DR FAUSTO FERRACCIOLI

Airborne geophysics in the Antarctic Dr Fausto Ferraccioli discusses how airborne geophysics can be used to uncover the geology of Antarctica and explore some of the Earth’s final frontiers

is particularly good at looking at larger features (for example, the crust under mountain ranges or beneath basins) and can also give us an indication of how strong the crust is, which is important when trying to understand the processes that led to, for example, mountain situated building or basin formation. Finally, radar along the coast, gives a view from the ice surface through so exploring the interior requires to the structures in the ice and the bedrock the establishment of deep field international topography that lies beneath, and can also camps. It goes beyond logistics, however. give an insight into the hydrology (the way Working with researchers from different that water flows under the ice). nations provides access to an entirely new set of skills and expertise. I’ve found, at least for Which of your previous discoveries do you my own personal development, that working consider to be your greatest achievement? with and learning from all these different researchers from different countries has been a How did you come to develop an interest in I would definitely consider my greatest highly rewarding experience. Hopefully they’ve airborne geophysics? achievement to be the Antarctica’s learnt something from me as well! Gamburtsev Province (AGAP) project, where I actually fell into this field by chance. It several nations worked together to explore A multidisciplinary approach is also vital. We all began 20 years ago in Italy; I was at the least understood mountain range on work with scientists who are interested in university and my professor was working in Earth. This had a lot of visibility both in terms the ice sheet and its short- and long-term aeromagnetics in Antarctica. I found it really of scientific output and media interest. This behaviour, including climate modellers, ice fascinating that a plane could be flown over was not a project about ice sheet stability sheet modellers, geomorphologists and ice to discover the geology that’s underneath. or climate change, but rather pure curiosity- geologists, to name just a few. After that, there was no going back. Airborne driven research. Our attitude was very much: geophysics is like a black hole – once you’ve ‘Let’s uncover the last frontier on Earth and For me, one of the best things about Antarctic entered it, you’ll never get out! try to understand how the ice sheet was born research is that it’s collaborative, international in the first place, and how mountain building and multidisciplinary. This approach has been Could you elucidate what an airborne may have influenced that process’. key to the success of all of the major projects geophysical survey entails? What that I have been involved in the last 10 years. technology is commonly utilised? The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has a long history of collaborative research. What is the most rewarding or exciting We use three different techniques: How significant is this to your work? Is a aspect of your work? aeromagnetics, airborne gravity and radar. multidisciplinary approach important to the Aeromagnetics provides a glimpse into the success of your aerogeophysics group? The greatest reward is definitely the geology that lies beneath the ice. This is publication of results, as that’s the end of because rocks (particularly crystalline rocks) International collaboration is absolutely several years of work in setting up these are magnetic; therefore we can map magnetic fundamental: no single nation can really tackle projects and processing the data. Nevertheless, anomalies to trace the geology from the a continent that is as hostile and difficult to the greatest excitement comes from setting up limited outcrops along the coast through the work in as Antarctica. Even now in the 21st the campaign itself; meeting all these different interior of the continent. With gravity, we Century, exploring these regions remains a big challenges and going beyond what one might study the density of rocks. Airborne gravity challenge. Most Antarctic research stations are think is possible. 100 INTERNATIONAL INNOVATION INTELLIGENCE Geophysical glimpses USING AIRBORNE GEOPHYSICS TO INVESTIGATE THE ANTARCTIC OBJECTIVES beneath Antarctic ice sheets To use airborne geophysics to understand the structure and evolution of the Antarctic continent and to comprehend how The Aerogeophysics Group at the British Antarctic Survey are geological boundary conditions influence ice unearthing valuable information about the ice sheets and underlying sheet behaviour. geology of Antarctica. Such insights are of vital importance to the KEY COLLABORATORS successful modelling of past and future changes on the continent UK: Drs Tom Jordan, Carl Robinson & Hugh Corr, British Antarctic Survey • Professor AIRBORNE GEOPHYSICS CAN be used to change at present.” The researchers established Martin Siegert, University of Bristol • Dr explore some of the most remote regions on Earth. field camps in the region from which they could Robert Bingham, University of Edinburgh • Dr By flying over regions in specially adapted planes, conduct their surveys. The airborne radar data Neil Ross, Newcastle University • Dr David geophysicists are able to conduct large-scale have already been made available on BEDMAP II Rippin, University of York • Dr Anne Le Brocq, surveys using a combination of aeromagnetic, (an open access database of all Antarctic bedrock University of Exeter • Dr Stewart Jamieson, gravitational and radar technologies. “Together, topography data), whilst the team’s final results University of Durham the three datasets give us new views from the and point observations will be made publically USA: Professor Robin Bell, Lamont Doherty ice surface right down to the base of the crust,” available in April 2014. Earth Observatory • Dr Carol Finn, U.S. highlights Dr Fausto Ferraccioli of the British Geological Survey • Drs Donald Blankenship Antarctic Survey, who has been conducting It was during this project that the researchers, & Duncan Young, University of Texas airborne geophysical surveys over Antarctica for using satellite images and airborne radar the past 20 years. Such insights can be significant measurements, discovered 250 m high channels Australia: Professor Alan Aitken, University both in improving understanding of Antarctica’s beneath the Antarctic ice shelf. Of particular of Western Australia • Professor Peter Betts, geology and for modelling past and future ice importance is the fact that these channels are Monash University sheet behaviour. thought to have been created by water flow Germany: Dr Detlef Damaske, Federal beneath the grounded ice sheet, and may Institute for Geosciences and Natural perhaps also impact the ice shelf’s stability. BUILDING BASINS Resources • Professor Mirko Scheinert, “This discovery, together with evidence for much AND MAKING MOUNTAINS Technical University of Dresden deeper subglacial basins beneath the IIS/MIS ice Ferraccioli was part of the research team responsible streams, suggests that this region could also be Denmark: Professor Rene Forsberg, Technical for the discovery of the Ferrigno Rift – a subglacial prone to future changes,” explains Ferraccioli. University of Denmark basin the size of Wales in the Bellingshausen Sea sector of West Antarctica that is connected to the Norway: Dr Kenichi Matsuoka, Norwegian THE FINAL FRONTIER warming ocean. The presence of this basin indicates Polar Institute that this largely unexplored region of the West As the IIS/MIS project comes to a close, Ferraccioli FUNDING Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) could be vulnerable and his colleagues can now turn their attention to accelerated future ice loss. Since WAIS is to their next big challenge: “At the moment we Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) currently losing ice faster than any other part of the are involved in a major new international project: CONTACT Antarctic, information that can be used to more exploring the Recovery region in the interior of East accurately predict the ice sheet’s future behaviour Antarctica, in between the Gamburtsev Subglacial Dr Fausto Ferraccioli is of immense value. This discovery was made using Mountains and the Weddell Sea,” he elucidates. Aerogeophysics Group Leader both airborne and ground geophysics, through the “It’s a real frontier – true terra incognita – and yet British Antarctic Survey use of radio-echo sounding technology. it’s of great significance because this part of the ice Madingly Road sheet contains approximately 3 m of sea level rise.” High Cross Airborne geophysics can also be used to investigate The international team have already conducted an Cambridge the formation of subglacial mountain ranges, as a extensive airborne geophysical survey during the CB3 0ET study of the origins of the Gamburtsev Subglacial field season of 2012-13, and more are planned for UK Mountains in East Antarctica – conducted by 2015-16. The findings from these surveys will help Ferraccioli along with an international team establish whether this part of the East Antarctic ice T +44 1223 221 577 as part of International Polar Year (2007-08) – sheet is potentially less stable than often thought, E [email protected] demonstrated. “Mountain building is a critical and will provide fundamental new geological factor in the initiation of the Antarctic ice sheet,” knowledge on how East Antarctica was assembled. FAUSTO FERRACCIOLI obtained a PhD in Ferraccioli enthuses. “Even during major retreats geophysics at the University of Genoa, Italy, that have occurred repeatedly over geological Airborne geophysics has the power to improve in 2000. In 2002 he moved to the UK, where timescales over Antarctic subglacial basins, the ice knowledge in remote regions, and it is imperative he has been the Aerogeophysics Group Leader sheet remained comparatively stable across these that we do not underestimate its value – at the British Antarctic Survey for the past 11 high elevation mountain ranges.” especially at a time when the ice sheet in some years. He has been at the forefront of major parts of Antarctica is retreating with alarming international aerogeophysical exploration rapidity. “On short-term timescales we know ICE STREAM INVESTIGATIONS projects, particularly over the Gamburtsev that the main drivers of Antarctic ice sheet Subglacial Mountains as part of the Currently, Ferraccioli is involved in an investigation change are the warming ocean and climate,” International Polar Year. of basal boundary conditions for the Institute and concludes Ferraccioli. “However, it is necessary Möller (IIS/ MIS) ice streams of West Antarctica. that we understand subglacial landscapes and Until now, these streams have been largely geology if we are to make accurate predictions as unexplored. “Historically, it’s been a difficult region to how ice sheets actually work and, hence, what to reach,” Ferraccioli elaborates. “Furthermore, contributions these can make to both past and satellite data suggests that this is not a hotspot of future global sea level rise.” WWW.RESEARCHMEDIA.EU 101