NASA's IceNode Robots study Antarctica's melting ice to predict sea level rise

The IceNode project, developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), aims to help scientists measure melt rates beneath Antarctic ice shelves. (Image credit: US Navy/Scott Barnes/NASA website)

On the icy expanse of Alaska’s Beaufort Sea, NASA engineers are testing a fleet of robots aimed at addressing one of today’s most urgent scientific questions: how quickly Antarctica’s ice is melting.

Why melting ice matters

The melting ice is caused by warmer air and water, and scientists need to know how quickly this is happening so they can understand how much the oceans will rise. If the ice in Antarctica melts, it could make the oceans rise, which could flood places where people live. If all of Antarctica’s ice were to melt, scientists estimate that global sea levels could rise by an astonishing 200 feet (60 meters).

IceNode: A mission to measure melting ice

Measuring how fast Antarctica’s ice shelves — floating slabs of ice that extend from land over the ocean - are melting is essential, but these areas are extremely difficult to access. The IceNode project, developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), aims to help scientists measure melt rates beneath Antarctic ice shelves. The IceNode robots are designed to reach the "grounding zone," where ice, land, and ocean meet, and where melting could be happening the fastest. These robots reach the bottom of the ice to measure water temperatures and how fast the ice is melting.

“We’ve been pondering how to surmount these technological and logistical challenges for years,” says Ian Fenty, JPL climate scientist and IceNode’s science lead. "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.”

How do the Robots work?

The robots, measuring about 8 feet long and 10 inches wide, don’t have motors. Instead, they float through the water, using the ocean currents like a boat floating down a river. Once they reach the right spot under the ice, they attach themselves and start collecting data about the water and ice. These robots are built to withstand the harsh Antarctic conditions and will operate for up to a year, collecting data across seasons before sending the information back to scientists via satellite.

Successful Arctic testing

In March 2024, the IceNode team successfully conducted a polar test of their prototype robot in the frigid waters of the Beaufort Sea, north of Alaska. This test, part of the U.S. Navy Arctic Submarine Laboratory’s Ice Camp, allowed the team to gather data in extreme conditions, with air temperatures dropping to minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 45 Celsius).

The data collected so far has been promising, and engineers plan to continue refining the robots for future Arctic and Antarctic missions.

“We’re happy with the progress. 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,” Paul Glick, JPL robotics engineer and IceNode’s principal investigator said. “This is valuable data that scientists need. Anything that gets us closer to accomplishing that goal is exciting.”