Emirati device to study ice in Antarctica

In a scientific precedent in the UAE, Emirati researchers have invented a device that measures the balance of ice mass in Antarctica.

The research team consists of 5 researchers from Khalifa University. The new device was developed by a research team of five Emirati researchers from Khalifa University of Science and Technology, along with researchers from the Australian Antarctic Territory, under the supervision of Dr. Diana Francis, Head of the Environmental and Geophysical Sciences Laboratory and Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences.

The research team exploited the climatic conditions to employ the device and benefit from it strategically since April, i.e. before the start of sea ice formation, with the aim of obtaining accurate information about the characteristics of the ocean and atmosphere before this important stage.

Team supervisor Dr. Diana Francis explains how the device works Dr. Diana Francis explained how the device works, saying: “Ice surrounds the device as soon as it forms, and it immediately begins measuring all the parameters and the gradual development of the thickness of sea ice. The device also records the state of the ice, water, and atmosphere.”

As the melt season begins in early austral autumn, these data provide valuable information about the ocean, ice, and atmospheric conditions that control sea ice formation and melting.

More than 99.5% of Antarctica is covered by ice, which contains 90% of the planet's frozen fresh water. The ice on this continent plays an important role in regulating the Earth's climate by reflecting the sun's heat, providing habitats for microscopic plants that absorb carbon, controlling sea levels around the world, and generating cold, salty water that helps drive global ocean currents.