The Land Beneath the Ice - by David J Drewry (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A wondrous story of scientific endeavor-probing the great ice sheets of AntarcticaFrom the moment explorers set foot on the ice of Antarctica in the early nineteenth century, they desired to learn what lay beneath. David Drewry provides an insider's account of the ambitious and often hazardous radar mapping expeditions that he and fellow glaciologists undertook during the height of the Cold War, when concerns about global climate change were first emerging and scientists were finally able to peer into the Antarctic ice and take its measure.In this panoramic book, Drewry charts the history and breakthrough science of Radio Echo Sounding, a revolutionary technique that has enabled researchers to measure the thickness and properties of ice continuously from the air-transforming our understanding of the world's great ice sheets. To those involved in this epic fieldwork, it was evident that our planet is rapidly changing, and its future depends on the stability and behavior of these colossal ice masses. Drewry describes how bad weather, downed aircraft, and human frailty disrupt the most meticulously laid plans, and how success, built on remarkable international cooperation, can spawn institutional rivalries.The Land Beneath the Ice captures the excitement and innovative spirit of a pioneering era in Antarctic geophysical exploration, recounting its perils and scientific challenges, and showing how its discoveries are helping us to tackle environmental challenges of global significance"--

Book Synopsis

A wondrous story of scientific endeavor--probing the great ice sheets of Antarctica

From the moment explorers set foot on the ice of Antarctica in the early nineteenth century, they desired to learn what lay beneath. David J. Drewry provides an insider's account of the ambitious and often hazardous radar mapping expeditions that he and fellow glaciologists undertook during the height of the Cold War, when concerns about global climate change were first emerging and scientists were finally able to peer into the Antarctic ice and take its measure.

In this panoramic book, Drewry charts the history and breakthrough science of radio-echo sounding, a revolutionary technique that has enabled researchers to measure the thickness and properties of ice continuously from the air--transforming our understanding of the world's great ice sheets. To those involved in this epic fieldwork, it was evident that our planet is rapidly changing, and its future depends on the stability and behavior of these colossal ice masses. Drewry describes how bad weather, downed aircraft, and human frailty disrupt the most meticulously laid plans, and how success, built on remarkable international cooperation, can spawn institutional rivalries.

The Land Beneath the Ice captures the excitement and innovative spirit of a pioneering era in Antarctic geophysical exploration, recounting its perils and scientific challenges, and showing how its discoveries are helping us to tackle environmental challenges of global significance.

Review Quotes

"Important and ground-breaking research. . . . this book is an essential record of important work and should find a place in libraries and bookshelves devoted to polar science, polar history or the history of science."---Mike Brettle, Weather

"A meticulously detailed and beautifully illustrated insider account. . . .Drewry wanted the book to be engaging to specialist historians and Antarctic enthusiasts, but also give general readers an introduction to Antarctica's beautiful environment; this he has achieved in spades."---Richard Dawe, Geoscientist

"Winner of the PROSE Award in Earth Science, Association of American Publishers"

"

A meticulously detailed and beautifully illustrated insider account of the pioneering, frequently haphazard radar mapping expeditions [Drewry] and a hardy cohort of glaciologists embarked on during a heady decade of technological advancement during the 1970s.

"---Duncan Madden, Geographical

"This personal account adds much piquancy to a story of scientific discovery and ongoing exploration of a compellingly unique continent."---Karen Bordanaro, Library Journal

About the Author

David J. Drewry is honorary fellow at Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge, and former director of the Scott Polar Research Institute at Cambridge and of the British Antarctic Survey. His books include Glacial Geologic Processes and Antarctica and Environmental Change. A world-renowned glaciologist, he has a mountain and a glacier named after him in Antarctica. He lives in Cottingham, England.