Ice sanctuary guards climate secrets

Scientists have begun sealing ancient sections of glacial ice in the world’s first ice sanctuary in Antarctica, aiming to preserve these rapidly vanishing records of Earth’s past climate for centuries to come

ICE CORE SAMPLES

Collected
Upcoming

2016 Col du Dôme
Alps, FranceMount Saint Elias
Canada/U.S.

2021 Colle Gniffeti,
Alps, Switzerland

2023 Colle del Lys,
Alps, Italy

2025 Grand Combin,
Alps, Switzerland

2017 Illimani
Andes, BoliviaAndean
Plateau

2023 Holtedahlfonna
Svalbard, Norway

2018 Elbrus
Caucasus, Russia

2018 Belukha
Altaï, Russia

Heard Island,
Australia

2025 Kon Chukurbashi
Pamir, Tajikistan

Guliya
Kunlun,
China

Rongbuk Glacier
Himalayas, Tibet

Ice Memory Sanctuary: French-Italian research station Concordia located at 3,200 metres of altitude in Antarctica. Inaugurated Jan 14, 2026

-52°C

Icy vault dug around 10 metres below surface into compact snow where temperatures remain constant between -50°C and -54°C

Access ramp
Access door
5m
10m
35m

Ice cores: Drilled deep from inside mountain glaciers, contain dust and other clues that record past weather conditions

Cores could help future scientists unlock their mysteries long after glaciers have melted

Source: Ice Memory Foundation, AFP
Picture: Jason Klimatsas & Bertrand Delapierre / Ice Memory Foundation
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