Hidden Terrain Beneath Antarctica’s Ice Comes Into Sharper Focus. JAN 16, 2026

Photo: Unsplash by Henrique Setim

Hidden Terrain Beneath Antarctica’s Ice Comes Into Sharper Focus

A newly published scientific study has revealed the most detailed picture yet of the landscape hidden beneath Antarctica’s vast ice sheet, offering fresh insights into how the frozen continent may respond to a warming climate.

Using satellite observations combined with advanced models of ice flow physics, researchers reconstructed the shape of the bedrock lying beneath several kilometres of ice. The result is a map that exposes thousands of previously unknown hills, ridges, valleys, and deep channels — features that were largely invisible in earlier surveys.

Until now, scientists relied mainly on airborne or ground-based radar measurements to peer through the ice. While effective, these surveys followed narrow tracks that could be separated by tens of kilometres, leaving large gaps in knowledge. In contrast, the new approach infers the shape of the terrain by analysing subtle changes in the ice surface and its movement, which are influenced by the underlying rock.

“Just as currents on a river’s surface can reveal rocks below the water, the way ice flows across Antarctica carries information about the landscape underneath,” explained lead author Dr Helen Ockenden of the University of Grenoble Alpes.

A far more rugged continent than expected

The updated map suggests that Antarctica’s hidden terrain is far more complex than previously assumed. The researchers identified tens of thousands of small-scale hills and ridges, along with sharper details of major mountain ranges already known to exist beneath the ice.

One striking feature is a long, deeply incised channel within the Maud Subglacial Basin in East Antarctica. The channel stretches for nearly 400 kilometres, is several kilometres wide, and reaches depths of around 50 metres — evidence of powerful geological or glacial processes in Antarctica’s past.

According to co-author Professor Robert Bingham of the University of Edinburgh, seeing the full bed of Antarctica at once is a major scientific milestone. “It transforms our understanding of the continent in the same way that high-resolution digital imagery replaced grainy photographs,” he said.

Why the hidden landscape matters

Beyond its geological interest, the newly revealed terrain plays a crucial role in Antarctica’s future — and in global sea-level rise. The shape of the bedrock beneath the ice strongly influences how glaciers move, how fast they can flow towards the ocean, and how vulnerable they may be to melting.

Rugged features such as ridges and mountains can act as natural brakes, slowing ice flow, while deep valleys and channels may accelerate it. By incorporating this refined topography into climate and ice-sheet models, scientists hope to improve predictions of how Antarctica will respond to rising temperatures in the coming decades.

While uncertainties remain, researchers say the new map represents a significant step forward. As more satellite data and field measurements become available, the picture of Antarctica’s hidden world is expected to become even clearer — with important implications for understanding Earth’s changing climate.

The Green Amazon News

Sources:

Ockenden, H. et al. (2026), Science.

Additional reporting: BBC News; Reuters.