Bedmap3

Current Context: Scientists have developed Bedmap3, the most detailed map of Antarctica’s subglacial landscape beneath its ice sheet.

Key Features of Bedmap3

• Advancement: Extends the earlier Bedmap2 dataset.
• Data Sources Includes:84 new aero-geophysical surveys,15 data sources, 52 million additional data points, and 1.9 million line-km of measurements.
• Gap Coverage: Fills gaps in knowledge about mountain ranges, East Antarctica’s deep interior, and coastlines of West Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula.

Importance of Bedmap3

• Enhanced Understanding: Provides a clearer picture of Antarctica’s subglacial landscape and ice distribution.

Scientific Insights:

• Studies the interaction between the ice sheet and bedrock.
• Offers clues about the continent’s geological evolution.

Climate Change Predictions:

• Aids in modeling ice sheet behavior under global warming.
• Improves projections of future ice loss and sea-level rise.