. However, the detailed subglacial landscape of the Antarctic ice sheet remains unclear. On page 314 of this issue, Ockenden et al. (1) report a method to measure the geometry and position of mesoscale (2 to 30 km) topographic features that constitute Antarctica's interior landscape using the bed's influence on the ice surface. This finding can contribute to understanding the history of Earth's largest ice sheet and predicting changes in the volume of the cryosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Science. 2026/01, Vol. 391, Issue 6782, p235
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:0036-8075
  • DOI:10.1126/science.aee4245
  • Accession Number:190913866
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