Mapping the Ice
by Parker Brandt
Scientists Map the Ice Sheets of Antarctica and Greenland
Who made the maps?
- Viet Helm
- Angelika Humbert
- Heinrich Miller
The research was funded by the German Ministry of Economics and Technology. The full research paper was published in August 2014 in the European Geosciences Union's online journal, The Cyrosphere.
Map Title: Antarctica's elevation map
Credit: Helm et al., The Cyrosphere, 2014. http://www.egu.eu/medialibrary/image/1154/antarcticas-elevation-map/
When and how were the maps made?
The research team collected data from 200 million points in Antartica and 14.3 million in Greenland. All these data points helped them to create very accurate maps, or "digital elevation models" (DEMs).
Map Title: Greenland's elevation map
Credit: Helm et al, The Cyrosphere, 2014.
http://www.egu.eu/medialibrary/image/1153/greenlands-elevation-map/
Why are the maps important?
- They can raise sea levels which can harm coastal habitats as well as cities like New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Because ice sheets are made of freshwater, they can reduce the ocean's salinity. Some ocean organisms, like coral, may not be able to adapt the changes.
- Less sea ice could reduce the amount of krill, an organism at the center of Antartica's food web. With less food resources, some animals may not survive.
These maps provide a way for scientists to measure elevation levels of these important ice sheets over time.
Map Title: Elevation change in Antarctica
Credit: Helm et al., The Cyrosphere, 2014.
http://www.egu.eu/medialibrary/image/1152/elevation-change-in-antarctica/
To learn more about ice sheets and ice maps, visit the following sites:
- European Geosciences Union, How Tall are the Ice Sheets: http://www.egu.eu/education/planet-press/22/how-tall-are-the-ice-sheets/
- European Geosciences Union, Press Release: Highs and Lows - height changes in the ice sheets mapped: http://www.egu.eu/news/120/highs-and-lows-height-changes-in-the-ice-sheets-mapped/
- The Cyrosphere, Elevation and elevation change of Greenland and Antarctica derived from CyroSat-2: http://www.the-cryosphere.net/8/1539/2014/tc-8-1539-2014.html
- National Geographic Education, Ice Sheets: http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/ice-sheet/?ar_a=1#page=1