Antarctica's Hidden World Revealed: New Map Exposes Dramatic Subglacial Landscape

• Scientists have created the most detailed map yet of Antarctica's subglacial landscape, uncovering mountains, valleys, and plains hidden beneath the ice sheet.
• The new map, published in the journal Science, reveals a complex terrain with over 30,000 previously uncharted hills, each rising at least 50 meters.
• Researchers used high-resolution satellite observations combined with ice flow perturbation analysis to map previously unsurveyed areas and fill gaps from earlier radar surveys.
• The bedrock shape significantly influences ice flow; rough terrain increases friction, slowing ice retreat, which is crucial for refining ice flow models and climate predictions.
• This improved mapping will lead to more accurate sea level rise forecasts and support future IPCC climate assessments, offering clearer insights into Antarctica's future.

Why It Matters: A groundbreaking new map reveals Antarctica's dramatic hidden landscape, crucial for understanding ice flow and climate change.