NASA | IceBridge Flies High over Both Poles

The video discusses two campaigns surveying polar ice in the Arctic and Antarctic. Both missions use laser altimeters and photographic mappers on smaller aircraft. The campaigns aim to provide annual snapshots of ice conditions, measuring changes in snow and ice levels. Icebridge uses a G5 aircraft for the Antarctic and a Falcon 20 for the Arctic, with a focus on efficiency and precision. The Antarctic campaign includes the DMS photographic system and the high-altitude laser altimeter, Elvis, to monitor ice sheet changes and their impact on sea levels.

What is the primary purpose of the two campaigns surveying polar ice?

• To study the wildlife in the polar regions

• To measure the thickness of the ice sheets

• To provide annual snapshots of the regions after winter

• To test new aircraft technology

What is a key advantage of using smaller aircraft in the Icebridge campaigns?

• They are easier to pilot

• They can carry more instruments

• They are more fuel-efficient

• They can survey more area

What does the Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM) primarily do?

• It records temperature variations

• It scans the surface with laser altimetry

• It measures atmospheric pressure

• It captures high-resolution photographs

What is the role of the ELVIS system in the Antarctic campaign?

• To measure topographic information and surface structure

• To track sea ice movements

• To monitor wildlife movements

• To measure atmospheric conditions

How do repeated measurements help in monitoring ice sheets?

• They determine the color of the ice

• They assess the growth or shrinkage of ice sheets over time

• They track the movement of icebergs

• They measure the temperature of the ice