In 1997, a Canadian satellite called Radarsat-1 captured radar images of Antarctica. NASA scientists have now compiled the images into the first high-resolution radar map of the icy southernmost continent.

The images reveal various details of the Antarctic landscape, such as the "ice streams" that convey snow and cracked ice across large stretches of the continent. These streams, which are enormous, fast-moving glaciers, had not been fully mapped prior to the Radarsat mission.

Radar images can be taken at night and through clouds, unlike photos taken with visible light. Such capabilities enabled Radarsat-1 to capture a broad range of images over an 18-day period. By contrast, an earlier satellite mapping project over Antarctica required five satellites working over a 13-year period.