NASA Develops Underwater Robots to Explore Melting Polar Ice Shelves
Traditional methods, such as satellite imaging, are ineffective.
Researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are advancing the development of underwater robots, known as IceNode, designed to explore the treacherous depths beneath polar ice. These autonomous robots aim to measure the melt rates of ice shelves in some of the world’s most inaccessible regions.
Addressing a Critical Challenge
The primary goal of the IceNode project is to investigate the “grounding zone,” where floating ice shelves, ocean, and land intersect. This area is particularly challenging to study due to its remote location and the dangerous, ever-shifting landscape above it. Traditional methods, such as satellite imaging, are ineffective in these regions because the satellites cannot penetrate the thick ice. The IceNode robots are designed to overcome these challenges, providing direct measurements from beneath the ice.
“We’ve been pondering how to surmount these technological and logistical challenges for years, and we think we’ve found a way,” said Ian Fenty, a JPL climate scientist and IceNode’s science lead. “The goal is getting data directly at the ice-ocean melting interface, beneath the ice shelf.”
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A Fleet of Autonomous Underwater Robots
The IceNode robots are being designed by engineers at JPL, leveraging their expertise in creating robotic explorers for space missions. Each robot will be about 8 feet long and 10 inches in diameter, equipped with three-legged landing gear that allows them to attach to the underside of the ice.
The robots will be released into the ocean either from a borehole or a vessel and will navigate beneath the ice shelf using ocean currents. Once they reach their target, the robots will drop their ballast and attach themselves to the ice. Their sensors will then measure the speed at which warm, salty ocean water rises to melt the ice and how quickly colder, fresher meltwater sinks.
The IceNode fleet is expected to operate autonomously for up to a year, continuously collecting data, including information on seasonal fluctuations. After their mission, the robots will detach from the ice, return to the open ocean, and transmit their findings via satellite.
“These robots are a platform to bring science instruments to the hardest-to-reach locations on Earth,” said Paul Glick, a JPL robotics engineer and IceNode’s principal investigator. “It’s meant to be a safe, comparatively low-cost solution to a difficult problem.”
Successful Field Tests in the Arctic
The IceNode project has already undergone several successful field tests, including a recent deployment in the Beaufort Sea in March 2024. This test, conducted through the U.S. Navy Arctic Submarine Laboratory’s Ice Camp, marked the first polar trial of the IceNode prototype. Despite temperatures plummeting to -50 degrees Fahrenheit, the robot successfully gathered data on salinity, temperature, and water flow.
The IceNode team is optimistic about the progress made so far. “We’re happy with the progress,” Glick noted. “The hope is to continue developing prototypes, get them back up to the Arctic for future tests below the sea ice, and eventually see the full fleet deployed underneath Antarctic ice shelves.”
NASA’s IceNode project represents a significant advancement in the study of polar ice melt. By deploying a fleet of autonomous underwater robots, scientists hope to gain crucial data on how global warming is affecting the polar regions, providing valuable insights that could inform future climate strategies.
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