Can a submarine go under the South Pole?
Daniel Lopez
Updated on February 24, 2026
However, unlike the Arctic sea ice, there are no military submarines allowed under the Antarctic Treaty, which means that large regions of thicker sea ice have effectively remained unexplored from below, scientists said.
Can submarines go under ice?
US Navy submarines have a long history of operations in the Arctic, including under the ice that covers much of the region. Surfacing through that ice is a common feature of submarine exercises up there, but even with that experience, it's still a tricky maneuver. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.Can submarines go under Arctic ice?
The world's first nuclear submarine, the Nautilus dived at Point Barrow, Alaska, and traveled nearly 1,000 miles under the Arctic ice cap to reach the top of the world.Can submarines surface at the North Pole?
Popular Mechanics reported that two U.S. submarines — the USS Connecticut and the USS Hartford — surfaced through the Arctic ice within sight of the British submarine HMS Trenchant in 2018.How far under the sea can a submarine go?
It's generally accepted that the maximum depth (depth of implosion or collapse) is about 1.5 or 2 times deeper. The latest open literature says that a US Los Angeles-class test depth is 450m (1,500 ft), suggesting a maximum depth of 675–900m (2,250–3,000 ft).Can a submarine survive a tsunami?
Fleet of around 10 specially-designed submarine-refuges.Some small and strong-hulled titanium submarines could survive stronger impacts and tsunami waves, but larger submarines with thinner hulls could be better adapted to long-term survival in a contaminated world.
At what depth will water crush you?
This means we'd have to dive to about 35.5 km depth before bone crushes. This is three times as deep as the deepest point in our ocean. The 40% of non-water non-gaseous minerals and tissues such as salts, proteins, fats and lipids are virtually impossible to compress similar to water.How cold do submarines get?
Maintaining TemperatureThe temperature of the ocean surrounding the submarine is typically 39 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius). The metal of the submarine conducts internal heat to the surrounding water. So, submarines must be electrically heated to maintain a comfortable temperature for the crew.