A team of researchers from Norway and the United Kingdom has trained an artificial intelligence system to map the surface area and outlines of giant icebergs directly from satellite imagery, achieving results in fractions of a second. The method was described in a peer‑reviewed science journal focused on cryospheric research.
Manual review of satellite pictures by a human analyst remains more precise, yet it is slow, often taking minutes per image. When repeated across vast datasets, this bottleneck becomes a major hurdle. The neural network, by contrast, processes images thousands of times faster, dramatically reducing the time required to analyze every iceberg feature.
The researchers employed an algorithm known as U-net to train a computer to delineate iceberg boundaries based on imagery captured by Europe’s Sentinel-1 satellites.
The validation set included seven icebergs, with surface areas ranging from 54 square kilometers to 1,052 square kilometers. Those figures correspond to the sizes of mid‑sized cities in Europe and Asia, illustrating the scale at which the system can operate.
For each iceberg, up to 46 images were used to cover a full spectrum of seasonal conditions spanning 2014 through 2020.
In comparative testing, the U-net model outperformed two other algorithms and showed superior ability to identify iceberg outlines in challenging scenes featuring dense ice formations and complex textures.
The researchers note that the technology lays the groundwork for new services that track the shape and dimensions of giant icebergs, supporting maritime operations and scientific investigations.
Icebergs influence the polar environment in significant ways. Monitoring their size and movement helps ensure safer navigation for ships and improves understanding of polar processes. As icebergs melt, they release nutrients and freshwater into surrounding seas, potentially affecting local marine ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles.
Earlier analyses warned about ongoing and irreversible melting in the West Antarctic ice sheet, underscoring the urgency of enhanced monitoring and data availability for researchers and policymakers alike.