Antarctica Bedrock Elevation

Colour Image Composite: 2024-2026

Color-coded legend for Antarctic bedrock elevation in meters above sea level
RGB satellite imagery of Antarctica surface features and ice margins (1km resolution)
Antarctica bedrock elevation topography map showing subglacial terrain (1km resolution)

Western Antarctica

Colour image: August 2026

RGB satellite imagery of Western Antarctica surface features and ice margins (250m resolution)
Western Antarctica bedrock elevation topography map showing subglacial terrain (500m resolution)

About This Visualization

Explore the hidden topography beneath Antarctica's ice sheet using this interactive bedrock elevation visualization. By overlaying high-resolution satellite imagery with NASA’s BedMachine Greenland dataset, users can dynamically compare surface features against subglacial terrain.

Key Features:

  • Interactive before/after comparison slider for precise alignment
  • Adjustable bedrock opacity to isolate topographic details beneath ice cover
  • High-resolution panning across Western Antarcica
Archived 2019 Viewer

Data Sources:

This visualization combines NSIDC MEaSUREs BedMachine for subglacial elevation modeling with Terra satellite imager. Temporal coverage spans 2024–2026, enabling assessment of ice sheet dynamics and bedrock interactions.

Morlighem, M. (2025). MEaSUREs BedMachine Antarctica (NSIDC-0756, Version 4). [Bed]. Boulder, Colorado USA. NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/POJQI54A45HX. [06/06/2026].

Terra / MODIS from NASA Worldview.