Antarctic 'Doomsday Glacier' Mission Hits Ice Wall

A recent scientific expedition to Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier, infamously known as the 'Doomsday Glacier', encountered critical issues, leading to its abandonment. The mission's objective was to deploy instruments beneath the glacier's main trunk to gather vital data on its stability and impact on sea levels. Researchers from the British Antarctic Survey and South Korea utilized a high-pressure hot-water drill to create a shaft, successfully collecting preliminary measurements.

However, the attempt to lower a long-term mooring system for continuous data relay was unsuccessful. The instrument became trapped in the borehole, likely due to ice refreezing or glacial movement. With approaching severe weather and limited time before their research vessel's departure, the team was compelled to abandon the project. Despite the setback, scientists gathered crucial data indicating turbulent ocean conditions and warm water driving melting at the ice base.