BE:WISE (Buttressing Effect: Why ice shelves are essential) investigates the flow dynamics of Antarctic ice shelves by studying the role of ice rises and pinning points—grounded features that help support and stabilise floating ice shelves. The project focuses on the Roi Baudouin Ice Shelf in East Antarctica, where these natural anchor points influence the movement of ice flowing from the Antarctic Ice Sheet.

The project aims to improve understanding of how buttressing affects ice flow and how changes in these grounded features may influence the stability of the ice sheet. Since much of Antarctica's ice sheet is connected to the ocean through floating ice shelves, understanding these processes is essential for improving ice-flow models and studying changes in Antarctic mass balance.

To investigate these interactions, BE:WISE combines satellite observations with field measurements, including ground-penetrating radar and GPS surveys. These measurements are used to study ice thickness, surface velocity, internal ice structure and the interaction between the ice shelf and the underlying bedrock. The project also examines how tidal movements can affect the attachment of the ice shelf to pinning points and how this influences ice deformation.

The observations collected by BE:WISE contribute to a better understanding of Antarctic ice-shelf dynamics and provide valuable data for improving models of ice-sheet behaviour.