Today’s Solutions: March 28, 2024

Monitoring temperatures of huge masses of ice is key to understanding how climate change affects our planet. So far, scientists have been performing such monitoring by fitting sensors to cables that are fed down a hole, but such devices can only offer readings of the environment at certain intervals beneath the surface.

The accuracy of these measurement tools, however, is poised to get an upgrade thanks to a research team led by scientists at the University of Cambridge. The team developed a new device that uses a mix of fiber-optic cables and laser pulses to gain accurate temperature readings from the surface of the Greenland Ice Sheet — the world’s second-largest — all the way down to the bottom.

“We normally take measurements within the ice sheet by attaching sensors to a cable that we lower into a drilled borehole, but the observations we’ve made so far weren’t giving us a complete picture of what’s happening,” said study co-author Dr. Poul Christoffersen. “The more precise data we are able to gather, the clearer we can make that picture, which in turn will help us make more accurate predictions for the future of the ice sheet.”

As reported by New Atlas, the technology uses a fiber optic cable that can emit laser pulses along its entire length, from the surface of the ice sheet to its base one kilometer below. By analyzing the varying distortions in the scattered light as it encounters the surrounding ice, the system can reveal its temperature.

With ice sheets around the globe melting at a fast rate, the new technology will play a crucial role in providing a clearer picture of the changes taking place beneath the surface of these glacial structures, enabling scientists to create more accurate models of the melting process, and better prepare for the future.

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

Rowing against the current: Botswana’s women safari guides inspire and empower

In the calm of Botswana's Okavango Delta, where the morning sun creates a golden glow on the water's surface, an amazing metamorphosis is occurring. ...

Read More

The future of healing: 3D printing skin directly onto open wounds

Pennsylvania State University researchers achieved a major medical science breakthrough by being the first team ever to 3D print real human skin tissue directly ...

Read More

These solar-powered barges can scoop up 50 tons of plastic from rivers each day

While removing the plastic waste that currently contaminates the ocean today will be crucial for protecting marine ecosystems, it is arguably more important that ...

Read More

A bold step towards climate action and job creation: The American Climate Corps

The White House announced the creation of the American Climate Corps, a breakthrough program that will transform the climate action landscape. This ambitious project ...

Read More