Polar

NASA GSFC, Operation IceBridge (2015)

Impact Statement

A decade of CryoSat data revealed 85 unknown lakes under Antarctica, raising the known active subglacial lakes by more than half, to 231 (ESA).

Source: ESA, 85 new subglacial lakes detected below Antarctica

CIMR will measure 95% of the globe every day, with sub-daily coverage of the polar regions (ESA).

Source: ESA, CIMR facts and figures

Heat absorbed in the tropics flows to the poles and escapes to space there. PREFIRE measures that far-infrared heat (NASA JPL).

Source: NASA JPL, PREFIRE mission extended

The Five W's of Polar Solutions

Who

The European Space Agency (ESA), NASA and the Canadian Space Agency, with their partners.

What

Satellites that measure polar ice from space: sea-ice thickness, the height of ice sheets and glaciers, lakes hidden under the ice, and the heat the poles send to space.

When

Now and next: ICESat-2 has measured ice since its launch on September 15, 2018 (NASA), and CRISTAL will continue CryoSat's ice record (ESA).

Source: NASA, ICESat-2

Source: ESA, CRISTAL prepares to sparkle

Where

The polar regions, including Antarctica, the Arctic Ocean, Greenland and Iceland, seen from satellites in polar orbits.

Why

Lakes under the ice affect how fast glaciers move and so influence global sea level rise (ESA). Daily sea-ice data also support safer work and travel in polar seas (ESA).

Source: ESA, 85 new subglacial lakes detected below Antarctica

Source: ESA, CIMR facts and figures