January 23, 2026
Satellite images confirm the existence of a rare high-elevation frozen pond in the Transantarctic Mountains.
The pond (Fig. 4), at 86°24´S, 159°30´W (86.396°S, 159.493°W), lies at an elevation of 2350 m based on a 25 m contour interval on the Reference Elevation Model of Antarctica (REMA; Polar Geospatial Center (PGC), University of Minnesota; pgc.umn.edu; Howat et al. Reference Howat, Porter, Smith, Noh and Morin2019). When observed by W.E. Long, the pond (Fig. 4) appeared to be shallow and permanently frozen. The pond, which must be fed by seasonal snowmelt, overlies surficial or morainal debris.
The Ohio State team has documented a small, high-elevation pond in Antarctica’s Transantarctic Mountains that appears to have remained frozen for decades. The team reports that the pond sits on the Nilsen Plateau at about 2,350 meters elevation, Size: estimated ≤ ~20 × 50 m, Transantarctic Mountains, making it among the highest-elevation ponds noted that far south.
A frozen pond at 86°24´S near the South Pole has stayed frozen for decades, a study finds
The pond was observed during the 1963–1964 field season, when it appeared shallow and permanently frozen. To check whether conditions have changed, the researchers examined satellite imagery from 2010–2024, which suggests the pond has remained ice-covered in every clear view.
Professor Emeritus David H. Elliot
The team documents one of Antarctica’s highest, farthest south frozen ponds.
The three authors are affiliated as Principal Investigators with the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center at The Ohio State University and the School of Earth Sciences.
Anne M. Grunow (Senior Research Scientist; Director, Polar Rock Repository) and Erica L. Maletic (Curator, Polar Rock Repository).
The paper also notes evidence of a second small frozen pond in the area, though its precise location is uncertain. The authors say features this small can be easy to miss, yet they may become increasingly important to track as scientists monitor how Antarctica’s surface water and melt patterns vary across different landscapes and microclimates.