Strategies to Collect Next Generations of Bed Topography Data in Antarctica 

This is an announcement of an upcoming meeting “Strategies to Collect Next Generations of Bed Topography Data in Antarctica” on Thursday 8 May in Edinburgh. RINGS will organize this meeting together with School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, and the Organizing Committee of the Royal Society Meeting Next Generation Ice-Sheet Bed Measurements.

Strategies to Collect Next Generations of Bed Topography Data in Antarctica 

This meeting is organized in conjunction with the Royal Society Meeting, Next Generation Ice-Sheet Bed Measurements, taking place on May 6–7, 2025, in Edinburgh  (https://royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2025/05/ice-sheet-beds/). Its goal is to extend the meeting’s discussions by developing first-order strategic plans that will be translated into actionable steps, guiding efforts toward the 6th International Polar Year and beyond. Participants will engage in small-group discussions and reporting sessions to collaboratively shape a vision for producing high-resolution bed topography data for the Antarctic Ice Sheet and its surrounding continental shelf. Key topics include (but are not limited to): (1) Identifying scientific priorities, (2) Developing strategies to address data gaps through international collaboration, (3) Establishing survey protocols tailored to regional and scientific needs, and (4) Exploring new technologies in instrumentation and survey platforms. Although the workshop focuses on Antarctica, researchers working on Greenland are welcome to contribute their expertise and explore synergies between these two research communities. The outcomes of these efforts aim to provide critical boundary conditions for coupled ice-sheet and ice-ocean models, improving predictions of future ice-sheet behaviour. Additionally, the meeting will lay the groundwork for understanding past ice/lithosphere interactions that continue to influence present-day ice-sheet dynamics. Ultimately, these initiatives will advance our understanding of the Antarctic Ice Sheet’s evolution and dynamics and enhance the accuracy of predictions regarding its contributions to future global sea-level change.

Depending on participant regional interest, RINGS may organize additional in-person meetings on Friday, May 9, to support the development of regional RINGS projects. To help us plan, please register for the May 8 meeting as early as possible: https://forms.gle/ZjY4zsUMC4nqyg6b8

If additional meetings are scheduled, we will announce them by the end of February.