Ice Probe Provides Antarctic History.

• Position: Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology - Brief Article

Scientists have had their first inside look at ice layers, frozen debris, and, a surprising channel of water deep beneath an Antarctic ice stream, thanks to an ice probe designed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, Calif. Plunged more than 3,900 feet down four boreholes drilled in the West Antarctic ice sheet, it paves the way for the development of technology capable of withstanding extreme environments on Earth and other planets.

The Antarctic Ice Borehole Probe Project, a collaborative effort of scientists at JPL and the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, looked into the dynamics of the West Antarctic ice sheet, as part of the U.S. Antarctic Program of the National Science Foundation. The Antarctic ice sheet, equal in size to the U.S. and Mexico combined, holds a potential treasure trove of information related to the geological history of this frozen continent and the mechanisms by which ice flows from this area to the oceans. Studies show that significant changes in glacier melting and flow rates could have a considerable impact on global sea levels.

The glaciological investigation took place at Ice Stream C, an area in the West Antarctic ice sheet where, 150 years ago, the ice suddenly stopped flowing in one area in the lower part of the stream. This so-called "sticky spot," which is currently flowing at a rate of about six feet a year, differs greatly from its neighboring streams, flowing...