The divers will be retrieving groundbreaking measurements of how the vessel’s propellers interact with sea ice – using instrumentation deployed in the Antarctic for only the second time.
For the first time, scientists have collected measurements close to a giant iceberg, giving an unprecedented window into the impact of meltwater on the surrounding Southern Ocean and ecosystem.
A new map of the South Orkney Islands has been released by British Antarctic Survey (BAS) – the first UK published, topographic map of the region in almost 40 years.
The Pine Island and Thwaites ice shelves are among the fastest-changing in Antarctica and are of particular interest due to their vulnerability to warming ocean waters. They act as massive barriers restraining the glaciers behind them from flowing into the ocean.
Equipped with thrusters, cameras, sonar and sensors for measuring water temperature, pressure and salinity, the vehicle climbed nearly 150 feet up one slope and descended the other.
During the COVID summer of 2020-21, just 15 tourists on two yachts visited Antarctica. But now, tourism is back—and bigger than ever. This season's visitor numbers are up more than 40% over the largest pre-pandemic year.
Pine Island Ice Shelf in West Antarctica, which holds back enough ice to raise sea levels by 0.5 metres, could be more vulnerable to complete disintegration than previously thought.
Whilst scientists have a good understanding of how the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is melting and contributing to sea level rise, far less was known about the East, until now.
The Australian Antarctic Division has moved swiftly to adjust its shipping plans for the 2022-23 season with icebreaker RSV Nuyina unlikely to be in service due to a delay in receiving spare parts.
