In the heart of the Swiss Alps, scientists are pioneering new methods to monitor glacier health with unprecedented precision. By harnessing satellite data and advanced modelling techniques, they’re gaining insights into the subtle changes in glacier mass balance, crucial for understanding water resources and the impacts of climate change. Glaciers are sensitive indicators of climate …
The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Antarctica InSync coordination team are delighted to invite the international scientific community to an exclusive webinar dedicated to the Antarctica InSync initiative. This event aims to provide an in-depth update on the progress and future plans for establishing working groups focused on key scientific themes. Antarctica InSync has …
In a surprising discovery, scientists have observed a glacier in West Antarctica rapidly diverting ice from its neighboring glacier, a phenomenon dubbed “ice piracy.” This significant shift, previously believed to occur over millennia, has occurred in less than two decades. The study, led by researchers from the University of Leeds and published in The Cryosphere, …
The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Antarctica InSync coordination team are inviting the global scientific community to participate in the upcoming International Antarctica InSync Science Webinar. This online event aims to provide an in-depth update on the progress and future plans of the Antarctica InSync programme, focusing on establishing working groups centered around key …
A paper, recently published in Nature Communications, reveals that a major subglacial lake drainage event beneath Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier in 2013 temporarily doubled the rate of ocean-driven melting beneath its ice shelf. The sudden release of over 7 km³ of freshwater formed a buoyant plume that intensified the melting effect of warm, deep ocean …
The report from the 2nd European Polar Science Week is now published, marking an important milestone in the cooperation between the European Commission (EC) and the European Space Agency (ESA) on polar research. The European Polar Science Week 2024 took place from 3 to 6 September 2024 in Copenhagen, at the Black Diamond, Royal Danish …
Findings and recommendations from the workshop held in September 2024 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
In ARCTIC-FLOW we plan to generate new 16-year temporal series of satellite-derived freshwater and density flux products for Arctic and sub-Arctic regions by using in a synergistic way satellite estimates of Sea Surface Temperature, Sea Surface Currents and Sea Surface Salinity. The new satellite-derived assessment of freshwater and density fluxes will be used to study …
A study published today in Nature reports the results of the Glacier Mass Balance Intercomparison Exercise (GlaMBIE) project. It provides the most comprehensive comparison of glacier mass loss estimates to date, integrating multiple satellite and in situ observational techniques, including glaciological measurements, satellite-derived digital elevation model (DEM) differencing, altimetry and gravimetry measurements. By systematically assessing …
ARCTEX is a cross-disciplinary project that aims to use Earth observation to improve understanding of extreme events in the Arctic and the complex interplay between the atmosphere, ocean, sea ice, and land ice, with cascading effects on global climate systems. ARCTEX we will conduct three case studies in the Atlantic sector of the Arctic Ocean: …
