Buried under 4 km (2 1/2 miles) of ice in the heart of the Antarctic continent lies Lake Vostok, one of the world's biggest freshwater lakes. For up to 25 million years the Lake has been covered by an ice sheet and isolated from the atmosphere.  In 1996 European satellite imagery confirmed the lake's existence, sparking scientific inquiry into the Lake and its processes.  Lamont scientists are using ice-penetrating radar data, and GPS measurements to study the melting and refreezing in the lake, and the direction of ice flow of the overlying glacier to understand better the dynamics of the water exchange system. The geologic origin of the lake provide important boundary conditions for the ecosystem. The magnetic and gravity field of the Earth are used to  interpret the geologic structures beneath the ice sheet.

     Interest in polar regions is growing each year as we observe dramatic changes in such features as ice sheets and permafrost. 2007 marks the start of the International Polar Year (http://www.ipy.org/about/).  Lamont scientists have explored the polar regions for many years. Some of the research can be examined through these links:

Databases and Repositories          Ocean and Climate Physics            Projects and Initiatives

     Check the additional links provided in the "Resources" section of these pages.