'RAN' robot reveals the 'never-known' world existing beneath the Antarctic ice sheets. Here's what it is

An unmanned submersible robot named 'Ran' has offered scientists a sneak peek into the mysterious and never-known world existing beneath the Antarctic ice shelves which have been melting in the wake of climate change.

The robot, which has cutting-edge sonar, spent 27 days travelling underneath the Dotson Ice Shelf which covers a wide expanse of 1000 kilometres and reveals the never-before-seen details regarding these icy expanses.

All about Antarctic Dotson Ice Shelf melt

The Dotson Ice Shelf is an important place located in West Antarctica. They are not at all flat but have passive expanses of ice shelves which keep evolving.

They have thick bodies of glacial ice which are sustained by land-based glaciers. What makes these ice shelves unique is the fact that they float at the top of the sea and ice shelf cavities exist beneath them.

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In its recent mission, Ran focused on one cavity which unravelled new secrets regarding the melting patterns and structures of the ice shelves.

The Dotson Ice Shelf also plays an important role in the overall stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet and how the sea levels will rise in future because of their size and location.

What's hidden beneath the ice sheets of Antarctica?

In the glacial exploration, it was found that the ice was melting faster where its base was eroded by strong underwater currents.

However, the scientists were left stunned after finding the irregularity of the base itself.

It was discovered that the surface beneath Antarctica is not smooth, but the underwater landscape is filled with peaks, valleys, plateaus and formations similar to sand dunes.

According to the team, these features are likely to have been formed by flowing water under the influence of rotation of the Earth.

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“By navigating the submersible into the cavity, we were able to get high-resolution maps of the ice underside. It’s a bit like seeing the back of the moon for the first time,” stated lead author Anna Wåhlin, Professor of Oceanography at theUniversity of Gothenburgin Sweden.

The researchers have decided to again carry out the survey and document any changes. This time, the team could carry out only one dive before the robot was lost beneath the ice.

“Although we got valuable data back, we did not get all we had hoped for,” said Prof Wåhlin.

(With inputs from agencies)