Scientists are sending robots to take samples from a melting glacier in Svalbard, Norway. 

The Kronebreen glacier in Kongsfjorden will be visited by these machines as a way to protect human researchers. Calving, which is where sections of ice on a glacier separate and break off, is a major hazard. 

According to an article via BBC News, this research has a number of collaborators including Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS).

“Not only is there a risk of falling ice, but large-scale calving causes huge waves, so it is a dangerous place,” said Professor Finlo Cottier of Sams.

“That is where the robotic systems come into their own, working at the front line of Arctic science.”

The group of robots includes a submarine, drones and an autonomous boat. An objective of theirs is to analyse the impacts of climate change on the ocean by measuring the amount of freshwater run-off that is occurring as a result of the ice melting. In addition, with saltier sea water flowing in from the North Atlantic, the robots will measure how this cooperates with the freshwater.

“We need to know much more about the fresh water coming into the ocean: How much is there? Where does it end up? How does it move?” said Cottier.