BENEMELT investigates how surface melting affects the stability of East Antarctic ice shelves and how these processes may change in a warming climate. The project brings together researchers from KU Leuven, Université Libre de Bruxelles and Utrecht University to improve understanding of snow melt and its impact on Antarctic ice shelves.

Ice shelves are floating extensions of the Antarctic Ice Sheet that help slow the flow of inland ice towards the ocean. As temperatures increase, greater amounts of surface melting may weaken these floating platforms, potentially affecting ice-sheet stability and contributing to future sea-level rise.

To better understand these processes, BENEMELT combines field observations with satellite measurements and climate modelling. Researchers measure meteorological conditions on the ice shelves, monitor surface melt, and investigate how snow properties change in response to melting. Ground-based observations, including weather stations, snow temperature measurements, ground-penetrating radar and firn cores, provide detailed information about the structure of the snow and the presence of melt layers.

By combining these observations with climate models, the project aims to improve estimates of present-day and future surface melt on East Antarctic ice shelves and contribute to a better understanding of their response to climate change.