Antarctica is home to the largest dune field on our planet

To unravel this mystery, scientists analysed satellite images covering the entire Antarctic continent. This approach made it possible to map the distribution, shape and orientation of snow dunes on an unprecedented scale. By comparing these observations with models developed for sand dunes, the team revealed both similarities and crucial differences in the formation mechanisms.

The study reveals that Antarctic snow is surprisingly resistant to wind transport, mainly due to its high cohesion. This property has a significant influence on snow dynamics on the continent. Indeed, the movement of snow by wind is an important, but until now poorly understood, factor in this context. This breakthrough in our understanding of the processes that shape the structure of the snow could help refine models of the evolution of the Antarctic ice cap. It also opens up new prospects for improving our knowledge of the ice cap’s mass balance¹ in the face of climate change, a crucial step in predicting its future impact on sea levels.

1. Mass balance: difference between the accumulation (snowfall, frost) and ablation (melting, sublimation, iceberg calving) of ice on an ice cap. It is crucial for understanding the evolution of ice caps and their contribution to rising sea levels.