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Environmental

June 27, 2018

RockBLOCKs Measuring Glacier Movement

Professor Kirk Martinez and his team from the University of Southampton, UK, are using moving rover units equipped with RockBLOCKs to measure how Icelandic glaciers respond to small-scale changes in temperature and precipitation throughout the year.

Global warming has resulted not just in the melting of glaciers throughout the world, but in their accelerated movement as well. The increased temperatures mean that a larger amount of water is finding its way underneath glaciers, effectively acting as a lubricant and causing glaciers to speed up.

Using differential GPS (dGPS), Professor Martinez can accurately calculate glacier speeds by measuring location differences as small as 2cm. In the past, achieving such spatial resolution in remote locations and over the course of months was financially prohibitive.

But not anymore, thanks to the next generation of low-cost hardware being used in his Ice Tracker project. In previous research, sensor probes were also placed in and under glaciers, collecting data on conditions, pressure, stresses, and subglacial movement.

All of us at Rock Seven (now trading as Ground Control) wish Professor Martinez and his team the very best of luck.

RockBLOCK 9603

The smallest and lightest version in our RockBLOCK family, the RockBLOCK 9603 is targeted primarily at systems integrators and product developers where space inside your enclosure is at a premium. RockBLOCKs can send and receive short messages from anywhere on Earth with a view of the sky.

Get in touch

Get in touch with us and find out if the RockBLOCK 9603 is the right device for your needs. Either complete our online form, or call us to be connected directly with one of our expert team. Call +44 (0) 1452 751940 (Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania) or +1.805.783.4600 (North and South America).

With over 20 years experience in satellite tracking we have the knowledge and experience to ensure you are equipped with everything you need to make the right choice.