HYDRANT (HYDRologic system of ANTarctica) is an atmospheric research project that investigates the processes driving the Antarctic water cycle, from moisture transport and cloud formation to snowfall. Led by researchers from KU Leuven, the project aims to improve our understanding of how these processes influence the surface mass balance of the Antarctic Ice Sheet.

The Antarctic Ice Sheet gains mass through snowfall and loses mass through processes such as sublimation, snowdrift and runoff. Understanding this balance is essential for predicting how Antarctica will respond to a changing climate and how it may contribute to future sea-level rise. Because these processes are closely linked to atmospheric conditions, HYDRANT focuses on the atmospheric branch of the hydrological cycle and the interactions between clouds, precipitation and the atmosphere.

The project combines high-quality meteorological observations with atmospheric modelling to evaluate and improve regional climate models. In addition to measuring snowfall, HYDRANT investigates cloud properties and the processes that control the formation and transport of moisture across Antarctica. These observations help ensure that climate models accurately represent the complex chain of processes connecting evaporation, cloud formation and precipitation.

By improving the representation of the Antarctic water cycle in atmospheric models, HYDRANT contributes to more reliable predictions of the future evolution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet and its role in global sea-level change.