The £28 million base drifting toward a massive Antarctic chasm
In short: Watch how scientists use drones and satellites to monitor the 'Halloween Crack'—a growing fissure in Antarctica's Brunt Ice Shelf that threatens to send a research station adrift on an iceberg.
The Halley VI research station sits on the 150-metre-thick Brunt Ice Shelf. Its safety is currently jeopardized by two major features: Chasm 1, which began moving in 2012 after being dormant for at least 35 years, and the 'Halloween Crack,' which appeared in October 2016.
The situation is critical because if Chasm 1 moves upstream of the McDonald Ice Rumples, the ice shelf could detach from the seabed. To manage this, researchers use a high-tech network including GPS instruments, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), and drones to predict iceberg calving and ensure the safety of the 90-person team tasked with relocating the base.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Surveying The 'Halloween Crack' Of Antarctica's Brunt Ice Shelf | BBC Earth Science
- Also: Brunt Ice Shelf movement - British Antarctic Survey
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