Researchers are using a new AI tool to detect icebergs in the Southern Ocean. This is the first step towards scientists being able to track the complete life cycle of most icebergs across Antarctica from satellite data. The study is published in the journal Remote Sensing of the Environment.
Icebergs play a key role in ocean dynamics. For example, as icebergs melt they release freshwater and nutrients into the ocean, affecting primary productivity, ocean circulation and the formation and break-up of sea ice. Icebergs also present hazards to ships, so accurate, up-to-date knowledge of where icebergs are, and how big they are, is critical.
This new approach can identify icebergs in environments where there is a lot of sea ice – something that has not previously been possible. Using this tool, scientists will be able to spot icebergs when they calve, and track them throughout their lifecycle until their demise, building a more complete picture of iceberg dynamics in the Southern Ocean. Crucially, researchers will be able to monitor icebergs in locations with lots of sea ice, and close to calving locations, where icebergs are densely clustered together.
Read more at: British Antarctic Survey
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