News Oceans

Robotic subs reveal thicker Antarctic sea ice

Improved measurements will boost understanding of Southern Ocean

SUB ZERO  Measurements made by remote-controlled submarines suggest that scientists have underestimated the thickness of Antarctic sea ice.

Klaus Meiners/AAD, Post-processing: Peter Kimball/WHOI 

By Thomas Sumner

- More than 2 years ago

The sea ice surrounding Antarctica may be thicker than previously thought. Earlier estimates using shipboard observations and drill cores had suggested that the Southern Ocean ice pack was thinner than 1 meter on average.