BENEATH THE ICE

Sea ice. Storms. Piracy. Hostile powers. There are any number of reasons that collecting vital climate change data may be too dangerous for human expeditions.

That’s why the UEA Glider Science Group is so important. UEA’s fleet of autonomous ocean gliders, the only one owned and operated by a UK university, can be deployed in locations where the risk to human life is too great.

They may resemble missiles, but these are highly specialised research craft packed with sensors. Ocean gliders collect data on water temperature, salinity, currents and, crucially, carbon levels. Unlike traditional research vessels, they are quiet, non-polluting and will not disturb local marine life. They operate from the ocean surface to as deep as 1,000 metres underwater, creating vertical profiles that can tell scientists much about how climate change affects precious ecosystems in this region.

The gliders are also highly cost-efficient. Missions lasting weeks or months would carry an exorbitant cost if operated by humans alone. Researchers can deploy the gliders into the water, receive data in real-time and collect them when work is complete.

Professor Karen Heywood OBE, who received her honour in 2022 for Services to Oceanography, leads the Glider Science Group.

“The data collected by our autonomous vessels is priceless,” explained Prof Heywood. “On a recent expedition, my colleague Dr Gillian Damerell, Senior Research Associate in Physical Oceanography, launched three gliders from the sea ice to study marine wildlife populations. Our aim was to tag penguins and then use the gliders to examine their impact on krill and listen for whales. It gave us data on these places’ biology, chemistry and physics.

“But what was most exciting about this trip was an unexpected foray under the ice shelf by one of our gliders. After it was launched, a strong tide carried it off course and we lost contact. We had a very nervous 24 hours, and then it popped up.

“The glider had ended up underneath the Ross Ice Shelf, the largest ice shelf in Antarctica. This accidental journey has given us a gold mine of data.

“We’ve been able to see that water from outside the ice shelf is present down there. That’s important, because if water being warmed by the sun is going underneath ice shelves, we could demonstrate a new way that ice is being melted from underneath. It’s a process that could be important in the future climate when waters are warmer.”

Despite a lifetime of pioneering research, the rate of change still has the capacity to shock Prof Heywood.

“When I first went to the Antarctic in 1995,” she said, “I went to Rothera Research Base in the west. There was ice everywhere and Adélie penguins. But when I went back in 2014, there was no ice. And those penguins had left because they needed the ice. That moment brought it home to me that our planet is changing right in front of us.

“Our work is so important because it underpins all of humanity’s preparations for the changing world. The Antarctic affects monsoon rainfall. It affects weather patterns in Europe. u u “We need to understand why things are changing so that people can make predictions. If we guess or get it wrong, those predictions will be wrong too. And suddenly, the coastal defences you’ve built will be underwater, or the new crops you have chosen won’t survive the weather patterns.”

UEA’s seven ocean gliders will soon find a new permanent home on the campus in a newly refurbished building. Here, there will be space for up to 16 gliders. The building will be fitted out for the refurbishment of gliders between missions by the University’s specialist technician, Gareth Lee. This process involves replacing the advanced batteries on board and tuning the craft for the temperature and speed of currents at its next destination. This hub will also be an interdisciplinary workspace for scientists from different schools at the University to collaborate.

“We’re looking forward to being able to invite donors to our new building,” continued Prof Heywood. “It’ll be a fantastic way to bring their donation to life and explain the impact they are having.

“Donors may wish to display their name on the side of the glider or support climate research at UEA by funding new members of our team. We are finding it increasingly challenging to obtain PhD funding through traditional channels. The University’s strong philanthropic community allows us to speak directly to passionate, generous people.