@alnglobalnetworkofficial: A 7.5-meter robot submarine spent weeks exploring beneath Antarctica’s floating ice before disappearing during a later mission. The autonomous submarine, called Ran, was operated by the University of Gothenburg. It used sonar to map the hidden underside of the Dotson Ice Shelf in West Antarctica. During a 2022 expedition, Ran spent 27 days traveling more than 1,000 kilometers beneath the ice. It traveled about 17 kilometers into the ice shelf, beneath ice that was around 350 meters thick. The maps showed that the bottom of the ice was far from smooth. Scientists found peaks, valleys, plateaus, terraces and shapes that looked like sand dunes. They also found unusual teardrop-shaped areas where the ice was melting. Ran also helped scientists understand why some parts of the Dotson Ice Shelf melt faster than others. Its measurements showed how underwater currents can wear away the ice from below. Scientists also found heavy melting around vertical cracks in the ice. Researchers think some of these unusual shapes may have been created by flowing water and Earth’s rotation, but these explanations are still being studied. Then Ran disappeared. In January 2024, researchers returned to the Dotson Ice Shelf to repeat the survey and look for changes. Ran completed only one dive before it failed to return to its planned meeting point beneath the ice. Researchers searched for it using acoustic equipment, helicopters and drones, but could not find the submarine. Ran was a Kongsberg HUGIN autonomous underwater vehicle. It was 7.5 meters long, weighed about 1,850 kilograms when dry, could travel at 1 to 7 knots, and could dive as deep as 3,000 meters. The research continued after Ran was lost. The University of Gothenburg plans to receive a replacement called Ran II in winter 2026/2027. The new submarine will have improved navigation and better systems for handling emergencies. Ran disappeared in 2024, but the data it collected is still helping scientists understand what happens beneath Antarctica’s ice and how melting there could affect sea levels. Source: University of Gothenburg, British Antarctic Survey and Science Advances#world #breakingnews #goviral #fyp #unitednations

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Sunday 27 September 2026 09:56:17 GMT