Uncharted island soon to appear on nautical charts
2 days ago
- #Sea Ice Research
- #Antarctic Expedition
- #Bathymetry Discovery
- An international expedition on the icebreaker Polarstern explored the northwestern Weddell Sea in Antarctica in February 2026.
- Scientists unexpectedly discovered an uncharted island, about 130 meters long and 16 meters high, previously marked only as a navigation hazard.
- The island was systematically surveyed using drones and multibeam echo sounders, with plans to officially name and chart it.
- Research included tracking water masses from the deep sea to the continental shelf, studying sea floor colonization and Antarctic deep water decline.
- The expedition observed a sharp decline in summer sea ice in the Weddell Sea since 2017, with ice thickness varying regionally from 1.5 to 4 meters.
- Surface melting led to conditions resembling the Arctic, with meltwater affecting ice biology and heat exchange, though melt ponds were rare.
- Future analyses will assess the role of sea ice organisms in the Southern Ocean carbon cycle after the expedition ends in April 2026.