A new map has unmasked the landscape beneath Antarctica's ice in unprecedented detail, something scientists say could greatly enhance our understanding of the frozen white continent.
Researchers used satellite data and the physics of how Antarctica's glaciers move to work out what the continent might look like beneath the ice.
They found evidence of thousands of previously undiscovered hills and ridges, and say their maps of some of Antarctica's hidden mountain ranges are clearer than ever before.
While the maps are subject to uncertainties, the researchers believe the new details could shed light on how Antarctica will respond to climate change - and what that means for sea-level rise.
It's like before you had a grainy pixel film camera, and now you've got a properly zoomed-in digital image of what's really going on, lead author Dr. Helen Ockenden, a researcher at the University of Grenoble-Alpes, told BBC News.
Thanks to satellites, scientists have a good understanding of Antarctica's icy surface – but what lies beneath has remained more of a mystery.
In fact, more is known about the surface of some planets in our Solar System than much of Antarctica's underbelly – the topography beneath the ice sheet.
But researchers now have what they believe to be the most complete, detailed map of that underbelly ever made.
Traditional measurements from the ground or air have used radar to see beneath the ice - which is up to three miles thick in places - often along individual survey lines or tracks. However, these tracks could be tens of kilometers apart, leaving scientists to fill in the gaps.
The researchers used a new approach, combining satellite data on the ice surface and insights about ice movement through physics.
This groundbreaking study highlights that understanding Antarctica's complex landscape is vital for predicting how quickly glaciers may retreat and contribute to global sea-level rise.
