$3.6M Research Vessel Lost Under Antarctica’s ‘Doomsday Glacier’: Climate Data in Jeopardy After Unexpected Incident
In a surprising turn of events, the University of Gothenburg’s uncrewed research vessel, Ran, has gone missing under Antarctica’s formidable ‘Doomsday Glacier.’ The vessel, valued at $3.6 million, was last heard from during the weekend of January 27 while on a mission under the Thwaites Glacier.
Professor Anna Wåhlin, the project leader, expressed the distressing development, stating, “During the last planned dive of the expedition, something went wrong. After a long journey under the ice, the AUV [unmanned underwater vehicle] did not appear at the programmed rendezvous point.”
Despite extensive search efforts using acoustic search equipment, helicopters, and drones, the support vessel RV/IB Araon could not locate Ran. Wåhlin revealed, “In the end, it was just a matter of realizing that Ran had been lost.”
Ran, measuring 23 feet in length and with a price tag of $3.6 million, was on its second visit to the Thwaites Glacier. It played a crucial role in providing significant data about the colossal glacier in West Antarctica, shedding light on the mechanisms behind the melting, which has substantial climate implications.
“Thanks to Ran, we became the first researchers in the world to enter Thwaites in 2019,” said Wåhlin. “Even if you see melting and movements in the ice from satellite data, from Ran, we get close-ups of the underside of the ice and information about exactly which mechanisms are behind the melting.”
The Thwaites Glacier, often dubbed the ‘Doomsday Glacier,’ is approximately the size of Florida and has earned its ominous moniker due to its potential to raise global sea levels by meters if it were to melt completely.
“At this point, Ran’s batteries are dead. All we know is that something unexpected happened under the ice. We suspect it ran into trouble, and then something prevented it from getting out,” Wåhlin lamented.
The uncrewed underwater vehicle had the capability to travel to depths of about 1,600 feet, providing valuable close-ups of the glacier’s underside. However, with Ran missing, critical climate data is now in jeopardy.
In the search for answers, the situation is likened to “looking for a needle in a haystack, but without even knowing where the haystack is.” The lack of signs from the AUV adds to the mystery, leaving the scientific community anxious about the fate of Ran and the data it carried.
As investigations continue, the loss of Ran raises concerns about the unforeseen challenges lurking beneath Antarctica’s ice and the potential impact on our understanding of climate change dynamics.
In a surprising turn of events, the University of Gothenburg’s uncrewed research vessel, Ran, has gone missing under Antarctica’s formidable ‘Doomsday Glacier.’ The vessel, valued at $3.6 million, was last heard from during the weekend of January 27 while on a mission under the Thwaites Glacier. Professor Anna Wåhlin, the project leader, expressed the distressing…