Robotic "dolphins" are now being used to gather more data and information about rising global temperatures in the Antarctic and its effect on the planet.

These dolphins are called subsea drones or seagliders. They don't have motors but instead operate via pumping water in and out of nozzles.

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Two studies released this year detail evidence showing the melting West Antarctic ice sheet located on the southern part of the continent could now be irreversible. Sea levels will rise up to 10 feet when this massive amount of ice melts into liquid water.

Since ocean waters are experience rising temperatures especially near the Antarctic coast, this event is melting of the undersides of the ice shelves, rendering them fragile and prone to break apart. This fracturing will ultimately reduce the ice cover in this region.

Another factor that contributes to the disappearance of the ice sheets are ocean eddies or underwater storms caused by warmer mid-ocean depths in the areas above or below them. It's still unclear to researchers what causes these warmer ocean temperatures but man-made climate change and global warming is a possibility researchers are willing to explore and understand more.

Studying these ocean eddies will lead to a greater understanding of global warming and why these changes are happening, according to oceanographer Andrew Thompson from CalTech.

As the robot dolphins dive for more than a mile under the Weddell Sea, they are controlled by scientists in Norwich, England. Each of the machines measures six feet.

These autnomous vehicles send data to home base when they reach the surface. This important data includes water temperatures and density, as well as water salinity.

Salt water freezes at a lower temperature as opposed to fresh water. Since these are warmer waters, it's less likely ice will form in these regions.

These gliders help save costs compared to manned ocean and climate observing systems and are more efficient, according to CalTech researchers.

This study was published in the journal, Nature Geoscience.

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