The Newest Technologies on the Front Lines of Glacial Research

Alexandria, VA - In recent decades, satellites have given scientists the opportunity to study glaciers at an unprecedented scale. However, there are still some glacial behaviors that glaciologists would like to understand better, such as what happens where glaciers meet seawater. This can be an expensive or even dangerous task for human explorers.

The leaps and bounds made in computing and engineering technologies have given rise to a new arsenal of tools that can be deployed remotely, record more data, and nimbly move through terrains and locations deemed too risky for human explorers. The September issue of EARTH Magazine introduces readers to the newest technologies on the front lines of glacial research. Using instruments as varied as aerial drones, tricked-out kayaks, or ping-pong-ball-sized sensors that can be dropped into a glacial crevasse to track glacial movements, scientists are getting unprecedented access to the mysteries of these massive rivers of ice.

As the seasons change, fall into the science behind the headlines with EARTH Magazine. Included in this issue are stories about how the 2011 East Coast earthquake may have been caused by a peeling North America Plate or how bubble accumulation could explain massive volcanic sulfur releases. Also be sure to read this month’s feature on the debate about refining and redefining the genus Homo. All this and more is available online at www.earthmagazine.org.

Keep up to date with the latest happenings in Earth, energy and environment news with EARTH Magazine online at: www.earthmagazine.org. Published by the American Geosciences Institute, EARTH is your source for the science behind the headlines.