For the first time in the history of Antarctic research scientist managed to look under the ice to 1 out secret glacier lakes of the continent. There with a special probe, humanity managed to consider ever before seen underwater ecosystem - sea stars, sponges, anemone.

A group of American scientists and engineers from the Georgia Institute of Technology have collected a specialized probe-submarine Icefin (Ice fin), established to investigate the ice seas personally on the terrain of Antarctica. Portable device, reach the depths of the Ross sea through the bore diameter of 30 cm, filmed a video about the life of the ice world.

As a research fellow for the first time managed to get under the ice shelf width of 20 meters, and then another 500 meters to the bottom. Recorded by video probe showed the entire population of earth outlandish previously underwater ecosystem - sea stars, sponges, anemones and other animals.

"We designed something between probes and ocean vessels" - quoted by one of the managers of the project Icefin Britney Schmidt official web site of the Scientific and technical Institute Georgia. Considering the opinion of the researchers, a similar development will be used to search for life on other celestial bodies, processed ice layer. Namely, we are talking about NASA projects for the study of European satellites of Jupiter, where it is found covered with a layer of ice living ocean.

Note that when all available compact Icefin equipped with all necessary devices for navigation and research biological and hydrological activities. The technique of the device withstands immersion to 1.5 kilometers. Because under the ice not working formulaic GPS navigation system, Icefin was set equivalent SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping simultaneous localization and mapping), which describes the location of the device on the bottom topography and ice. Also, the sensors of the device allow you to learn how the ocean affects the characteristics of ice and Vice versa.

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sections: Society, World News