BELISSIMA is a glaciology project that investigates the movement and behaviour of the Antarctic Ice Sheet and its floating ice shelves. Led by researchers from the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), the project aims to improve our understanding of the processes that control ice flow and their influence on future sea-level rise.

As glaciers flow from the Antarctic continent towards the ocean, they often form floating ice shelves that remain attached to the grounded ice sheet. These ice shelves play a crucial role in slowing the flow of inland ice towards the sea. Changes in the stability of ice shelves, particularly increased melting near their grounding zones, can accelerate glacier flow and increase the amount of ice discharged into the ocean.

BELISSIMA studies these interactions by investigating the dynamics of both the grounded ice sheet and the floating ice shelves. The observations collected during the project provide valuable information on ice movement, ice shelf behaviour and the processes that influence the stability of the Antarctic Ice Sheet.

The data gathered by BELISSIMA contribute to the development of more accurate mathematical and glaciological models, helping scientists better predict how Antarctica may respond to a changing climate and how these changes could affect global sea levels over the coming decades and centuries.