MIT Haystack Observatory scientists used navigation satellites and 13 stations on the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica to measure atmospheric turbulence that may have contributed to an unusual surface melting event.

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MIT Haystack Observatory scientists repurposed Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) networks to measure atmospheric turbulence above Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf. By analyzing signal delays caused by water vapor across 13 GNSS stations, they tracked weather conditions and found turbulence levels four times higher than normal during an unusual January 2016 surface melting event. The method enables remote monitoring of dangerous, hard-to-reach locations and may be extended to the Greenland Ice Sheet.

Investigating Antarctic ice shelf melting with global navigation satellite systems