NASA | PIG Ice Shelf: First Contact

The video features a glaciologist from Goddard Space Flight Center discussing their 30-year career studying ice. The focus is on West Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier, which is rapidly thinning and moving faster into the ocean. The team faced challenges landing on the ice shelf due to its crevassed surface but managed to set up instruments nearby to collect data. Future plans include returning with helicopters for further research.

What significant change has been observed in the Pine Island Glacier over the past decade?

• Its speed has doubled.

• It has stopped moving.

• It has moved inland.

• It has become thicker.

Why was it difficult to land on the ice shelf during the expedition?

• There were too many animals on the ice.

• The weather was too warm.

• The surface was too soft.

• The surface was heavily crevassed and hard.

What was the main reason the team couldn't establish a camp on the ice shelf?

• Lack of funding.

• The surface was too hard for repeated landings.

• There were no suitable locations.

• The ice shelf was melting too quickly.

What type of instruments were set up near the ice shelf to collect data?

• Seismographs and thermometers.

• Solar panels and wind turbines.

• Automatic weather stations and GPS receivers.

• Cameras and microphones.

What is the team's plan for the next field season?

• To use boats for exploration.

• To return with helicopters for field work.

• To conduct research from a distance.

• To abandon the project.