All Images
News Release 15-045
Discovered deep under Antarctic surface: Extensive, salty aquifer and potentially vast microbial habitat
Helicopter-borne instrument shows what lies beneath Antarctica's ice-free Dry Valleys
This material is available primarily for archival purposes. Telephone numbers or other contact information may be out of date; please see current contact information at media contacts.
![A helicopter flies the AEM sensor over Lake Frxyell in the McMurdo Dry Valleys.](/news/mmg/media/images/Jansan_AEM_5_f.jpg)
A helicopter flies the AEM sensor over Lake Frxyell in the McMurdo Dry Valleys.
Credit: Lars Jansan, NSF
Download the high-resolution JPG version of the image. (5.1 MB)
Use your mouse to right-click (Mac users may need to Ctrl-click) the link above and choose the option that will save the file or target to your computer.
![An engineer with AEM sensor next to helicopter](/news/mmg/media/images/Jansan_AEM_3_f.jpg)
An engineer prepares the AEM sensor for a survey flight.
Credit: Lars Jansan
Download the high-resolution JPG version of the image. (1.9 MB)
Use your mouse to right-click (Mac users may need to Ctrl-click) the link above and choose the option that will save the file or target to your computer.
![the AEM sensor as seenf rom a helicopter](/news/mmg/media/images/murphey_aem_1_f_8e72efc5-3e13-46e3-a68e-1bd97b4440ab.jpg)
A helicopter pilot's view of the AEM sensor.
Credit: Paul Murphey, NSF
Download the high-resolution JPG version of the image. (2.8 MB)
Use your mouse to right-click (Mac users may need to Ctrl-click) the link above and choose the option that will save the file or target to your computer.
![Scientists with an AEM sensor.](/news/mmg/media/images/Mikucki_AEM_11_f.jpg)
Scientists collect data from the AEM sensor at Bull Pass in the McMurdo Dry Valleys.
Credit: Jill Mikucki, University of Tennessee
Download the high-resolution JPG version of the image. (3.3 MB)
Use your mouse to right-click (Mac users may need to Ctrl-click) the link above and choose the option that will save the file or target to your computer.
Using a novel, helicopter-borne sensor to penetrate the surface of large swathes of terrain, a team of researchers supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) has gathered compelling evidence that beneath Antarctica's ice-free McMurdo Dry Valleys lies a salty aquifer that may support previously unknown microbial ecosystems and retain evidence of ancient climate change.
Credit: National Science Foundation