Geophysical exploration of a West Antarctic subglacial lake
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Sch of Geosciences
Abstract
Antarctic subglacial lakes are liquid bodies of water located in topographic hollows beneath the ice sheets of Antarctica. They have attracted considerable scientific interest over the last ten years as they are expected to contain unique microbial lifeforms and detailed records of past climate change. Examination of these contents requires scientists to penetrate into a lake, and measure and sample the lake water and sediment. No lake has yet to be explored in this way, however. This form of direct analysis can only take place once a lake has been characterised fully by geophysical methods (to uncover the morphology of the ice base and the water depth of the lake). Of the 145 known subglacial lakes in Antarctica none have been measured to the level required for meaningful direct analysis to take place. We propose to undertake a comprehensive geophysical exploration of a 10 km long subglacial lake in West Antarctica, near the Ellsworth Mountains, named Subglacial Lake Ellsworth. The result of the project will be the first fully characterised subglacial lake environment and the establishment of a candidate for future direct exploration. Data analysis and modelling will be undertaken at the University of Bristol, the British Antarctic Survey and Northumbria University. Ice thickness will be determined from ice-penetrating radar, water depths will be found using seismic exploration, and ice flow and accumulation will be obtained from direct surface measurements. A series of numerical models will be used to understand the history of the lake, the flow of ice across the lake and the circulation of water within the lake. Data visualisation will be undertaken in conjunction with Dr. Martin Jakobsson (collaborator). Following this project, the next step will be to send a probe into Lake Ellsworth. A UK-led team has been assembled to plan such work (see www.ggy.bris.ac.uk/ellsworth), and take on what is arguably the most eagerly awaited and high-profile scientific project in the history of Antarctic science. Hence, the geophysical work we propose here will be thought of, in years to come, as a hugely important first step towards the understanding of one of the greatest unexplored habitats on Earth.
Organisations
- University of Edinburgh (Lead Research Organisation)
- University of Texas at Austin (Collaboration)
- DURHAM UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- Newcastle University (Collaboration)
- Australian Antarctic Division (Collaboration)
- Polar Research Institute of China (Collaboration)
- Beijing Normal University (Collaboration)
- University of Delhi (Collaboration)
- IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
- British Antarctic Survey (Collaboration)
- University of Bristol (Collaboration)
Publications
Ross N
(2020)
Basal melting over Subglacial Lake Ellsworth and its catchment: insights from englacial layering
in Annals of Glaciology
Smith A
(2018)
Evidence for the long-term sedimentary environment in an Antarctic subglacial lake
in Earth and Planetary Science Letters
Ross N
(2013)
The Ellsworth Subglacial Highlands: Inception and retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet
in Geological Society of America Bulletin
Ross N
(2011)
Holocene stability of the Amundsen-Weddell ice divide, West Antarctica
in Geology
Siegert M
(2016)
RESEARCH FOCUS: A wide variety of unique environments beneath the Antarctic ice sheet
in Geology
Woodward J
(2010)
Location for direct access to subglacial Lake Ellsworth: An assessment of geophysical data and modeling
in Geophysical Research Letters
Livingstone S
(2022)
Subglacial lakes and their changing role in a warming climate
in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment
Siegert M
(2012)
Clean access, measurement, and sampling of Ellsworth Subglacial Lake: A method for exploring deep Antarctic subglacial lake environments
in Reviews of Geophysics
Thoma M
(2011)
The "tipping" temperature within Subglacial Lake Ellsworth, West Antarctica and its implications for lake access
in The Cryosphere
Amils, Ricardo; Ellis-Evans, Cynan; Hinghofer-Szalkay, Helmut G.
(2007)
Life in Extreme Environments
Description | We have mapped out in fine detail the size and shape of an Antarctic subglacial lake, making it a prime target for direct measurement and sampling. We have also shown the West Antarctic ice sheet has been extremely stable over the lake, over the past 10,000 years. We have shown how bed topography is manifested in surface morphology, aiding the detection of subglacial landscape in regions where bed data are sparse or absent. We have demonstrated that the lake contains sediment across its floor |
Exploitation Route | Others can use the fine bed data as a reference point for analysis of the association between ice surface and bed morphology. |
Sectors | Environment Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Description | Our work contributed to the SCAR code of conduct on Antarctic subglacial exploration. |
First Year Of Impact | 2013 |
Sector | Environment |
Impact Types | Policy & public services |
Description | ICECAP 2 fieldwork preparation |
Organisation | Australian Antarctic Division |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | At our meeting in Goa, we undertook a detailed flight plan assessment for Antarctic fieldwork this coming season. It involved analysis of satellite data, to inspect geophysical targets, and flight profiles to best capture the information needed for their analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | Previously, US and Chinese colleagues had collaborated to equip a Basler aircraft with geophysical equipment - at no cost to the project. Chinese, US and Indian colleagues will commence fieldwork, with no operational costs to the programme. Australian colleagues will undertake a complementary geophysical programme, utlising the flight planning work, at no cost. |
Impact | none |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | ICECAP 2 fieldwork preparation |
Organisation | Beijing Normal University |
Country | China |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | At our meeting in Goa, we undertook a detailed flight plan assessment for Antarctic fieldwork this coming season. It involved analysis of satellite data, to inspect geophysical targets, and flight profiles to best capture the information needed for their analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | Previously, US and Chinese colleagues had collaborated to equip a Basler aircraft with geophysical equipment - at no cost to the project. Chinese, US and Indian colleagues will commence fieldwork, with no operational costs to the programme. Australian colleagues will undertake a complementary geophysical programme, utlising the flight planning work, at no cost. |
Impact | none |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | ICECAP 2 fieldwork preparation |
Organisation | British Antarctic Survey |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | At our meeting in Goa, we undertook a detailed flight plan assessment for Antarctic fieldwork this coming season. It involved analysis of satellite data, to inspect geophysical targets, and flight profiles to best capture the information needed for their analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | Previously, US and Chinese colleagues had collaborated to equip a Basler aircraft with geophysical equipment - at no cost to the project. Chinese, US and Indian colleagues will commence fieldwork, with no operational costs to the programme. Australian colleagues will undertake a complementary geophysical programme, utlising the flight planning work, at no cost. |
Impact | none |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | ICECAP 2 fieldwork preparation |
Organisation | Durham University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | At our meeting in Goa, we undertook a detailed flight plan assessment for Antarctic fieldwork this coming season. It involved analysis of satellite data, to inspect geophysical targets, and flight profiles to best capture the information needed for their analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | Previously, US and Chinese colleagues had collaborated to equip a Basler aircraft with geophysical equipment - at no cost to the project. Chinese, US and Indian colleagues will commence fieldwork, with no operational costs to the programme. Australian colleagues will undertake a complementary geophysical programme, utlising the flight planning work, at no cost. |
Impact | none |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | ICECAP 2 fieldwork preparation |
Organisation | Imperial College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | At our meeting in Goa, we undertook a detailed flight plan assessment for Antarctic fieldwork this coming season. It involved analysis of satellite data, to inspect geophysical targets, and flight profiles to best capture the information needed for their analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | Previously, US and Chinese colleagues had collaborated to equip a Basler aircraft with geophysical equipment - at no cost to the project. Chinese, US and Indian colleagues will commence fieldwork, with no operational costs to the programme. Australian colleagues will undertake a complementary geophysical programme, utlising the flight planning work, at no cost. |
Impact | none |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | ICECAP 2 fieldwork preparation |
Organisation | Newcastle University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | At our meeting in Goa, we undertook a detailed flight plan assessment for Antarctic fieldwork this coming season. It involved analysis of satellite data, to inspect geophysical targets, and flight profiles to best capture the information needed for their analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | Previously, US and Chinese colleagues had collaborated to equip a Basler aircraft with geophysical equipment - at no cost to the project. Chinese, US and Indian colleagues will commence fieldwork, with no operational costs to the programme. Australian colleagues will undertake a complementary geophysical programme, utlising the flight planning work, at no cost. |
Impact | none |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | ICECAP 2 fieldwork preparation |
Organisation | Polar Research Institute of China |
Country | China |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | At our meeting in Goa, we undertook a detailed flight plan assessment for Antarctic fieldwork this coming season. It involved analysis of satellite data, to inspect geophysical targets, and flight profiles to best capture the information needed for their analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | Previously, US and Chinese colleagues had collaborated to equip a Basler aircraft with geophysical equipment - at no cost to the project. Chinese, US and Indian colleagues will commence fieldwork, with no operational costs to the programme. Australian colleagues will undertake a complementary geophysical programme, utlising the flight planning work, at no cost. |
Impact | none |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | ICECAP 2 fieldwork preparation |
Organisation | University of Bristol |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | At our meeting in Goa, we undertook a detailed flight plan assessment for Antarctic fieldwork this coming season. It involved analysis of satellite data, to inspect geophysical targets, and flight profiles to best capture the information needed for their analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | Previously, US and Chinese colleagues had collaborated to equip a Basler aircraft with geophysical equipment - at no cost to the project. Chinese, US and Indian colleagues will commence fieldwork, with no operational costs to the programme. Australian colleagues will undertake a complementary geophysical programme, utlising the flight planning work, at no cost. |
Impact | none |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | ICECAP 2 fieldwork preparation |
Organisation | University of Delhi |
Country | India |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | At our meeting in Goa, we undertook a detailed flight plan assessment for Antarctic fieldwork this coming season. It involved analysis of satellite data, to inspect geophysical targets, and flight profiles to best capture the information needed for their analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | Previously, US and Chinese colleagues had collaborated to equip a Basler aircraft with geophysical equipment - at no cost to the project. Chinese, US and Indian colleagues will commence fieldwork, with no operational costs to the programme. Australian colleagues will undertake a complementary geophysical programme, utlising the flight planning work, at no cost. |
Impact | none |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | ICECAP 2 fieldwork preparation |
Organisation | University of Texas at Austin |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | At our meeting in Goa, we undertook a detailed flight plan assessment for Antarctic fieldwork this coming season. It involved analysis of satellite data, to inspect geophysical targets, and flight profiles to best capture the information needed for their analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | Previously, US and Chinese colleagues had collaborated to equip a Basler aircraft with geophysical equipment - at no cost to the project. Chinese, US and Indian colleagues will commence fieldwork, with no operational costs to the programme. Australian colleagues will undertake a complementary geophysical programme, utlising the flight planning work, at no cost. |
Impact | none |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Inaugural Lecture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Lots of questions from the public Emails and twitter questions |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AwrBT.E48QNWo04AaNhXNyoA;_ylc=X1MDMjc2NjY3OQRfcgMyBGZyA3lzZXRfY... |
Description | Pint of Science |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Many questions from the public about my talk Emails, and social media contact, from the public about my talk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://pintofscience.co.uk/event/undiscovered-origins/ |
Description | Plenary Lecture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | The talk provoked many questions on subglacial lake exploration, from which several contacts have been made. The Korean Antarctic programme met with Siegert in August as a direct consequence of hearing the talk. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.isaes2015goa.in/speakers.php |
Description | Royal Society Meeting on Subglacial Lake Exploration |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | workshop facilitator |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | International dialogue on the future of Antarctic subglacial lake exploration. Article in Eos on the findings of the workshop. A white paper detailing the 20 year future for subglacial lake exploration, fed to the Antarctic Roadmap Challenge to integrate with other long-term plans for exploration. A Royal Society book to document progress and plans. A high degree of community shared knowledge. A meeting with the Korean Antarctic Programme on subglacial exploration. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://royalsociety.org/events/2015/03/subglacial-antarctic-lakes/ |