A robot had mysteriously vanished in Antarctica. It just resurfaced with never-before-seen data

Scientists continually experiment and learn more about nature and climate change, and they have been developing technology to aid in this process. A robotic figure known as the Argo Ocean Float was created and used by researchers in Antarctica, as noted by Debrief. It was in the eastern portion of the continent, in Totten Glacier, when it vanished. According to The Conversation, the device drifted for two and a half years before being located in the north-eastern area of the continent. For nine long months, the robot was reportedly surveying the Denman and Shackleton ice shelves, areas never accessed or measured before, and it made important discoveries that once seemed impossible to attain.

Researchers have been measuring the Antarctic expanse to calculate how quickly the continent's melting can contribute to sea level rise. They are doing this to aid with global climate change research, trying to get ahead of a problem. According to WION, the initial purpose of the robots was to measure how quickly the Totten glacier was melting. When the device vanished and made its way to the inaccessible parts of the eastern ice shelves, it retrieved data no one else had discovered before. Every time the device bumped into the ice, it was able to provide information about the depth of the ice shelf base. Because the satellites couldn’t locate the device, it’s unclear where the measurements were stored. However, with the little information received, researchers could figure out a way to ascertain some metrics. That's when they revealed the shocker: While the Shackleton ice shelves were not exposed to warm water, the data revealed that the Denman ice shelves have started to melt.

This in itself was significant information. It is now concerning news that Denman and Totten, two significant glaciers, are melting due to warm water interruptions and can further melt depending on the thickness of this water. While both are said to be stable so far, further melting means we’re heading for irreversible changes. According to CSIRO, the devices were developed for this purpose and have sensors that can measure water temperature and salinity. However, the ocean floats operate with an interesting concept.

They are the only devices that can float in subsurfaces, in depths of 1 to 2 km, and get the necessary metrics before rising back to the surface. This data is then transmitted to satellites before it goes back in for another dive to yield more information. A study in Science Adventures revealed that Antarctica has the largest mass loss, which has been steadily increasing over the last four decades. 90% of the heat increase has been stored in oceans, and as a result, there has been a significant rise in sea levels. It was initially believed that Antarctica's Eastern portion was more stable, but the unprecedented findings have painted a clearer picture.

Researchers were unable to get a complete understanding because wandering into these extreme territories was not an option. Contrary to their belief, the eastern area is not as stable as they thought. Since it holds more concrete and important ice shelves, and those have started melting, it is a call for concern. It's funny how all of this was discovered only because a robot made its way into the unknown. With the disappearance and ensuing journey of the robotic device, the new findings can seriously aid the future of research and development. 

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