CASCADE - Continental Antarctic Subglacial Connectivity And Drainage Exploration
Name of applicant
Anders Anker Bjørk
Title
Associate Professor
Institution
University of Copenhagen
Amount
DKK 6,975,689
Year
2025
Type of grant
Semper Ardens: Accelerate
What?
Hidden beneath Antarctica’s ice sheet is a vast, shifting water network that controls how ice slides into the ocean. Yet we have only fragments of knowledge about it. The CASCASDE-project will uncover that hidden system, mapping when and where water moves beneath the ice and how it drives ice loss into the sea, and use the knowledge to improve sea-level rise models.
Why?
Sea-level rise is one of the greatest threats facing humanity, but predictions still remain uncertain. Much of this uncertainty comes from not knowing where subglacial water affects ice motion, and without this knowledge our sea-level predictions are blurred with uncertainty. By revealing this unseen world, our work will transform predictions of Antarctica’s role in global sea-level change.
How?
We will combine satellite radar, advanced data processing, and machine learning to detect minute ice movements that reveal water flow below the ice sheet. With repeat frequent repeat coverages, we’ll capture events in near real time. These insights will feed into next-generation ice flow models, ultimately giving us a better starting point for predicting future sea-level rise.