The BELISSIMA (Belgian Ice Sheet ' Shelf Ice Measurements in Antarctica) project aims at improving our understanding and
prediction of the cryospheric contribution to future sea level rise. The objectives are twofold: i) to investigate the deglaciation history
and stability of ice rises (points where the ice shelf gets buttressed), and (ii) to investigate the role of ice-ocean
interactions in the stability of the ice sheet ' ice shelf system. The project is within the framework of the newly established Princess
Elisabeth Station (Antarctica) and the studied area is situated on the coastal stretch (Princess Ragnhild Coast, Dronning Maud Land),
180 km north from the research station, where a number of distinct ice rises have been identified. Field investigations are based
on ground based ice-penetrating radar (Radio-echo sounding), differential GPS and ice core drilling. A multi-parametric analysis
of the physical and chemical properties of the ice is carried out on the acquired samples. RES and D-GPS data are analysed using
state-of-the-art techniques and modelling tools.