Flying Robots to Monitor the Greenland Ice Sheet
16.07.2008 - Logistics, Ice & Snow, Other, Arctic
Researchers from the University of Colorado and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are flying two small, crewless planes over a portion of the Greenland ice sheet this month. Their goal is to understand how meltwater-fed surface lakes interact with the ice sheet's dynamic movement and melt rate. Scientists think that these lakes might be responsible for the increase in ice velocity by allowing water to drain to the bottom of the ice sheet and lubricate the base.
By using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) the researchers will be able to fly instruments at lower altitudes than would be possible with a manned plane and survey little-explored terrain without putting human life at risk.
Each of these "Manta" will carry a digital camera, atmospheric temperature and pressure sensors, an ice-surface temperature sensor and a laser range finder to allow researchers to create high-resolution digital elevation models. They are also equiped with a special camera that will collect information from across the electromagnetic spectrum to probe the depth of lakes on top of the ice sheet.
