British-funded robots to study Greenland glacier melt starting July 16

The GIANT expedition will deploy high-tech gadgets and robots at glacier-sea boundaries in Greenland starting July 16. Science News reported the project will operate from the Royal Research Ship Sir David Attenborough near the fjord glaciers of Kangerlussuaq in southeast Greenland for much of July and August, with further measurements at the Petermann glacier in the northwest next summer.

The British government’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency is funding the effort at 20 million British pounds, equivalent to $26 million.

Science News reported the full name is Greenland Ice sheet to AtlaNtic Tipping points from ice loss. Project members include Paul Holland and Kelly Hogan of the British Antarctic Survey and Jonathan Nash of Oregon State University. Rugged flying drones will study ice from above.

The vessel’s helicopter will drop small GPS-equipped javelin sensors into glaciers to track ice movement. A surface robotic boat will scan glaciers with sonar. Two types of seafaring bots 1 to 5 meters long will dive hundreds of meters to map submerged glacier melt.

The uncrewed sub Boaty McBoatface will dive under semi-melted ice to map its geometry. An underwater vehicle 23 centimeters in diameter will be deployed through an ice borehole. Tiny subs will transport sensors that screw into ice cliffs 50 to 100 meters below sea level to measure temperature, turbulence and melt rates.

Science News reported AI algorithms will determine optimal deployment locations. Data will feed into the U.K. Earth System Model. Greenland is losing several times more ice than it did a few decades ago, the report stated.