Antarctic Ice Sheet Monitoring

Under climate change, the AIS experiences mass balance loss, but with large uncertainty. Moreover, several key products related to AIS mass balance are lacked, such as high-accuracy elevation change data and nearshore bathymetry of the Antarctic, which is covered by ice shelves.

In view of the increasing number of satellite and airborne observations in Antarctica and the increasing demand for ground validation, this initiative integrates large-scale, long-term satellite observations, high-precision ice surface monitoring data, and airborne geophysical observations of Antarctica and its surroundings to build a comprehensive observation system for the AIS and surrounding oceans. The initiative will develop new algorithms to reduce the uncertainty in mass balance estimation of AIS. The products will include Mass Balance Estimation, Seafloor Topography Estimation from Airborne Gravity and Real-time Monitoring of Ice Surface Elevation.

The outputs of this initiative help improve the accuracy of mass balance and provide key products on AIS, benefiting natural disaster mitigation, climate protection, environment, and biodiversity around Antarctica.

This project will help oceanographers and glaciologists to more accurately analyze and predict the mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet and its impact on global sea level rise. It will also help countries and governments in coastal regions to conduct risk assessment and provide scientific decision-making basis for the international community to take adaptation actions against global environmental changes. This project also aims to improve the scientificity and efficiency of earthquake prevention and disaster reduction, climate environment and biodiversity protection, and infrastructure construction and development in coastal and sea-related areas.