Magazine Issue 33 2017

Home , Casey Station, Concordia Station, Davis Station, Leanne Armand, RSV Nuyina, SY Aurora

AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 The Australian Antarctic Division, a Division of the Department of the Environment and Energy, leads Australia’s Antarctic program and seeks to advance Australia’s Antarctic interests in pursuit of its vision of having ‘Antarctica valued, protected and understood’. It does this by managing Australian government activity in Antarctica, providing transport and logistic support to Australia’s Antarctic research program, maintaining four permanent Australian research stations, and conducting scientific research programs both on land and in the Southern Ocean. Australia’s Antarctic national interests are to: • Preserve our sovereignty over the Australian Antarctic Territory, including our sovereign rights over the adjacent OPERATIONS offshore areas. 2 Welcome RSV Nuyina • Take advantage of the special opportunities Antarctica offers for scientific research. • Protect the Antarctic environment, having regard to its SCIENCE special qualities and effects on our region. 8 Cool cloud study • Maintain Antarctica’s freedom from strategic and/or political confrontation. • Be informed about and able to influence developments in a region geographically proximate to Australia. • Derive any reasonable economic benefits from living and non-living resources of the Antarctic (excluding deriving such benefits from mining and oil drilling).

• Australian Antarctic Magazine is produced twice a year (June and December). Australian Antarctic Magazine seeks to inform the Australian and international Antarctic community about the activities of the Australian Antarctic program. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government or the Minister for the Environment and Energy.

IN BRIEF HISTORY 33 Rare sub-Antarctic orchid flowers far 26 Van life from home Australian Antarctic Magazine is licensed by the Commonwealth of Australia for use under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence, with the exception of the Coat of Arms of the Commonwealth of Australia, content supplied by third parties, and any images depicting people. For licence conditions see CONTENTS https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE HISTORY This publication should be attributed as Australian Antarctic Magazine, Commonwealth of Australia 2017. Nick Gales’ message 1 Antarctic place names go to the dogs 24 Antarctic films offer visual surprise 25 The Commonwealth of Australia has made all reasonable efforts OPERATIONS to identify content supplied by third parties using the following Van life 26 Copyright, name of third party ’. Welcome RSV Nuyina 2 format ‘© [ ] The longest living Australian Traversing Antarctica 4 Antarctic motorcycle 28 Editorial enquiries, including requests to reproduce material, Antarctic cargo flies further with mid-air refuel 7 or contributions, should be addressed to: POLICY The Editor SCIENCE How science informs and shapes Antarctic policy 30 Australian Antarctic Magazine Australian Antarctic Division Cool cloud study 8 203 Channel Highway Iceberg Alley – what lies beneath? 10 IN BRIEF Kingston, 7050 Tasmania, Australia. Glaciologists explode ice shelf secrets 12 Ice-free areas could expand across Antarctica 14 FREEZE FRAME Australian Antarctic Division Telephone: (03) 6232 3209 DNA reveals jellyfish a popular choice in (International 61 3 6232 3209) albatross diet 15 email: [email protected] Boundary rider 16 Size matters in Southern Ocean Editor: Wendy Pyper ecosystems models 18 Production: Sally Chambers, Jessica Fitzpatrick Graphic Design: giraffe.com.au Antarctic submarine canyons revealed Issue 33: December 2017 during sea floor sediment survey 20 Powering pollution reduction 22 ISSN 1445-1735 (print version) Australian Antarctic Magazine is printed on Monza satin recycled paper; a 50% post consumer ABOUT THE COVER waste and 50% FSC certified fibre stock.

Senior meteorology observer, Barry Becker, took this Australian Antarctic Magazine can be viewed online: photo during an airdrop of supplies to Davis research www.antarctica.gov.au/magazine station in September (see page 7). Barry pre-set the focus of his Nikon D750 on the distant station. When the aircraft arrived it took less than a minute between the packages exiting the aircraft and the chutes settling on the ice. Barry has previously wintered @AusAntarctic on Macquarie Island and spent two summers on the AusAntarctic continent as the senior meteorologist. AusAntarctic saving valuabletime whenthesummerseasongets underway. pre-position equipment andsuppliesforstation and scienceprojects, of cargo toisolatedexpeditioners. Thecapabilitywillallowus to trip betweenHobartandDavisresearch stationanddrop nine tonnes A mid-airrefuelling enabledtheaircraft tomakethe10 000kmround season, usingtheRoyalAustralian AirForce’s C-17Aaircraft (page7). to deliversuppliesAntarctica outsidethesummershipping In Septemberwecompletedthefinal phaseofa‘proof ofconcept’ reinvigorate thisexpertise. experience undertakingheavytraverses, anditwillbeexcitingto way forward. Upuntiltheearly 2000s, Australia hadsome40years’ each program. TheAustralian teamisnowworkingtorecommend a the different traverse technologiesandmethodologiesemployedby their summerontraverse withBritishandFrench teams, studying project (page6).Lastseason,two ofourteamspentagoodpart deep-field scientific research, includingthemillionyearicecore drilling overland traverse capabilityandassociatedmobilestation,tosupport We havealsomadegreat stridestowards thedevelopmentofan Tasmanian Aborigineswouldhaveseenthesouthernlights. between Tasmania andAntarctica andwhen,some200000years ago, – anditreminds usofthelinks suggested anAboriginalname cent ofcompetitionentries children –more than20per celebrates theviewsof Aurora Australis. Italso and ourcurrent icebreaker Mawson’s first shipAurora light, includingSirDouglas the shimmeringcurtainsof theme ofnamingshipsafter reasons. Itcontinuesthe wonderful nameforsomany Tasmanian Aborigines. It’s a kani, thelanguageof “southern lights”inpalawa “noy-yee-nah”) means RSV Nuyina(pronounced The winningname, did notdisappoint. for thenext30years, andthey Australia’s Antarctic program be acriticalcomponentof name thevessel,whichwill Australian schoolstudentsto We putalotoffaithin ‘Name ourIcebreaker’ competition(page2). new Antarctic icebreaker, andtheannouncementofwinners ofour highlights were thefirst steelcuttingandsubsequentkeellayingforour under ourAntarctic Strategy and20Year ActionPlan. Among the past sixmonthsasweworktowards fulfillinga range ofcommitments The Australian Antarctic Divisionhasbeenonanexcitingjourneythese Director From the on theice. and spendtime to WilkinsAerodrome first studentstofly history, by beingthe will havemade Western Australia – students from and sixprimary from Tasmania secondary students winners –six competition read thisthe By thetimeyou Photo: AdamRoberts Director, Australian Antarctic Division Dr NICKGALES modernise, somethingsstaythesame. exist, albeitinamore modernform. Whilemanyaspectsofourprogram ones, andtoexplore theAntarctic environment. Thesediversions still helped expeditioners enjoywell-earned breaks inalifefarfrom loved Antarctic lifeandculture inthisissue.Films, fieldvansandmotorbikes Finally, you’llfinda range ofinteresting historicalstoriesabout good collectionofdataretrieved (page12). equipment tomonitorglacialprocesses andthisseasonshouldseea processes drivingiceshelfthinning. Lastseasonbothteamsdeployed glaciers thisseasontocontinue importantworkonthefundamental Two teamsofglaciologistswill also return totheTotten andSørsdal represented inclimatemodels. at temperatures wellbelowfreezing –andimprove howcloudsare occurrence ofsupercooled waterclouds–whichremain asliquidwater instrumented aircraft. Together, thedatawillhelpusunderstand the transects overtheSouthernOceanandship,forsixweeks, inan aerosols (page8).Collaborators from theUnitedStateswillalsofly and April,theinstrumentswillgatherinformationonclouds instruments. AstheshippliesSouthernOceanbetweenOctober decks toaccommodateanadditionalseventonnesofatmospheric The Aurora Australis recently hada‘facelift,tostrengthen oneofher This 2017–18 seasonisshapinguptobeabusytimeforourscientists.

1 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

2 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 OPERATIONS 1 seafaring vessels. have alwaysbeenseafarers andbuilders of choice, asAboriginesoflutruwita(Tasmania) the useofnuyina,saiditwasafitting Aboriginal Centre (TAC), whichapproved suggested Aboriginalnames. The Tasmanian More than20per centofcompetitionentries South Australia. School inVictoriaandCowellArea School in in NewSouthWales, EssexHeightsPrimary School inTasmania, Ulladulla HighSchool voucher were awarded toRokebyPrimary Four runner-upprizesofa$500technology taking scientificobservations. Antarctic fieldcamp,drillinganicecore and continent first hand,includingexploringan Wilkins Aerodrome, toexperiencetheicy students were preparing fortheirflight to As thismagazinewenttopress the12 near Perth inWestern Australia. Tasmania, andSecret HarbourPrimarySchool, provided byStVirgil’s CollegeinHobart, states andterritories, withthewinningentries primary andsecondaryschoolsacross all More than800entrieswere received from school children inyears 5to8. national competitionamongst Tasmanian Aborigines,aftera kani, thelanguageof “southern lights”inpalawa “noy-yee-nah”), meaning RSV icebreaker hasbeennamed Australia’s newAntarctic RSV Welcome Nuyina (pronounced Nuyina icebreaker isthe expedition totheAntarctic in1911, wasthe ship, usedforthefirst Australian-led the southernlights. SirDouglasMawson’s several Australian Antarctic shipsnamedafter The namealsoconnectsthenewshipwith new circumstances.” adaptations overhundreds ofyears to Aboriginal languageanditscontinuing “The useoftheword honours Tasmanian kani as‘nuyina’,”MsAllansaid. in thestandardised spellingsystemofpalawa “The originalsoundsoftheword are captured Flinders Island,notingitasno.hoi.ner. referenced theword inOctober1837on Cape Portland callitnoi.hee.ner”. Healso would allbesickiftheydid…thenativesof them toldnottomentionitasthey which theyappeared frightened,andoneof saw anelectricsparkintheatmosphere, at wrote inhisjournal:“Thenativeslastnight Ansons BayonTasmania’s north-east.He Augustus RobinsoninAugust1831, near Aborigines withgovernmentagentGeorge TAC, saidtheword nuyinawasfirst shared by Ms DaisyAllan,aLanguageWorker from the and iceclassships. constructing scientific,hydrographic, naval, a leadingshipbuilderwithexperience Shipyards Group inGalati,Romania, The shipisbeingbuiltbytheDamen ceremony inAugust. Romania inlateMay, followed byakeellaying which beganwithasteelcuttingceremony in Focus nowturnstoconstructionoftheship, SY Aurora,

while

ourcurrently serving RSV Aurora Australis.

bridge oftheship. the ship,whileduplicateswillbeplacedon The coinswillremain in place forthelifeof to thedesignandconstructionofship. in recognition ofeachcountry’s contribution were alsoweldedalongsidetheAustralian coin Coins from Romania,HollandandDenmark Dr NickGales. the Australian Antarctic Division’s Director, Australian Mint),weldedontothekeelby 50 centpiece(newlymintedbytheRoyal maritime tradition wasobservedwithasilver During thekeel-layingceremony inAugust, two years ofconstruction.” together toformtheicebreaker overthenext some weighingaround 300tonnes, tobeput the baseofship,andare oneof57blocks, “These first piecesofsteelwillstarttoform be upto130mmthick,”MrBrysonsaid. slice uplarge piecesofplatesteel,whichcan technology aswellhigh-pressure waterto which useacombinationoflaserandplasma controlled high-energy cuttingmachines, “Steel cuttinginvolvestheuseofcomputer- the shipbuild. steel cuttingwasthefirst tangiblestepof Program Manager, RobBryson,saidthe Australian Antarctic DivisionModernisation 1.

Maritime/Knud E.Hansen) for thenext30years. (Photo:Damen/DMS and suppliesbetweenAustralia andAntarctica The RSVNuyinawilltransport expeditioners

2 2. Australian Antarctic Division WENDY PYPERandELIZAGREY http://www.antarctica.gov.au/icebreaker. Read more abouttheshipat Antarctica duringthe2020–21 season. in 2020 andmakeitsmaidenvoyageto The shipwillarriveinitshomeportofHobart 20 Year ActionPlanlaunchedinApril2016. the The icebreaker isthecentrepiece of dock where thekeelwaslaid. construction hasnowmovedintothedry so far, roughly halfthevesselsteelweight,and More than5000tonnesofsteelhasbeencut the icebreaker isbeingbuiltinRomania.” being managedbyaDutchcompany, and company, thedesignandconstructionis concept forshipwasdevelopedbyaDanish “The fourcoinsacknowledgethattheoriginal good luck. coins tothekeelbringsfairwinds, speedand “According tomaritimetradition, attaching decades tocome,”DrGalessaid. carry scientistsandsuppliestoAntarctica for the constructionofthis160mship,whichwill “The keellayingisthefirst majormilestonein

MP. (Photo:GlennJacobson) and Energy Minister, the Hon JoshFrydenberg Hobart, withDepartment oftheEnvironment Icebr Secondary schoolwinners oftheNameOur

Austr eaker competitionfrom StVirgil’s College, alian Antarctic Strategy and 3. from left].(Photo:Damen/AAD) of QueenElizabeth IIontheobverse [second Coat ofArmsonthe reverse, and theprofile 50 centpiecebearingtheCommonwealth the RSVNuyina The coinspriortobeingweldedthe keelof

5 4 –includingtheAustralian

3 5. 4.

(Photo: SallyChambers) Australia, tryouttheirAntarctic clothing. Harbour PrimarySchoolinWestern in theshipyar The first blockofsteel under construction Our Icebr Primary schoolwinners oftheName eaker competition,from Secret d. (Photo:Damen/AAD)

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4 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 OPERATIONS 1 1989 and1995. around theLambertGlacierBasinbetween in WilkesLandthe1980s, andtraverses Casey inthe1970s, sixyear-longtraverses research. Theseincludedtraverses inlandof traverses’, largely tosupportglaciological 40 years’ experienceundertaking such‘heavy Up untiltheearly2000sAustralia hadsome opportunities. up thecontinenttonewscientific research and fieldcamps, ordeepinland –opening fuel, foodandequipmentbetweenstations programs it’s thebestwaytohaultonnesof Just aswell,becauseformanyAntarctic career,” MrHullsaid. of thebestexperiencesmyAntarctic drum onthebackofasled.Butitwasone container, andsometimesourtoiletwasa with three otherblokesinoneshipping “I spent51 dayswithoutashower, and comfortscomeAntarctic style. even whenpersonal spaceisatapremium Officer, AnthonyHull,itcanbe rewarding, Division Traverse Systems LeadProject But according toAustralian Antarctic is noteveryone’s ideaoffun. at 11 kilometres perhourforsome50days, across afrozen, near-featureless landscape, Travelling inatractor and sledconvoy Traversing Antarctica by traverse orbyair.” mobile fieldstation,whichcanbe resupplied equipment thatwillallowustoestablisha infrastructure, food,fuelandscientific inland tositesofscientificinterest, hauling be abletotravel more than1000 kilometres year lifecycleofthetraverse, weneedto “For thisandfuture projects overthe20 Manager, MattFilipowski, said. Antarctic DivisionTraverse SystemsProject first traverse ‘customer’in2020,” Australian “The millionyearicecore project willbeour capability iscritical. reinvigorate itsheavytraverse the needforAustralia to in Antarctica (seesidebar), million-year-old ice,deep to drillanicecore containing to leadaninternationalquest Government’s commitment Now withtheAustralian 1.

(Image: BritishAntarctic Survey) to Three RonniesCreek [785km]. Berkner Dome[994 km]andBerknerDome Pr Anthony HulljoinedtheBritishAntarctic ogram ontwotraverses, from Beamishto 2. 3. Antarctica, andtheterrain that’s crossed. (aircraft orship)usedtodeliversupplies models, duemainlytothe“logistical pathway” The twocountries’traverses usequitedifferent aircraft,” MrHullsaid. the interfaceoftraverses withshipsand safety, mobilestationinfrastructure, and fuel transport, occupationalhealth and movers andsledsused,powergeneration, including thetypesandnumbers ofprime “We hadarange oftopicstoinvestigate, methodologies employedbyeachprogram. study thedifferent traverse technologiesand during the2016–17 Antarctic season,to the BritishandFrench traverses, respectively, traverse project officerSteve Macaulay, joined With thisambitioninmind,MrHullandfellow

3 2

British Antarctic Survey. (Photo: BAS). Anthony Hullontraver (Image: AADC) between Dumontd’UrvilleandConcordia. traver Steve Macaulayundertooktwo24-day ses withtheFrench Antarctic Program, se withthe

4 sleds onskis. that looklikelarge plastictarps, rather than sites alsomeanttheycoulduse‘polysleds’ relatively flat,smooth route betweenfield straps, rather thanusingcontainers. The packed withcomponentstieddown with Mr Hullsaidthetraverse sleds were manually grooming ski-ways. fuel drums, decommissioningcamps and at scientific research sites, diggingoutburied spent buildingbermstowinteriseequipment involved driving,withtherest of thetime Ronnies Creek. Only14ofthese traverse days kilometres betweenBerknerDome andThree Dome, ontheAntarctic Peninsula, and785 994 kilometres betweenBeamish andBerkner In thattimeheparticipatedintwotraverses; Antarctic Program, with51 daysontraverse. Mr Hullspent71 dayswiththeBritish and waste.” Concordia, andbringingoutheavyequipment cargo andfuelfrom theirresupply shipinto of alogisticalfreight operation, transporting coastal stationDumontD’Urville.It’s more at DomeC,about1250kilometres from their resupply theFrench-Italian station,Concordia, “The French traverse ismainly setupto field scienceprograms,” Mr Hullsaid. and hard shelterfortheirtwinotters anddeep ‘roadhouse’ –servingasamobilefuelstation an aviationplatformsandisabitlike “The Britishmodelhasstrong linksto Mr Macaulaysaid. the route andasnowgroomer tidiesitup,” in sastrugi,soatractor atthefront clears season. Theterrain isundulating andcovered that theFrench traverse twoorthree timesa “The route toConcordia islikeahighway with another63supportdays. of driving(about100 kilometres perday), kilometre-return tripinvolvedabout24days Dumont D’UrvilleandConcordia. Each2500 the French teamontwotraverses between In contrast, MrMacaulayspent 110 dayswith snow groomers. second traverse, usingthree PistenBully hauled approximately 90tonnesonour it meantwecouldpullheavierloads. We “The polysledsofferlesssurfacedrag, so Mr Hullsaid. all thestraps were tensioned,” prime movers andmakesure three hours torefuel the traverse wewouldstopevery packed sledandduringthe days toprepare andbuildone “It tooktheteamuptothree 4. these sleds.(Photo: AnthonyHull) took uptothree daysto packoneof British tr Packed sledsandpolysledsonthe averse toBerknerDome. It

5 alone inhistractor. Mr Macaulaysaidheenjoyedthequiettime While thedayswere longandroutine, 40 footcontainer.” either two20footcontainers or asingle aviation fuelandtanks, andlarger sledscarry “Smaller sledscarry20footcontainers, Mr Macaulaysaid. use sledswithsolidaxlesliketrucks,” “Unlike theBritishpolysleds, theFrench of about150tonnes. to 10 sleds, carryingcontainerisedloads Each paired tractor systempulledeight with pairs oftractors joined byropes. The traverses consistedofsixtractors, 5.

SteveMacaulay[left]ontraver CAT. (Photo:EddyKontelj) machinery company WilliamsAdams Managing Director ofheavy fellow Australian EddyKontelj, with theFrench team,alongside se

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6 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 OPERATIONS 6 Australian Antarctic Division WENDY PYPER bigger loads.” modern GPSnavigationandcarrying much on more comfortablerubbertracks, using “Now wecanmovealmosttwiceasfast seven kilometres perhour”MrFilipowski said. bulldozers thatcouldbumpalong atabout “We usedtouseheavy, steel-tracked than traverses ofyore. faster, more efficient,andmore comfortable certain. Thenewcapabilitywillbeawholelot Whatever thetraverse model,onethingis Dome C,notfarfrom Concordia station. location ofthelikelyicecore drillingsitenear and associatedicecoringfieldcamp,the required toestablishamobileinlandstation French traverse model–given theequipment move similarcargo andtotaltonnesasthe Australian traverse capability willneedto While finaldecisionsare yettobemade,the hard-working teamrequired. butter andpastries, highinthecalories French cuisine,withplentyofcheese,cream, doctor. Fortunately, thefoodwasbasedon pre-packaged mealsprepared bythetraverse stop. Theythenretired asateamtoeat do toprepare thetraverse foranovernight At theendofdayeveryonehadajobto mind wander.” the tractor ontheroad, youcanletyour “So longasnothingbreaks andyoukeep stop,” hesaid. you canliterally putyourfeetupuntilyou you reach apredetermined gearandspeed “You startthetractor inlowgearandonce 6.

(Photo: SteveMacaulay) station –visibleattoprightofphoto. The French traverse arrivesatConcordia to theshipusingtraverse.” season. Thiswillproduce between 6.5and8.5tonnesoficecore ayear, whichwe’lltransport on logisticalfactors, wehopetodrillbetween900and1200metres oficecore ineachfull “We aimtodrillabout150metres perweek,sooverafieldseasonof6–8weeks, depending Mr Elcheikhsaid. “We anticipatethere willbesevenoreightpeopleworkingtwo 8–9hourshiftson thedrill,” for thestartofathree tofouryeardrillingprogram thefollowingyear. In 2020–21, sciencepersonnel willsetupthedrillandassociatedinfrastructure inpreparation will beicecore drillingpersonnel. and drillworkshopfacilities, andaccommodationforupto16people,abouthalfofwhich camp infrastructure andequipment.Thiswillincludeanicecore drillingshelter, core storage in the2019–20 season(seemainstory),withdeliveryofmuchthemobilestation anddrill The first traverse insupport oftheAustralian componentoftheproject isexpectedtooccur to buildthedrillsrequired,” hesaid. “We’re workingwithourEuropean collaborators tomodelthebestlocationsfordrillsitesand location. said itwaslikelyAustralia andaEuropean teamwouldleadtwo drilloperations nearthis Australian Antarctic DivisionDeepIceCoringSystemsLeadProject Officer, MrAlElcheikh, and befree from meltingatthebasefrom geothermalheat. leading prospect nearDomeC.Thislocationneedstohavethickicewithfineannuallayers narrow thelocationoficethatislikelytocontainaonemillionyearclimaterecord –witha Australia’s contributiontointernationalgeophysicalsurveysacross theregion hashelped extract adirect record ofcarbondioxideandseewhatrole, ifany, itmayhaveplayed. don’t knowwhatcausedthisshift,anicecore coveringthisperiodwouldallowscientiststo cycles shiftedtheirpacingfrom 41 000years duration to100 000years duration. Whilewe A onemillionyearrecord issignificantbecauseitspansatimeinEarth’s historywheniceage information iskeytounderstanding current climateandpredicting future change. and dust,whichprovide crucialinformationonpastclimateandprocesses. This Antarctic icecores containchemicalconstituentssuchascarbondioxide,sulphur, sea-salt containing aonemillionyearrecord oftheEarth’s climate. Australia isgearinguptoleadaninternationalproject todrillanicecore inAntarctica Million Year IceCore with theFrench (pictured) and Britishtraverses lastseason.(Photo:SteveMacaulay) future deepfieldprojects. To facilitate this,Australian personnel wentonafact-finding mission Australia isreinvigorating itstraverse capabilitytosupportthe millionyearicecore project and

1 Mr Filipowskisaid. Bunger Hillsinsupportofascienceproject,” and ourfirst remote airdrop offueltothe airdrop ofsuppliestoCaseyresearch station “Last yearwecompletedourfirst mid-winter of aircraft intheAustralian Antarctic Territory. summer shipping season, and extend the reach to deliversuppliesAntarctica outsidethe was thefinalphaseina“proof ofconcept” Manager, MrMattFilipowski, saidtheflight Australian Antarctic DivisionFuture Concepts to theseaicenearstation. equipment, food,medicalsuppliesandmailon parachute ninetonnesoftelecommunications the RoyalAustralian AirForce (RAAF)to KC-30A ‘Multi-RoleTanker Transport’, enabled The refuelling oftheC-17A,completedbya research stationinSeptember. airdrop ofsuppliestoDavis Ocean, enabledapre-season high abovetheSouthern a heavy-liftC-17Aaircraft, The first mid-air refuelling of refuel mid-air further with cargo flies Antarctic about 700 kg.” cargo inpaddedcontainers, eachweighing 270 kmperhour, anddeployed15palletsof descended to5000feetandslowedabout “When weneared thedrop zonewe Lieutenant McFaddensaid. for theairdrop andreturn toHobart,”Flight continue theremaining fourhours toDavis speed of500kmperhour. Thisallowedusto flight atanaltitudeof22000feetanda “We refuelled aboutthree hours intothe it hadoccurred overthesub-Antarctic region. procedure fortheRAAF, thiswasthefirst time that whileair-to-airrefuelling wasastandard captained theC-17Aduringairdrop, said Flight LieutenantJustinMcFadden,who shipping seasonstarts.” Antarctic stationsanddeepinland,before the for stationandscienceprojects, toallour to pre-position equipmentandsupplies “In thefuture, thiscapabilitywillallowus 10 000kmround-trip from Hobart. further 1400kmfrom Caseyandabouta extend thiscapabilitytoDavis, whichisa “The mid-airrefuelling hasallowedusto Australian Antarctic Division WENDY PYPERandNISHAHARRIS operating procedures. into theAntarctic Division’s standard The airdrop capabilitywillnowbeintegrated potatoes, andreading letters from home.” “We’re nowenjoyingsomefresh lemonsand unpacking. to asled,thentoweditbackstationfor “We usedaforklifttoloadthecontainers on this weightofcargo,” DrleMarsaid. is abovetheminimum60cmrequired todrop “The seaicewasaboutonemetre thick,which a 1.5x1kmdrop zone. Leader, Kirsten leMar, andherteamprepared Prior totheC17-A’s arrival,DavisStation 1.

Nine tonnesspread acr (Photo: BarryBecker) and reused aftereachairdrop. C-17A. Parachutes are collected the RoyalAustralian AirForce 15 palletswere dropped from oss

7 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 OPERATIONS 1

Cool cloud 2 study

Ships, aircraft and satellites will be engaged in an ambitious, international campaign this summer, to better understand and model Southern Ocean clouds for Australian Antarctic Division atmospheric As their name suggests, super-cooled water scientist, Dr Simon Alexander*, said data clouds remain as liquid water at temperatures climate and weather forecasts. collected during the project will be used well below freezing. As the composition More than seven tonnes of atmospheric to evaluate and improve how clouds are of clouds – how much ice or water they instruments will traverse the Southern Ocean represented in climate models. contain – affects how they scatter sunlight, understanding the occurrence and internal on a specially strengthened deck of the Aurora “In most climate models the Southern Ocean structure of different cloud types, and the Australis, monitoring clouds and aerosols sea surface temperature is too warm – so factors that lead to their formation, is key to (which contribute to cloud formation), too much sunshine is getting through and resolving modelling issues. between October and April. warming up the ocean,” he explained. This summer the Aurora Australis will carry Within that time, United States researchers “That’s because some climate models are instruments to monitor clouds and aerosols. will also overfly the Southern Ocean in the getting the altitude and thickness of some # Aerosols influence cloud formation and ‘NSF/NCAR HIAPER’ Gulfstream V research clouds wrong, due to uncertainties and composition by acting as ‘nuclei’ on which aircraft, using on-board atmospheric biases in the simulation of clouds, the

SCIENCE cloud droplets and ice particles can form. instruments to collect data from above, aerosols that contribute to their formation, below and within clouds. and air-sea interactions.” “The high frequency of supercooled liquid water clouds over the Southern Ocean, may These ship and aircraft observations will be Current knowledge of Southern Ocean be due to low levels of dust and aerosols (due combined and compared with surface-based clouds relies almost entirely on satellite data. to less pollution) that can serve as ice nuclei, measurements from Macquarie Island, and However, satellites struggle to resolve low- so the clouds remain as liquid water,” Dr remote sensing data from satellites. level clouds and there is a higher frequency Alexander said. of “super-cooled water clouds” above the

ISSUE 33 2017 Altogether, the Southern Ocean Clouds, Radiation, Aerosol Transport Experimental Southern Ocean, compared to oceans in the “The presence of ice or liquid affects cloud Study (SOCRATES) aims to gain deeper insights Northern Hemisphere. ‘albedo’ – the ability to reflect light – into how clouds form over the Southern which could be the reason for radiation Ocean, what they’re made of, and how they biases in models.” affect the atmospheric energy balance in the region (heat coming into the atmosphere versus heat going out). 1. Super-cooled water clouds remain as liquid water at temperatures well below freezing. The southern hemisphere has a higher frequency of super-cooled water clouds than 2. Scientists on board the NSF/NCAR HIAPER AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ANTARCTIC AUSTRALIAN the northern hemisphere, possibly due to Gulfstream V aircraft studying real-time data 8 fewer pollutants and dust that can form ice collected by the aircraft’s cloud radar. (Photo: nuclei. (Photo: Wendy Pyper) © NCAR/EOL) 3

The ship will also carry a cloud lidar, which While the ships are at sea, the United “A number of the flights will occur at the same uses laser pulses to measure light scattered States’ National Science Foundation has time as the ships are traversing the ocean. off cloud water droplets or ice particles. funded a campaign to fly their instrumented “This work will help us to determine how This will provide information about the Gulfstream V out of Hobart for six weeks, accurate satellite measurements are, calibrate composition and height of the clouds, while starting in mid-January 2018. them accordingly, and then extend these a cloud radar and microwave radiometer Those on-board may be in for a bumpy ride, results to the whole Southern Ocean.” will provide information on cloud thickness, as the aircraft flies in a saw-tooth pattern height and their liquid and ice water content. The research will feed into climate models to through the ever-present cyclones that occur A micro rain radar and a specialised marine reduce errors in the simulation of Southern above the Southern Ocean. precipitation sensor will more accurately Ocean clouds, aerosols, air-sea interactions, SCIENCE measure precipitation over the oceans, while A particular focus will be on the cold sector precipitation, light reflectance from sea ice, avoiding contamination from sea spray. (post-frontal) regions of these cyclones, where and the region’s heat balance. This will have mixed phase (water and ice), and super-cooled flow-on effects for evaluating and improving Similar instruments will be carried by the liquid clouds predominate. global weather and climate forecasts in the CSIRO’s RV Investigator at ice-free Southern high southern latitudes. Ocean latitudes for six weeks in early 2018. “There will be about 16 flights and they will 33 2017 provide detailed information on the thermal

and physical properties of different clouds,” WENDY PYPER ISSUE Dr Alexander said. Australian Antarctic Division

# The ‘High-Performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research’ (HIAPER) Gulfstream V aircraft is owned by the National Science Foundation 3. The NSF/NCAR HIAPER Gulfstream V aircraft (NSF) and operated by the National Center is a cutting-edge observational platform that for Atmospheric Research (Photo: NCAR). will use on-board instrumentation to study mixed-phase clouds (ice and water) and super- * Dr Alexander is contributing to SOCRATES MAGAZINE ANTARCTIC AUSTRALIAN cooled liquid clouds over the Southern Ocean through Australian Antarctic Science projects 9 this summer. (Photo: ©NSF) 4292 and 4387. 1

1. A large linear moraine [foreground] at the mouth of Heidemann Bay, similar to the one mapped offshore and under about 50 m of water. (Photo: Jodie Smith). 2. A multibeam sonar image of a large iceberg grounded near Davis station. The coloured dots represent the seafloor and the grey dots represent the iceberg. This particular iceberg is grounded in 120 m of water and is approximately 300 x 100 m in size and over three million tonnes in weight. (Image: Geoscience Australia)

Iceberg Alley – what lies beneath? Davis research station is The project builds on previous work conducted The nearshore waters around Australia’s at Davis in the 2009–10 season and at Casey Antarctic research stations are of interest renowned for its view of in 2013–14 and 2014–15 (Australian Antarctic because they are high-use areas. Davis is ‘Iceberg Alley’, where hundreds Magazine 27: 6-8, 2014). visited twice per year by Australia’s icebreaker, Aurora Australis, and hosts frequent of icebergs sit, seemingly Using multibeam echosounders and sub- international visitors, such as the Chinese bottom profilers, which use sound to visualise unchanged, year after year. ship Xue Long. There are also numerous small the shape and depth of underwater features, boat operations in the area. Yet there are Now, seabed mapping by a team along with sediment grabs and underwater large areas of uncharted waters and these cameras, the team now have a detailed picture of scientists, hydrographers, are often very shallow – as protruding rocks of what the seabed off Davis looks like, and engineers and coxswains, has reveal. It is also an important biological site its geology and biology. This information will

SCIENCE and key habitat for birds and mammals, with found that a barrier of shallow be used to understand the geological history numerous penguin colonies, seal haul-out of the area, including modern sediment underwater banks prevent these sites, and seabird nesting sites. frozen sentinels from setting sail. processes, as well as the influence it has on marine life. The new data also help explain the While these types of surveys have been done During the 2016–17 Antarctic summer, a presence of the spectacular icebergs sitting in by Geoscience Australia and the Navy in the team from Geoscience Australia, the Royal Iceberg Alley. past, this was the first time such as survey was conducted using two workboats operating Australian Navy and the Australian Antarctic The main aim of the project is to obtain

ISSUE 33 2017 in tandem. This allowed the survey team to Division undertook a comprehensive bathymetry (depth) data to compile nautical achieve maximum survey coverage during the hydrographic and seabed mapping survey in charts for navigation and safety of life at sea. short field season, and also meant that the the waters adjacent to Davis research station However, the baseline geoscience data can be boats could act as Search and Rescue watch and along the coast of the Vestfold Hills. The used for many other applications. For example, for each other, allowing the survey team to go work was conducted as part of a collaborative the data is used to assist decision-makers further from station than before. project between the three organisations, responsible for developing environmental which aims to map and characterise the management strategies, including Marine The main focus area for the survey was the seabed of the nearshore environment adjacent Protected Areas, scientific studies on shipping channels coming into Davis, as well to Australia’s stations. oceanography, paleoclimate, biodiversity, and as Ellis and Long Fjords (see map). Previous ice sheet dynamics, meeting international work has identified a number of interesting obligations such as International Hydrographic features in these areas, including unique

AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ANTARCTIC AUSTRALIAN Office and Antarctic Treaty System protocols, habitats such as polychaete (marine worm) and aiding effective logistical operations. reefs in the mouth of Long Fjord and high 10 68∞ 68∞ 68∞ 40 35 30

4 3 05 77∞ 'S 'S 'S 35 'E approximately 130km In 23surveydaystheteamacquired lot ofground (actually, alotofseabed!). Once underway, theteams covered a into icedynamicsinthearea. glacial features thatwouldprovide insight offered thebestpossiblelocation toidentify Fjord. Itwasalsothoughtthatthese areas suspendedsedimentloadsinfront ofEllis sediment-filled basins, similartothehillsand interspersed withhard shallowbanksand Vestfold Hills. Itischaracterised byflatplains the terrestrial environment onshore inthe environment looksremarkably similarto seabed inincredible detail.Overall, theseabed The bathymetrydatareveal apicture ofthe samples) and33kmofsub-bottomprofiles. deployments (co-locatedwithsediment 18 sedimentsamples, 25camera bathymetry andbackscatterdata, De pt h Low Hi (m gh 77∞ : - : ) 0 45 40 0 'E M km 2 77∞ ofmultibeam 45 'E 77∞ 50 'E GI Srsda 77∞ location sevenyears later. 2009–10 seasonare stillinthesame south. Someoftheicebergs mappedinthe until theymelt,roll andcontinuetomove these banksforyears, possibly decades, north. Larger bergs cangetwedged against through thearea withthecurrents from the essentially formabarriertoicebergs passing within metres ofthesurface.These banks of thesurrounding seabedand often riseto vary insizeanddepthbuttheyallsitproud numerous hard shallowbanks. Thesebanks particularly tothewestofGardner Island,are Throughout thenearshore area, and input intothesewaters. indicating there islittlemodern sediment are draped withathinveneerofsediment, metres ofsoftmarinemuds, andtheplains reveal thebasinsare infilledwithonlyafew lakes foundonshore. Thesub-bottomprofiles 55 l Gl 'E acier " Da HB vi

Ellis Fjord s 78∞ 0' E Fj Lon 78∞ or 5' g d E 4. 3. Rocksexposedintheshallowwaters Geoscience Australia JODIE SMITH Iceberg Alley. Davis andtofindoutwhatliesbeneath team toexplore theunchartedwaters around The surveywasanexcitingopportunityforthe found ontheshallowbanks. macroalgae communitiesthatare commonly seabed, includingmappingthedistributionof life inthearea anditsrelationship withthe improve ourunderstanding ofthemarine detailed dataanalysiswillbeundertakento motile invertebrates inmuddybasins. More invertebrates ontherocky slopes, andsparse on theshallowbanks, complexsessile including mixedmacroalgae communities communities across thesurveyregion, video reveal adiversity ofbenthicmarine Initial observationsoftheunderwater of HeidemannBay(seephoto). the mouth found intheVestfold Hills, includingoneat bank. Itissimilarinsizeandformtomoraines metres high,andsitsontopofashallow 1.2 kmlongandabout50mwidefive shaped moraine is approximately 50mofwater. Thecrescent- (an accumulationofglacialdebris)in team mappedonelarge moraine glacial features, the While thewaters around Davispreserve few prevailing localcurrents. kilometre long,ofteninthedirection ofthe through tomeanderingtracks uptoone 10–40 mdiameterandonemetre deep, range from enclosed,rounded wallowmarks leave scourmarksinthesoftsediment.These As theicebergs moveacross theseabedthey

Davis station,including130km behind. (Photo:JodieSmith) near Davisstation,withIceberg Alley near The bathymetrydataacquired inthe M: moraine. (Image:GA/RAN/AAD) Gardner Island,HB:Heidemann Bay, close toDavisfrom the2009–10 season.GI: as welltheexisting42km of newdatafrom the2016–17 season, shore waters oftheVestfold Hillsnear 2 data 2

11 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 SCIENCE 1 Glaciologists explode ice shelf secrets

1. Dr Galton-Fenzi (yellow jacket) and his team install radar and GPS instruments on the Totten Glacier in 2016. The glacier receives about three metres of snowfall a year so the instruments were deployed on towers four metres high. (Photo: Hayden Henderson/HeliRes)

2 Antarctic scientists will “The bedrock topography affects how the base of the glacier will melt once it reaches return to the Totten and the ocean [where it becomes an ice shelf] Sørsdal glaciers this season to and influences the rate of ice melt, while continue their study of the sediment can lubricate the passage of ice over the bedrock.” fundamental processes driving Recent research shows the Totten Glacier ice shelf thinning (previously (near Casey research station) is susceptible to reported in Australian substantial amounts of inter-annual variability Antarctic Magazine 31: in the melting and flow of ice at its base. Deep 18-19, 2016). channels in the bedrock under the ice could

SCIENCE also allow warm ocean water to infiltrate the base of the glacier, increasing the risk of Dynamite is the tool of choice on the Totten melting and sea level rise. Glacier this season, for Australian Antarctic Division ice-ocean modeller, Dr Ben Galton- Dr Galton-Fenzi* said the seismic surveys will Fenzi, and his team. contribute to a broader investigation into how the flow regime of the Totten Glacier varies By creating small, controlled explosions with time, the melt rates at its base, and how beneath the ice surface, the team hopes

ISSUE 33 2017 the ocean is driving melting. to define the structure of the bedrock over which the glacier flows, and determine Last year the team installed six radar and six whether there is any sediment between the GPS units along two of the Totten’s glacial ice and the bedrock. “flow lines”. The radar units allow scientists to see the internal layers and base of the ice, “Seismic surveys use sound waves generated and measure changes in ice thickness. The by explosive or percussive forces, which reflect GPS measure the speed with which the ice is off different surfaces like bedrock and ice, flowing towards the ocean, and changes in revealing their shape,” Dr Galton-Fenzi said. surface height. “We used satellite imagery to identify the flow lines, which are surface features related to ice 2. The location of radar and GPS instruments AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ANTARCTIC AUSTRALIAN flow,” Dr Galton-Fenzi said. along two flow lines (six instruments 12 per line) on the Totten Glacier. (Photo: Sue Cook) 4. 3. also usedtorefine themodels.” and theresults from theinstrumentsare data thatweneedtotestourhypotheses, location forourinstrumentstogetthe “We’ve usedthemtoidentifythebest said. powerful predictive tool,”DrGalton-Fenzi understanding ofthesystem,sothey’re a “The modelsrepresent thesumofour research andinstrumentplacement. to improve themodelsandguidefuture into representative modelsofthesystem, deployment andseismicsurveywillfeed Their findingsfrom boththeinstrument another year. instruments andleavethemonthesitefor nearly ayear’s worthofdatafrom their This seasontheteamwilldownload turn, whetheritaffectsmeltrates.“ ocean interacts withtheglacierand,in want toseeiftherumpleaffectshow to float,soitbecomesgrounded again. We bedrock, beyondwhere theglacierbegins flow linesmovesovera‘rumple’inthe instrument about20kmapart.Oneofthe section where itbeginstofloat,witheach grounded partoftheglacier, aswellthe “We deployedourinstrumentsonthe

(Photo: SueCook) where theglaciersitson bedrock. hammer andplate systemidentify elevation. Seismicsurveysusinga of iceflowandchangesinsurface accuracy, whileGPSmeasure thespeed measure icethicknesswithmillimetre ApRES are radar instrumentsthat in thesearch fordrainage channels. structure upto60mbelowthesurface penetrating radar (GPR)lookedatice Sørsdal Glacierlastseason.Gr and seismicsurveysconductedonthe The locationofinstrumentsdeployed 500 metres wide.(Photo:JenProudfoot) one metre deepandnomore than The lakesare generally lessthan the Sørsdal Glacierunderinvestigation. The locationofthr ee surfacelakeson ound our tracer study,” DrCooksaid. by drainage, so wewillusethesetoposition features lastyearthatwethinkwere caused “We observedanobviouslineofsurface when itflowsout. the likelyexitpointstodetermine where and channel andusingconductivityprobes at adding saltywatertothestartof drainage The teamwillalsoruna‘tracer’ experiment, drainage pathway. can thentriangulatetoreconstruct the turbulent watermovement,whichscientists instruments willpickupthesoundof pathway, tolistenthe waterflow. The deploy sixseismometers alongthe drainage To findout,thisseasontheteam will base,” DrCooksaid. to thesurfaceorifsomeofitdrains tothe “We’re notsure ifallthewatercomesback the drainage pathway. ground penetrating radar totryandmapout downstream. Lastseasontheteamused before reappearing aboutfivekilometres water appears todrain belowground, One lakeofinterest isChannelLake,where glacier flow.” increased lubricationandacceleration of potentially reaching thebedrock anddriving more frequently onoutletglaciers, and – thatsurfacemeltwaterpondingisoccurring “We wanttotestasimilartheoryinAntarctica the bedrock below,” DrCooksaid. base, changinghowtheicesheetslidesover the icesheetare knowntodrain downtoits “In Greenland, lakesformingonthesurfaceof time-lapse cameras tomonitorlakeformation. pressure transducers torecord lakedepth,and thickness andiceflowspeeds, aswell on theglacierlastseason,tomeasure ice and GPSunitsatvarioussurfacelakesites Cooperative Research Centre, installedradar of theAntarctic ClimateandEcosystems Dr Schoofandco-investigatorSueCook, glacier’s surface. work monitoringlakeformationonthe teams oftwopeoplebuildingonlastseason’s of BritishColumbia,Canada,willleadtwo station, DrChristianSchoof†oftheUniversity On theSørsdal Glacier, nearDavisresearch

3 dynamics/srsdal-glacier-blog the-antarctic-ice-sheet/srsdal-glacier- au/science/climate-processes-and-change/ in theteam’s bloghttp://www.antarctica.gov. Read more abouttheSørsdal Glacierresearch † Australian Antarctic Science Project 4342 * Australian Antarctic Science Project 4287 Australian Antarctic Division WENDY PYPER C iceshelfinJuly.” the onetrilliontonneiceberg from theLarsen a contributingfactortotherecent calvingof to fracturing oftheice,whichmay havebeen “The extra weightofsurfacewater couldlead phenomena toincrease,” DrCooksaid. scenarios weexpecttheincidenceofthese in Antarctica becauseinfuture warming “Surface lakeformationismore topicalnow map outdrainage pathways. season, tolookatmeltwaterformation,and to flyovertheglacierseveral timesduringthe The team will also use a helicopter-based radar what thedrainage systemlookslike.” the probes willprovide informationabout “The timeittakesforthesaltywatertoreach

13 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 SCIENCE

14 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 SCIENCE 1 competitive native species. native speciesand theextinctionofless result inthespread ofinvasive andnon- native speciestocolonise,itcould also “While thiscouldprovide newareas for of thiscentury,” DrTerauds said. (25 percent)ofnewice-free areas bytheend between 2100 km continent willleadtotheemergence of “We predict thatmeltacross theAntarctic expand andjointogether. climate willcauseisolatedice-free areas to Terauds, theresearch showsawarming Division seniorresearch scientistDrAleks Jasmine Lee,andAustralian Antarctic Led byUniversity ofQueensland PhDstudent the continent’s flora andfauna. of thecontinent,yetare home to almostall which currently coverlessthanonepercent climate changeonice-free areas inAntarctica, The studyisthefirst toexaminetheimpactof published inNature inJune. according toresearch biodiversity ofthecontinent, drastically changethe 25 percentby2100 and could expandbycloseto Ice-free areas inAntarctica Antarctica expand across areas could Ice-free 2 2 (3 percent)and17267km 2 species competition,”shesaid. organisms from dispersing speciesandinter- has largely sheltered terrestrial Antarctic “Geographic isolationandlackofconnectivity the continent,orevenasingleice-free area. are oftenonlypresent inasingleregion across distribution ofmanythesespecies, which especially importantgiventherestricted Ms Leesaidthefindingsofstudywere including fungi,lichenandmoss. springtails andnematodes, and vegetation are alsohometosmallinvertebrates, suchas breeding grounds forsealsandseabirds. They of square kilometres andare important less thanonesquare kilometre Permanently ice-free areas range insizefrom on icefree areas,” MsLee said. time, thepotentialimpactsofclimatechange coverage, wehavequantified,forthefirst information oncurrent ice-free areas andice projected precipitation changesandspatial “By combiningairtemperature, solarradiation, Fifth AssessmentReport. Intergovernmental Panel onClimateChange emissions scenarios, adoptedbythe on ice-free areas undertwocarbondioxide to examinetheimpactofclimatechange Ms Leesaidtheresearch teamusedmodels along theEastAntarctic coastline.” projected change,withmore isolatedimpacts “The Antarctic Peninsula showsthegreatest

to thousands Australian Antarctic Division ELIZA GREYandWENDY PYPER incursions. increased biosecuritytominimisealienspecies high riskareas thatwouldbenefitfrom sites thatshouldbeprotected, ortopinpoint ice-free areas couldbeusedtohelpidentify Dr Terauds saidthemodelsofexpanding implications ofclimatechangeinAntarctica.” essential ifweare tofullyunderstand the the effectofexpandingice-free areas is species islargely unknown.Sounderstanding connectivity andcompetitionfrom invasive “How theywillcopewithincreasing 2. 1.

West Antarctica. (Photo:JasmineLee) doi:10.1038/nature22996) Nature 547:49-54,06July 2017. than 2°Cunderthis scenario.(Image: currently tracking towarmbymore high emissionsscenario.Theworldis Antarctic icemeltby2100 underthe 25 percent.Thisimageshowsprojected areas willexpandbybetweenthree and dioxide emissionsscenarios,ice-free that undermoderate andhighcarbon Ms Lee’s andDrT an ice-fr Orange coloured lichengrows above ee cliffinMarieByrd Land, eraud’s research found 1 parts’, suchasbones.” they are quicklydigestedandleaveno‘hard through stomachcontentanalysis, because “However, jellyfishare difficulttoidentify around fivepercent,”MsMcInnes said. samples, andthenonlyinlowamounts of with jellyfishfoundinlessthanonefive on analysisoftheirstomachcontents, “Past studiesofalbatross dietsrelied largely menu item. previously considered jellyfishanunlikely Marine andAntarctic Studies, saidscientists Australian Antarctic DivisionandInstitutefor Seabird ecologist,MsJulieMcInnes, from the identified inthosescats. scats andmadeup20%ofthedietaryDNA jellyfish DNAwaspresent in37%ofthe browed andCampbellalbatrosses, found sub-Antarctic breeding coloniesofblack- Analysis of1460scatsamplesfrom eight evidence from theirdroppings. jellyfish, according toDNA Albatross haveatastefor popular choiceinalbatrossdiet or fishing,”MsMcInnessaid prey, duetopressures suchasclimatechange seabirds, reflect changesintheavailabilityof “The dietsoftop-order predators, suchas marine ecosystemintothefuture. scientists assessthehealthofbroader the foraging ecologyofthebirds andwillhelp The findingprovides newinformation about targeting jellyfish.” suggesting thatthebirds maybe actively years ofhighandlowjellyfish abundance, jellyfish occurrence inthediet was similarin “We alsofoundthatthefrequency of Ms McInnessaid. albatrosses andthattheyare fedtochicks,” prey ofadultblack-browed andCampbell “Our results showthatjellyfishare acommon followed byjellyfish,crustaceansandsquid. with bonyfishthefavoured prey item, The analysisidentifiedsixmainprey groups, identified withinascatsample. the DNAofdistinctgroups oforganisms tobe known asDNAmetabarcoding, whichenables The newresearch* relied on atechnique DNA reveals jellyfisha DNA Tasmanian The research collaboration alsoincludedthe changes canbeobserved,”MsMcInnessaid. all majorprey groups, so that ecosystem data shouldemploymethodsthatcandetect “Any future monitoringprograms thatusediet these gelatinousorganisms tothebirds’ diet. important tounderstand thecontributionof to favourjellyfishpopulations, soit’s “Warmer oceansandoverfishingare predicted * Australian Antarctic Division WENDY PYPER Molecular EcologyinAugust. international institutions. Itwaspublishedin Parks, Water andEnvironment, andarange of 4014 and4112. Australian Antar 1.

McInnes) over thelongterm.. (Photo:Julie low nutritionalprey on the birds to determinetheimpactofsucha of chicks.Furtherresearch isneeded surprised toseejellyfishinthediets Falkland Islands.Scientistswere chick onSteepleJasonIslandinthe A black-browed albatr Department ofPrimaryIndustries ctic Scienceprojects oss feedsits ,

15 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 SCIENCE 1 Boundary rider 2

Dr Bishakhdatta Gayen from the Australian National University (ANU) has been awarded the third RJL Hawke Post-Doctoral Fellowship* in Antarctic Environmental Science. Dr Gayen will use numerical simulations to investigate the small-scale physical processes occurring at the boundary between the Antarctic ice sheet and the ocean. His work will enable global ocean models to better represent these processes, leading to more accurate projections of current and future ice melt and sea level changes.

“The ‘boundary layer’ is everything.” “In ocean models the boundary layer Data generated by these ice melt simulations is poorly represented and errors in this will be validated by experiments in the ANU’s New RJL Hawke Post-Doctoral Fellow, representation propagate all the way up to Geophysical Fluid Dynamics laboratory. Within Dr Bishakhdatta Gayen, is referring to the the measurement of ice melting and sea a tank in the laboratory, a large block of ice millimetre-thick boundary where salt and level change,” Dr Gayen said. will be placed in contact with salty water. The heat from the ocean meets the base of the temperature, salinity and movement of the ice shelf around the Antarctic continent. “If you really want to know how the ocean water can then be modified to test its effect affects ice sheet melting you have to Salt, in direct contact with the basal ice on the melt rate of the ice and compare these understand it at the millimetre scale of the SCIENCE surface, triggers ice melt by lowering the results to the supercomputer predictions. boundary layer, because this is the layer that freezing point of water – just as salt on the affects melting first. From this Dr Gayen aims to develop a road on a cold winter’s day melts ice. “paramaterization” – a mathematical model “If you can resolve this smallest scale, then the The fresh meltwater is often unstable and representing the boundary layer. larger ones will automatically be correct.” turbulent, producing tiny eddies (whirlpools “This paramaterization will be able to be of water) within the boundary layer, which are To resolve this small scale Dr Gayen will scaled up in ocean models, to predict the rate thought to boost melting by transferring heat attempt to define the boundary layer – of ice melt under different environmental ISSUE 33 2017 to the ice surface from the surrounding ocean the physics that create it and its physical conditions,” he said. (see diagram). characteristics, including thickness. To do this he will use a supercomputer to solve a series These complex boundary layer dynamics and of mathematical algorithms that describe heat transfer processes are the focus of Dr the movement of fluid, heat and salinity, Gayen’s research over the next two years, with building mathematical relationships between the aim of developing a simple mathematical these characteristics that can then be used to relationship between melt rate and turbulence, predict ice melt under defined conditions. which can be scaled up to represent ocean- 2. Australian National University wide processes in models. geophysicist and RJL Hawke Post- Doctoral Fellow, Dr Bishakhdatta 1. Dr Gayen’s research will contribute Gayen, aims to define the boundary to ice-ocean models for ice shelves layer between the ocean and Antarctic AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ANTARCTIC AUSTRALIAN and glaciers, such as the Totten ice sheet, to improve ocean model 16 Glacier (pictured) in East Antarctica. estimates of ice melt and sea level (Photo: Esmee van Wijk) changes. (Photo: Wendy Pyper) Magazine 31: 18-19 (2016). ice beneaththeshelf(Australian Antarctic salinity, watermovement andthemeltingof to measure changesinoceantemperature, instruments through boreholes intheice run amulti-yeardrillingproject, deploying Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre have Antarctic DivisionandAntarctic Climateand example, scientistsfrom theAustralian in Antarctica. OntheAmeryIce Shelf,for obtained ontheAmeryIceShelfandelsewhere by assessingitagainstfieldobservations his paramaterization oftheboundarylayer, Finally, DrGayenwillbeabletovalidate within watermasses). (waves thatoscillatehorizontallyandvertically upwelling waterandinternaloceanwaves ice shelf,andtheeffectoftides, currents, ice melt.Theseincludetheslopeof under different conditionsthatfurtherdrive Dr Gayenwillalsotesthisparamaterization velocity boundarylayerthicknesses,respectively. (Image:BishakhdattaGayen) in metres alongtheslope).Thestrength oftheeddiesisprovided inalogscale(stronger flowsare inyellowand red). δsandvare typicalsalinityand boundary layercanbeseencirculating undertheslopingiceshelf,drawing relatively warmerseawatertotheiceboundary(thescaleshowsdistance The magnifyingglassshowsthelocationofsalineboundarylayer. Eddies(red coloured whirlpools)created byfresh meltwaterwithinthesaline Antarctic BottomWater (AABW) whichdrivesoceancurrents around theworld. melting isdrivenbythesupplyofsaltandheatfrom theSouthernOceanvia Circumpolar DeepWater (CDW).Thismeltinginfluencestheformationof Figure: Aschematicoftheoceancirculation ontheAntarctic continentalshelf.Grounded icesheetsare buttressed byfloatingiceshelves.Theirbasal Australian Antarctic Division WENDY PYPER changes.” of future Antarctic icemeltandsealevel turn willleadtomore accurate projections Antarctic processes inoceanmodels. Thisin for improvements intherepresentation of “This workwillprovide aknowledgebase evolve them,”DrGayensaid. my paramaterization intooceanmodelsand ice face.Sowecanfeedthoseconditionsand properties oftheboundarylayernextto “The Amerydrillingprogram hasmeasured the * Science Plan. Australian Antarctic science alignedtothe pursue policy-relevant doctoral graduates to excellence forearlycareer on thebasisofscientific The fellowshipisawarded the Antarctic environment. contribution toprotecting Hawke, acknowledginghis Prime MinisterBob of formerAustralian was namedinhonour P The RJLHawke ostdoctoral Fellowship

17 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 SCIENCE 18 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 SCIENCE 1. weaknesses, andgaps. different modelshavedifferent strengths, change. Noonemodelisperfectthough – things workandunderstand how theymay with observations, tobuildapicture ofhow Instead, weneedmodelsthatcancombine these processes directly across large scales. However, itisalmostimpossible toobserve on theprovision ofthesevalues andservices? conditions andpatternsofhumanusehave what impactwillchangingenvironmental through foodwebs. Apressing questionis: by themovementofenergy (and material) These valuesare fundamentally underlain is thoughttooccurintheSouthernOcean. global ocean’s uptakeofanthropogenic carbon and sequesteringcarbon;around 40%ofthe ecosystem services, likeproducing oxygen The SouthernOceanalsoprovides valuable equally charismaticplanktoniccreatures. seals andwhales, andsmaller, yet(arguably) charismatic megafauna,suchaspenguins, important krillandfinfishfisheries, to many thingsofvalue,from economically Southern Oceanecosystemsprovide uswith in thefuture. ecosystems, nowand in shapingSouthernOcean ‘mesopelagic’* fishandsquid understand therole of size-based models,tohelp advanced developmentof year fellowshipDrTrebilco in 2015. Duringhisthree Environmental Science Fellowship inAntarctic RJL HawkePostdoctoral CRC), received thesecond Research Centre (ACE Ecosystems Cooperative the Antarctic Climateand Trebilco, workingwithin Marine ecologistRowan ecosystems models Southern Ocean Size mattersin climate change.(Photo: RuthEriksen) and howtheymay beaffectedbyfishingand understand theirrole intheSouthern Ocean models ofmesopelagicfishesandsquids, to Dr RowanTr ebilco isdevelopingsize-based

specific dietarydata. change withoutdetailed speciesandstage- quantify andpredict ecosystemstructure and role inafoodweb. Thismeansthattheycan the principledescriptorofanindividual’s on bodysizerather thanspeciesidentityas species-focused approaches inthattheyfocus ecological modelsdifferfrom traditional Antarctic Magazine29:8-9,2015). Size-based in SouthernOceanecosystems(Australian the role ofmesopelagicfishes and squids developing size-basedmodelstounderstand Hawke Fellowshipwastoaddress thisgapby The overarching goalofmyproject forthe to krill,islacking. relative importanceinfoodwebs, compared their distributionandabundance– their ecology–dietsandwhatdrives food chains. Butdetailedunderstanding of to thebetter-understood, krill-dominated predators, andbeexported todeepwater) energy canmovefrom phytoplanktontotop alternative energy pathway(aroute bywhich predators. Infact,theyprovide amajor for penguins, sealsandotherlarge marine mesopelagic fishesandsquidsare keyprey any othergroup offishes. We alsoknowthat that theyaccountformore biomassthan abundant vertebrates inthebiosphere, and know thatmesopelagicfishare themost of mesopelagicfishesandsquids. We globally) hasbeenthepoorrepresentation models (andoceanecosystem A biggapinSouthernOceanecosystem Hawke Fellowshipandmyrole withintheCRC. Contributing tothisisamajorpartofmy scenarios offuture climateandfishing. might bebestmanagedunderdifferent work, howtheymaychange,and ecosystems†, tobetterunderstand howthey a toolboxofmodelsforSouthernOcean At theACECRCweare developingsuch field ofecosystemmodelling. ago). We’re juststartingdownthispathinthe (something thoughtimpossiblenotsolong the weatherinshorttomediumterm point where we’re pretty goodatforecasting doing thisforyears, andmodelsare atthe story isrealistic. Meteorologists havebeen observations, itprovides confidencethatthe same storyandare congruentwithavailable filled, andifseveral different modelstellthe models. Thishelpsensure thatgapsare A solutionistohavea‘toolbox’ofdifferent the UK,ChinaandJapan. new collaborations withcolleaguesinFrance, performance. Thisdatasethasalso sparked of modelsandallowustoevaluate their and squidsthatwillinformthedevelopment yielded anincredible newdataset forfishes and geneticanalysisofgutcontents. Thishas such asstableisotopeanalysisofmuscletissue is eatingwhom),usingbiochemicaltracers information onfood-weblinkages(toseewho analysing samplesfrom individual fishtoget squids) inthephotographs. We are also individual fishandinvertebrates (including the voyage,wehavebeenmeasuringall and analysisonreturn toAustralia. Since then froze everythingforfurtherprocessing We sortedandphotographed thecatchatsea, water column. picture ofhowbiomasswasdistributedinthe the ship’s acousticechosounders tobuildupa 200 mdepthlayers. Atthesametime,weused on thenetallowedustosplitcatchinto ‘mid-water opening-closing’deviceweused ecosystem characteristics. Ateachstation,the ice, frontal features andwaterdepth)drive how keyenvironmental drivers (suchassea chosen tomaximiseourabilitydisentangle to 1000 mat36stations. Thelocationswere the mesopelagiccommunityfrom thesurface program atsea.Duringthevoyagewesampled then co-ledthefishandsquidsampling (Australian Antarctic Magazine29:2-3,2015), planning oftheKerguelen Axis(K-Axis)voyage In 2015-16 Iparticipatedinthedesignand scope andimpactofthework. internationally, whichhashelpedbroaden the larger research initiatives nationallyand opportunities toconnectthisworkwith I’ve beenfortunatetohaveseveral

2 groups ofcolleaguesinFrance. months developingcollaborations withtwo Antarctic Research Fellowshiptospendthree I wasawarded aScientificCommitteeon developed internationalpartnerships. In2016 In additiontolocalcollaborations I’ve includes thesegroups iscurrently underway. trophic levels. Developmentofamodelthat together informationacross theseother this Icoordinated agroup ofexpertstopull marine mammalsandtoothfish. To facilitate and highertrophic levels, suchasseabirds, extending themodelstoincludezooplankton and squids, there wasalotofinterest in been tofocusonlyonmesopelagicfishes While theoriginalplanformyfellowshiphad

3 Size 0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 (m) 10 1 (krill Seals/Birds feeders) Whales Baleen Diatoms Krill CARBON SEQUESTRATION, Nutrients potential forSouthernOceanapplications. with afocusontunas, butthere isclear This modelwasdevelopedfortropical seas, and makeitavailabletohighertrophic levels. taxa moveenergy through thewatercolumn (SEAPODYM) tounderstand howmesopelagic French spaceagency),hasdevelopedamodel Localisation Satellites–asubsidiaryofthe The secondgroup atCLS(Collecte represent mesopelagicfishesinmymodels. the K-axisvoyage,anddeterminehowtobest with themtoidentifythefishwecaughton particularly ontheKerguelen Plateau.Iworked history ofmesopelagicfishesformanyyears, History inParis, hasbeenstudyingthenatural Thefirst group, attheMuseumofNatural predators Copepods Fish & Squid Top phytoplankton deep water Small (non krill Salps krill sinking salp pathway ﬁsh pathway Seals/Birds pathway feeders) guano 2. 3. * ACE CRCandUTAS ROWAN TREBILCO things are likelytochangeinto the future. support keypredator populations, andhow into SouthernOceanecosystems, howthey of howmesopelagicfishesandsquidsfit substantially advanceourunderstanding over thenext6–12monthsanditwill Much ofthisworkissettocomefruition collaborative, long-termresearch projects. opportunity to‘thinkbig’anddeveloplarge, The HawkeFellowshiphasbeenanamazing groups ofmodelsusedforthisproject. the Hawkeproject willbeoneofthree main based modelsIhavebeendevelopingfor data, inoceanecosystemmodels. Thesize- mesoplelagic biomassfrom activeacoustic and datasetsforassimilatingestimatesof project aimstodevelop Predators andPrey; www.mesopp.eu). This MESOPP (MEsopelagicSouthernOcean inclusion onanEU-fundedproject called My timeworkingatCLSalsoledtomy next year. the foundationforaPhDstudentproject ecosystem modeltoolbox,andwillprovide will beincorporated intotheACECRC implementation ofSEAPODYM, which Together weworkedonaKerguelen Plateau †Australian Antarctic ScienceProject 4366 as thetop200–1 The mesopelagic zone isnormallydefined

web showingthediffer A predators. (Photo:RowanTrebilco) pathway) tokrill,forhigher alternative foodsource (energy These animalsare animportant 1000 moftheSouthernOcean. invertebr of fishes,squidsandother Some oftheincredible variety ocean. (RowanTrebilco) dead organisms sinkstothedeep organisms. Carboninfaecesand whales. Salpsare jellyfish-like squid, seals,seabirds andbaleen and are inturneatenbyfish/ pathway, krillfeedondiatoms by sealsandseabirds. Inthekrill zooplankton andinturnare eaten fish feedonsmallerplanktonand predators. Inthefishpathway, (phytoplankton, diatoms)tohigher pathways from primaryproducers

generic SouthernOceanfood ates thatliveinthetop 000 mofocean.

standar ent energy dised methods

19 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 SCIENCE

20 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 SCIENCE 1 less vulnerable toerosion by advancingice. continental slope,becausethesesediments are decided tostudysedimentsamples from the climate evolutionintheregion. To dothis, we in EastAntarctica, andbuildapicture of one ofthemostrapidly thinningglaciers ice extentoftheTotten Glacier, whichis The project aimedtoidentifythe former Shelf andDaltonIceberg Tongue. to theTotten Glacier, MoscowUniversity Ice continental slopeofftheSabrinaCoast,close March thisyear. Itcovered 48000km Facility RVInvestigatorbetweenJanuaryand conducted from theCSIRO’s MarineNational The SabrinaSeaFloorSurveyvoyagewas of EastAntarctica. ridges alongtheSabrinaCoast of canyonsandsediment striking submarinelandscape time, scientistshavemappeda system works.Atthesame and howtheEarth’s climate past climateinEastAntarctica are settoprovide cluesto on theAntarctic oceanfloor Sediment samplescollected revealed duringseafloorsedimentsurvey submarine canyons Antarctic 2 of the submarine canyons. the oceanfloor, butwe’veneverseenit in offs produce thick massesofdiatomson skeletons ofsilica.Sometimessudden die- plants liveintheupperoceanand produce accumulation ofdiatoms. Thesemicroscopic from thecanyonswewere surprised byan sediment from ridges. Inthe kastencores piston cores, eachcontaining upto16mof few meters ofridgesandcanyons, andsix We retrieved 11 kastencores from thetop recover larger volumesofsurfacesediment. a onetonneweightonthetop,whichcan corer isabox-shapedtube,15cm across, with to 24mlong,intotheseafloor. Thekasten The pistoncorer drives10 cmwidetubes, up sediments usingpistonandkastencorers. Once target areas were identified,wesampled sub-bottom profiler provided 4000kmofdata. 100 mresolution over48 000km provided uswithgridsoundingsof50to In contrast, ourmultibeamechosounders they onlycollectedwidelyspacedsoundings. While othersurveyshavevisitedthearea, the seafloor. seismic reflection systemtoimagebeneath deposits. We alsousedahighresolution sea floor, tovisualiseandmapsediment echoes from pingsofsounddirected atthe records. Theseinstruments usethereturning to findthebestsedimentdepositsforclimate sounders andsub-bottomprofiler were used The RVInvestigator’s multibeamecho 2 , whilethe history oftheAntarctic. great potentialforrecording theclimate ridges are notcommonandthese oneshave slopes around theworld,but sediment Canyons are typicalfeatures ofcontinental straight canyon. by ridges, separated byasingle,relatively area, wefoundthetopography dominated At theother(western)endofstudy major canyonsonthelowerslope(seemap). continental slopeandconverging intoseveral University Shelf,originatingon theupper of branching canyonsneartheMoscow multi-beam echosounders revealed aseries As wellassuitablesedimentdeposits, our to workthrough thehundreds ofsamples. analysis ofthecores, butitwilltakesometime from fivecountriesconductingadetailed clear yet.We haveateamof62researchers it meansforAntarctic climatehistoryisnot climate cyclesgoingback300000years. What suggest thecores willprovide informationon physical properties andfossillayers that comprised almostentirely ofmud,with The deeppistoncores retrieved sediment 1. margin. (Photo:DougThost/MNF) Investigator, ontheAntarctic The MarineNational Facility , RV

3 *Australian Antarctic ScienceProject 4333 Macquarie University Voyage Co-ChiefScientists, PHIL O’BRIENandLEANNEARMAND* of thesameinstruments. icebreaker, RSVNuyina,whichwillhavesome will flowfrom thenewAustralian Antarctic research anditalsoshowsthebenefitsthat Investigator hasalottoofferAntarctic marine take years toexploit.ThisshowsthattheRV a richsource ofnewscientificdatathatwill The SabrinaSeaFloorSurveyhasprovided for mudmovingalongthemargin. ocean thathasbeenactingasasedimenttrap could betheresult ofalong-livededdyinthe the continentbyTotten Glacier, orthey They couldbemadeupofmuddumpedfrom The westernridgesare particularlyunusual. 65 64 63 64 65 ∞ ∞ ∞ 30'0" 30'0" 30'0" ∞ ∞ 0'0" 0'0" S S S S S 11 3∞ 30'0"

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(Image: MNF/PhilO’Brien) ridges separated byasinglecanyon. Thost/MNF) [Australian NationalUniversity]. (Photo:Doug (MNF) andMarkLewis(MNF),Bradley Opdyke large volumesofsediment.L-R:JasonFazey The box-shapedkastencorer canr to thewesttopogr canyons appeartotheright(east),whileover canyons offtheSabrinaCoast.Thebranched Multibeam bathymetryshowingthemapped Sea FloorSurvey Deploying thepistoncorer duringtheSabrina E

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21 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 SCIENCE

22 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 SCIENCE 1 a formof“electrokinetic remediation”. Richardson, saidthenewelectric technologyis Senior RemediationScientist,MrJeremy Magazine 27:1-3,2014). conditions ofAntarctica (Australian Antarctic contaminated soilandwater, intheunique approaches tocleaningupfuel spills, and teams havebeendevelopingandrefining Antarctic Division’s riskandremediation For more thanadecadetheAustralian research stationthissummer*. trialled atAustralia’s Casey fuel contamination,willbe electric currents toreduce technology, usingsmall A newsoilremediation Powering pollutionreduction 1.

at Caseylastsummer The remediation team (Photo: StuartShaw) . managed inthesoilmounds. the hydrocarbons whenthesoil iscarefully indigenous Antarctic microbes canbreak down Spedding, saidthebiopilesworkhadshown Remediation Project Manager, MrTim ways,” MrRichardson said. unique andmicrobes mayreact indifferent Antarctica, where thesoilconditionsare hemisphere, ithasneverbeenused in used inwarmerclimatesandthenorthern “While thisinnovativetechniquehasbeen that hasn’tundergone anyprocessing. active remediation in‘biopiles, aswellsoil that hasalready undergone several years of Electrokinetic remediation willbeusedonsoil microbial activity,” hesaid. hydrocarbon moleculesandstimulate voltage current through it,tobreak down into contaminatedsoilandpulsingalow “This involvesinsertinganumberofelectrodes human health. is averylowrisktotheenvironment or we wanttocleanitapointwhere there “We can’tcleaneverythingentirely, but varying stages,” MrSpeddingsaid. conditions todegrade thosecompounds at a diverse range ofmicroorganisms and different degrees oftoxicity, andyouneed different compoundswithinit, each with “Fuel isverycomplex;ithasthousandsof methods beingtrialled. trial thissummerisjustoneofseveral team iskeentoexplore, andthe electrokinetics concentration inthesoilcango isonethe The questionofhowlowtheresidual fuel further,” MrSpeddingsaid. can getthoseconcentrations downeven in Antarctica. Nowwewanttoseeif of contaminatedsoilhasbeensuccessful time bioremediation ofbulkquantities to around 500ppm,whichisthefirst contamination from 5000partspermillion “We havealready beenabletoreduce 2 Clean-up manual has international impact The work of Australian Antarctic Division remediation scientists guided the development of an Antarctic Clean-Up Manual, which was adopted by the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) in 2013. Chair of the ATCM’s Committee for Environmental Protection, Ewan McIvor, said Australia’s experience and expertise in cold climate remediation is well recognised by the Antarctic Treaty Parties. “The national Antarctic programs are increasing their use of renewable energy sources, but the reality of Antarctic 3 operations is that a lot of fuel is still used, and inevitably there are occasional spills or leaks into the environment,” Mr McIvor said. “Countries are obliged to clean up their contaminated sites, and so the purpose of the manual is to present practical guidance on how best to do that, including approaches to site evaluation and containment, as well as techniques and technologies suitable for remediation in Antarctica.” Other Antarctic Treaty parties such as Argentina, the United States and Brazil are also tackling similar issues, and the exchange of knowledge and personnel helps to enhance the success of individual and collective clean-up efforts. “In 2014 we had a Brazilian scientist embedded with the team at Casey and this year two of our team have travelled to Brazil to share our learnings, as they formulate a plan to clean up the site where their station burned down in Antarctica five years ago,” remediation Project Manager, Mr Tim Spedding, said. “We’re keen to share our experiences from decades of trial, error and triumphs, to help “To remove all contaminants you would “For example, if the remediated soil is other Antarctic nations minimise the human effectively have to remove the soil in its for unrestricted re-use on station, there impact on the extraordinary and fragile

entirety from Antarctica. But with less than needs to be much lower concentrations Antarctic environment.” SCIENCE one per cent of the continent ice-free, those of residual fuel. But in certain situations, areas are home to 99 per cent of Antarctic such as using it as back-fill for building terrestrial biodiversity, so it’s important to foundations, the residual contaminant keep the soil in place.” concentration can be higher, while still being a very low risk to the environment

The team is now drawing on decades of 33 2017 or human health.” experience in cold climate remediation

and eco-toxicology research (Australian So far, around one quarter of the soil ISSUE Antarctic Magazine 27: 3, 2014) to develop remediated at Casey station has been soil re-use guidelines for the Australian reused in building foundations. Antarctic Program. 2. The Casey station remediation site “Currently there are no hard and fast target NISHA HARRIS with the biopiles in the foreground numbers for fuel contamination, as there are Australian Antarctic Division under textile liners to control many different scenarios where you could dust in the often dry and windy reuse soil,” Mr Spedding said. *Australian Antarctic Science Project 4036. conditions. (Photo: AAD Risk and Remediation Team) “You need to consider where it’s going to be re-used, in what manner, what potential 3. Jeremy Richardson undertaking impact that might have and what conditions some pre-deployment testing of you are trying to meet. the electrokinetic equipment at MAGAZINE ANTARCTIC AUSTRALIAN

the Australian Antarctic Division in 23 Kingston. (Photo: Robbie Kilpatrick) 1

Antarctic place names go to the dogs

Huskies used during the The smaller Pavlova Island recalls the husky Place Names Committee member and Pavlova, named after famed Russian dancer cartographer, Ms Ursula Harris, said the ‘Heroic Age’ of Australia’s Anna Pavlova, who was a friend of AAE latitude and longitude of every feature Antarctic exploration have member Belgrave Ninnis and greatly interested is confirmed when they are named. The been immortalised, with their in the AAE. Ninnis cared for the huskies during approved name, the feature’s coordinates, and the AAE, but died during Mawson’s ill-fated a narrative describing the feature, are recorded names bestowed on a variety Far Eastern Party sledging journey, when he in the Australian Antarctic Gazetteer and of prominent landmarks and six of the party’s best dogs, as well as Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research across the icy continent. most of the supplies, fell through a crevasse. (SCAR) Composite Gazetteer of Antarctica. Other huskies named after royalty, explorers, “Accurate names and positions are critical for The Australian Antarctic Division Place Names sporting champions, singers, comedians and safety and science,” Ms Harris said. Committee has named 26 islands, rocks and Greek mythology, lend their names to features “We are constantly improving our gazetteer reefs after the beloved dogs, which played a such as Mary Island, Caruso Rock, Jeffries Rock so scientists and deep field traverse parties critical role in Douglas Mawson’s Australasian and Franklin Reef. Antarctic Expedition (AAE) from 1911 to 1914. will be able to accurately communicate the Five features within areas of scientific location of their activities.” Committee Chair, Ms Gillian Slocum, said the importance in the Australian Antarctic High resolution satellite imagery has also most prominent features were named after Territory have also received new names. the most important dogs. enhanced the ability to identify features, such HISTORY Cavities Lake and Malleefowl Hill, both in the as distinguishing between an island and an Rauer Group, reflect the physical attributes of “Lassesen Island, in the Mackellar Islands, iceberg or a close-knit group of small islands. is named after Norwegian explorer Roald each feature. Ms Harris said the naming of Antarctic Amundsen’s favourite husky,” Ms Slocum said. “Cavities Lake is named for a series of features is still as important today as it was indentations or holes in the lake floor visible “The dog was part of Amundsen’s party when when former Australian Antarctic Division through the clear, shallow water, while he became the first person to reach the South Director Dr Phil Law encouraged Sir Douglas Malleefowl Hill is a pyramid-shaped hill Pole in 1911. Unfortunately Lassesen died Mawson to join the first place names ISSUE 33 2017 reminiscent of this native Australian bird’s on the return journey, but Amundsen gave committee in May 1952. Mawson another dog with the same name.” nest,” Ms Slocum said. The Australian Antarctic Division Place Names The Committee also named a glacial valley Committee consists of representatives from all near Davis research station “Adams Flat”, work areas of the Australian Antarctic Division after the late Dr Neil Adams, a meteorologist and an external member from the Department and Australian Antarctic Medal recipient. The of the Environment and Energy. name honours Dr Adams’s contribution to the development of the science of Antarctic Australian Antarctic place names can be 1. The names of huskies from Douglas meteorology and his work as a forecaster for searched for in the Australian Antarctic Mawson’s Australasian Antarctic the Australian Antarctic Program. Gazetteer http://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/gaz/. Expedition (1911–1914) have been In an effort to avoid dual naming, the Place AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ANTARCTIC AUSTRALIAN bestowed upon 26 islands, rocks and reefs Names Committee also adopted names for WENDY PYPER

24 off Cape Denison, where the expedition 46 features previously named by the United Australian Antarctic Division was based. (Frank Hurley) States and New Zealand.

2 Regency English. and voicingtheir own dialogueinBritish expeditioners took toturningoffthesound for example,was so regularly viewedthat starring Greer Garson andLaurence Olivier, The 1940version ofPrideandPrejudice, exactly whathappened. nine timesbetween1992and2011, thisis According toMrMcLean,whohaswintered were screening.” of thefilmsandpokedfunatthem,whilethey expeditioners wouldhavetalked overthetop watch afilmandthenleave,Icanimaginethe “Unlike cinematoday, where peoplejust exciting againforthesameaudience. way tokeepthefilmsalive–makethem returned yearafteryear, thiseditingwasa “For winteringexpeditioners, manyofwhom films,” MsJacksonsaid. splicing inlittle‘visualsurprises’from other acting, andeveneditingsomeofthefilmsby each otheraboutthequalityofplotsand rating themoutoffive,leavingnotesfor “The expeditioners interacted withtheirfilms, archive” ofAntarctic filmculture. collection ofmore than600filmswasa“living NFSA Curator ofFilm,SallyJackson,saidthe significant exampleof “cinema inisolation”. Sound Archive (NFSA),asaninternationally donated toAustralia’s NationalFilmand films, includingTarget Earth , havenowbeen With theadventofDVDs, manyofthese

1 expeditioners. entertainment of short filmsforthe 16 mmfeature and stations provided Australia’s Antarctic the dayswhen projectionist in services asa volunteered his Mr McLean the ‘slushy’(kitchen-hand). Sunday nightand were generally chosenby Films were showneveryWednesday and return inasimilarcondition.” and repair everyyear, buttheyseemedto “We senttheprojectors offformaintenance all overthefloor, orcatchonfire,” hesaid. didn’t blowup,orthatthefilmunspool “I spent a lot of time making sure the projector watching thefilm. spent more timemanagingthe projector than As aprojectionist, MrMcLeansaid heoften or sellthem,”hesaid. that weweren’t allowedtocharge admission “We gotthefilmsforfree; theonlycaveatwas from VillageRoadshow. managed toacquire arange of1990sfilms he soughttoupdatethecollectionsand and 60s. WhenMrMcLeanarrivedin1992 Antarctic collectionare from the1940s, 50s Many ofthefeature andshortfilmsinthe Ms Jacksonsaid. Antarctic expeditioners thought,hefrowned,” favourite films. Whenwetoldhimwhatthe [renowned English-Australian filmcritic] “Tea andSympathyisoneofDavidStratton’s This filmisterrible.Don’twatchit.” the film’s caseshefoundanote reading “Stop! with hissexuality. MsJacksonsaidthatinside and Sympathy,aboutayoungman’s battle And thenthere wasthe1956melodrama Tea opposite direction,” MrMcLeansaid. film ofpeopleridingmotorcycles inthe and someonesplicedinascenefrom a1970s on horseback charging across thesanddunes “There wasascenewithhundreds ofsoldiers during theBattleofBeersheba cavalrycharge. Light Horse inPalestine, wascreatively edited Thousand Horsemen, abouttheAustralian The 1940classicAustralian film,Forty Technical OfficerIanMcLean. Antarctic DivisionSeniorCommunications well attended,according toAustralian similarly dire ConquestofSpace,wasalways the badrap, adoublescreening withthe watchable afterafewstiffdrinks.Despite expeditioners tobesobadthatitwasonly was considered byAustralian Antarctic Earth, aboutkillerrobots from Venus, The 1954sciencefictionfilm,Target surprise offer visual films Antarctic 1. 2. Australian Antarctic Division WENDY PYPER received inspace. Perhaps Target Earthwouldbebetter International SpaceStation?” space. Whatdoastronauts watchonthe have thesamecachéasAntarctica, is “The onlyplaceIcanthinkofthatwould Ms Jacksonsaid. lends anotherdimensiontothewholestory,” been toAntarctica andhavebeenrated, but thefactthattheseparticularoneshave “Many ofthesefilmsare generally available, nights are planned. general public,andfuture Antarctic film the delightofpastexpeditioners andthe were screened inCanberra atmidwinter, to Target Earthandanumberofshortfilms oddities –suchasJaws3D. comments writtenonorinsidethem,and an Australian connection,withcasesthathad too awfultowatch.Theyalsochosefilmswith expeditioners’ favouritesandthoseconsidered Ms Jacksonsaidcurators selectedthe To choosethefilmsforNFSAcollection,

(Photo: SallyJackson) poorly rated sciencefiction film,Target Earth. National Filmand Sound Ar Some oftheAntarctic filmsdonatedtothe are stackedintheforeground. (Photo:NFSA) in Canberra. SomeoftheAntarctic filmcases the screen) duringthemidwinterfilmfestival expeditioners from Caseyresearch station(on Curator ofFilm,SallyJackson(farleft),and McLean (farright)inconversation withNFSA Communications T Australian Antarctic DivisionSenior echnical OfficerIan chive, includingthe

25 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 HISTORY 1

Van life

In the early days of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE), caravans were used as temporary accommodation during the construction of station buildings, and for reconnaissance and survey journeys. Tracked vehicles, such as Weasels and Caterpillar tractors, were used to tow caravans into the field.

Today, vans are still used as accommodation Barge survival caravans PID caravans for short periods in the field, allowing scientific projects and field operations to Built in 1953 by Benson and Shaw in Built in 1957 at the Gordon Institute of reach remote parts of the Australian Antarctic Melbourne, expeditioner Bob Dovers’ design of Technology in Geelong, with design input Territory. Vans are towed using oversnow the barge caravans may have been influenced from expeditioner John Bechervaise, the PID transport vehicles such as Hägglunds, and by the French ‘scow’ – a flat-bottomed boat caravans were one of the first purpose-built are often accompanied in a traverse convoy used for transporting cargo to and from ships for traverses. Named ‘PID’ after the colloquial HISTORY by Caterpillar tractors, towing 20 tonne in harbour. They were constructed with marine expression for a bed, they were light but sleds with equipment and supplies. Vans plywood in two pieces, bolted together with strongly built, and mounted on cargo sledges. have traditionally been painted international narrow steel-capped sledge runners for towing Constructed with bondwood, their sloped orange for maximum visibility. across the ice. walls were designed to glide through sastrugi ridges, and reduce wind effect and drift Watertight and weatherproof, barge vans were The history of vans used by Australia in accumulation on the lee side. Antarctica provides a fascinating insight into designed to float if they broke through the ice. the evolution of design. In practice, it was During an epic journey to Scullin Monolith in ISSUE 33 2017 often a case of trial-and-error as to which May 1954, this capability was inadvertently Aneata caravan design would work best in the extreme put to the test. In his diary, Officer-In-Charge Antarctic conditions. In terms of performance Bob Dovers wrote: “A very worrying night Designed and built by expeditioner Don and comfort, each had its strengths and ensued. The caravan was under constant Butling in 1960, using spare Oregon framing weaknesses. bombardment by ice fragments that rattled timbers and plywood, the Aneata caravan was on the plywood walls…We could hear water bolted onto a surplus Weasel cargo sledge lapping…and the caravan was continually with steel-shod runners (Australian Antarctic bumped by moving floes that scraped loudly Magazine 25: 22-23, 2013). Due to the lack of against the thin plywood hull”. available insulation material, only a 50 mm air gap separated its occupants from the harsh Despite their simple design, barge vans were Antarctic weather. heavy when loaded with field equipment, and AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ANTARCTIC AUSTRALIAN 1. A D4 tractor towing a meteorology difficult to haul.

26 van [‘freighter van’] in the Framnes Mountains. (Photo: Max Corry) 2

2. A PID caravan on traverse to the Prince Charles Mountains in 1960. (Photo: Geoffrey Newton) 3. A Hägglunds towing a Franklin caravan at Davis in 1985. (Photo: Paul Butler)

Named for Don’s wife, the Aneata caravan ANARE living caravans Container traverse vans made several trips across the plateau to a site called ‘S2’, 80 km inland from Wilkes. It Used extensively in the early 1960s, the Today, container traverse vans constructed housed expeditioners during the 1962 epic ANARE living caravans, known as ‘freighter from insulated panels or shipping containers, journey from Wilkes to the Russian base, vans’, were designed as a four berth, sledge- mounted on traverse sleds, are used in the Vostok; a distance of 1500 km traversing mounted container, constructed with field. Capable of enduring long periods of to an altitude of 2500 m. Temperatures light-gauge pressed steel sections that could overland travel behind tracked vehicles in plummeted to −80°C, earning Aneata the be hauled by a D4 tractor. The van featured tough conditions, they often serve as living moniker ‘Ice Maiden of Antarctica’. Later used double armour plate glass windows and a vans, science laboratories, communications as an emergency hut at the Haupt Nunataks, rooftop escape hatch. It was insulated with centres, or generator vans, in modular field it was eventually returned to Australia, and three inch Onazote rubber, while the walls and camps. Container traverse vans are well- today occupies a unique place in the Antarctic ceiling were clad with Masonite. Gas bottles in insulated and provide a high quality working Division’s heritage collection and Australian the cold porch supplied fuel for the stove and and living environment. Antarctic history. radiator. Ventilators were provided in the roof and at either end of the van, and electrical lighting was powered by a generator mounted Opportunity or ordeal HISTORY RMIT vans on the tractor. Traversing in Antarctica is a noisy, bumpy In the 1960s, the Royal Melbourne Institute and slow process – caravans offer the joy of of Technology (RMIT) constructed a traverse Franklin caravans modest comfort and cosiness in an otherwise van based on the PID design, but built using hostile climate. In the words of Jim Dragisic,

fibreglass and composite mouldings in a two For many Australians, the iconic Franklin team leader of the 2002–03 Prince Charles 33 2017 piece shell. With smooth lines and rounded caravans were synonymous with family Mountains Expedition of Germany and corners, its lightweight design was mounted vacations. From the mid-1970s until the Australia traverse: “For some, traversing can ISSUE on a Norwegian-type sledge. mid-1980s, ANARE arranged for several be an ordeal that they would sooner forget; fibreglass moulded Franklin caravans to be for others it can be a special experience that The external fibreglass skin was insulated with manufactured to serve as traverse vans, presents many challenges and gives them polyurethane. An internal skin of fibreglass automatic weather stations and auroral radar the opportunity to see some of the most and an external coat of resin finished the observation shelters. The Franklin caravans wonderful sights imaginable”. sandwich style construction. A Perspex were insulated with two inch thick walls. The observation dome mounted in the roof, traditional chassis was replaced with Smith TESS EGAN1 and DAVE McCORMACK2 provided natural light. Inside were benches sledges. Still sought after today by vintage 1 and four bunks that were integrally formed enthusiasts, Franklin holiday caravans were Librarian, Australian Antarctic Division into the walls, and a custom kerosene heater. renowned for their longevity. 2Former expeditioner and Phillip Law

After a series of modifications over the years, Medal recipient MAGAZINE ANTARCTIC AUSTRALIAN this enduring and versatile form of field 27 accommodation is still in service today. 1

The longest living Australian 3 Antarctic motorcycle

In 2013 George Cresswell set Malcolm Robertson had a love affair with out to collect information on the Matchless during his year as geophysicist at Mawson in 1970. When the 1970 motorcycles that had been taken expeditioners arrived at the station they found to Antarctica by members of the that it was littered with all sorts of interesting Australian National Antarctic relics, including, as Malcolm wrote, “a 500 cc single cylinder Matchless motorcycle of Research Expeditions (ANARE). indeterminate age that still ran. I claimed this immediately as a geophysics field vehicle and George had taken a 350 cc registered it MC01”. Velocette to Mawson in 1960 The Matchless provided much entertainment Malcolm had taken a Super8 movie camera and expected that other and was used around the station as a bit of to Mawson and in 2016 it was transcribed motorcycle enthusiasts had since a trail bike, bouncing its way to the remote to digital. The camera had been passed from HISTORY done the same. What he didn’t corners of the boulder-strewn site and person to person during the year and there is expect was the number – some occasionally onto the lower reaches of the good footage of station life, including when ice plateau. Malcolm taught himself to do a pirouette on 35 bikes between 1960 and the Matchless on the sea ice. 1980. One was a 500 cc single One of its uses was to tow intrepid skiers, and a photo shows it speeding towards an In 2010 for the 40th anniversary of wintering cylinder Matchless, which stood equally intrepid photographer, David Parer, at Mawson, Malcolm wrote an exciting yarn, out because of its long life, who, thankfully, avoided being decapitated by The Day the Ice Turned Black, for the ANARE ISSUE 33 2017 from 1968 to 1977. the tow rope. Close inspection shows a rope Club journal, Aurora, about an adventure that wrapped around the front wheel in an attempt he had with David Parer. to improve traction. In early November 1970 Dave suggested that Some time into 1970 Malcolm painted the they take the Matchless twelve miles out to 1. The Matchless G80 500 cc single at petrol tank yellow and fitted a horizontal Rookery Island so that he could photograph Mawson in 1968, with its upswept exhaust muffler from the Triumph Thunderbird the giant petrels on their nests. exhaust and muffler and South that “Snow” Williams had taken down in 1962. Australian number plate. Bruce Although we had been having twenty- The yellow petrol tank, horizontal exhaust and McDonald is believed to be the four hours daylight for some time and the sidecar made the Matchless distinctive. rider. (Photo: Expeditioner photo) summer was just around the corner, we didn’t give the state of the ice a second 2. The Matchless motorcycle towing

AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ANTARCTIC AUSTRALIAN thought. Even as we motored past skier Neville Dippell on the sea ice

28 at Mawson’s Horseshoe Harbour. (Photo: David Parer) started outonthecircuitous route...” straight backthewaywehadcome,whileI around itonthewayback.ButDave“headed patch ofice.Hedecidedthattheyshouldgo could seethattheyhadcrossed quiteadark and Malcolmlookeddownfrom theislandand Dave shotoffseveral rolls ofexpensivefilm up andlieonthem!” breaking theicewhenyouhaulyourself around toyourback,”Iscreamed. “They’re saw theproblem: “Swingthecameras the icebroke andhefellbackin. We both Dave hauledhimselfupagain,butagain but Icouldn’tseehowthatwouldhelp. lay onmystomach,reaching out ahand, break underhisweight.Iraced overand himself outonlytofindthattheicewould waters through theice.Hequicklyhauled I turnedtoseehimdisappearintotheicy Suddenly there wasacryfrom Daveand as wecovered thefinalmetres. we couldfeeltheicemovingandcreaking of uswasanexpansequiteblackice… blue orwhite,yetstretching outinfront man, beast or machine, it was either a pale knew thatatthicknessesquitesafefor noticeably darker. From experiencewe approached therookeries, theicebecame How wrong wewere! Before long,aswe swirled around underneath. little thin,asthewarmeroceancurrents for thepastmonthsmightbewearinga roadway wehadbeensafelyridingalong holes intheice,wedidn’tthinkthat patches ofseaweedfloatinginblack prudent andturn forhome. good, butblackiceencouraged Narra tobe and thesunwasbehindthem.Visibility was Marko Oliveronthepillionseat.It was11 pm chair takenfrom therecreation room) and armchair oftheMatchless’s sidecar(aneasy Welch IslandwithFeathers Walters inthe approaching, Narra wentonatriptowards More thanhalfayearlater, withsummer had afleetofthejazzyandniftyskidoos”. “spoilt asfartransport wasconcerned -we Johnson saidthatin1974thewinterers were the Matchlessfrom 1971 to1973,butNarra No yarnsorphotographs havecome inabout Malcolm said. had nightmares forseveral weeksafterwards,” little adventure, butIcanassure youweboth “I don’tthinkweevertoldanyoneaboutthat

4 change andwarmup. we sheepishlyslunkintoourdongasto help much.Onarrival,bothfreezing cold, reduce thewindchill,butitdidn’tseemto floating seaweedanddrove slowlyto sections ofice,andespeciallyawayfrom [We] keptwellawayfrom anydarker strides tokeepthewindout. a chillyreturn tripwithonlyjumperand a walkingwet-suit,Isteeledmyselffor my windproofs andturnedhimselfinto We rationalised ourclothing-Davetook base, temperature belowfreezing... soaked inseawater, twelvemilesfrom soaking wet,twocameras andlenses to review thesituation.Oneexpeditioner to hisfeet.We staggered backtodryland I pulledhimtofirmericeandhelped the iceheld.Heslithered towards meand He hauledhimselfoutagainandthistime (Mawson 1960) GEORGE CRESSWELL wheel andwithdrew”… RIPMatchless. breakdowns withthecollapseoftheirback hot favouritessuffered majormechanical and threatening driftconditions. Thered began 10 minuteslate,withafasttrack and ColKingonthemotorbike.Therace favourites withthebookieswere DesWilliams (Aurora, Spring1977,p200)“thered hot Harbour. According tothestationreport the 1977midwinterrace around Horseshoe The lastgaspoftheMatchlessseemstobeat and theyreturned tothestation. But itallendedwell.Thestalledenginestarted front wheelstillhangingontothehandlebars. snowdrift.” Narra landedupsidedownonthe from hisarmchairandlandedonthesoftish over myshoulders accompaniedbyFeathers the bikestoppeddead.“Markowenthurtling was gooduntiltheyhitapileofsnowand the lowsettingsunreflecting offtheice.All They gotuptoagoodspeedastheyrode into 3. 4.

Mawson in197 with itsMC01 number platenear Malcolm Robertson ontheMatchless (Photo: DavidParer) during the1969-70 changeover Matchless andsidecarthatheclaimed Malcolm Robertsonastridethe 0. (Photo:AllanFoster) .

29 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 HISTORY 30 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2017 POLICY • • include abetterunderstanding of: policy changes. Examplesofthis science used theirresearch tofacilitatesignificant working withtheircounterpartsinpolicy, have managed. Inrecent years, Australian scientists, decisions aboutthewayenvironment is to informinternationaldiscussionsand The CEPisanimportantavenueforscientists countries toprotect theAntarctic environment. Environmental Protection (CEP)tosupportall The Protocol establishedtheCommittee on conserved andprotected. on theimportantvaluesthatare tobe entire Antarctic continent,andclearguidance unparalleled environmental protection forthe came intoforce in1998.TheProtocol provides peace andscience”,wassignedin1991 and Antarctica asa“natural reserve, devotedto to theAntarctic Treaty, whichdesignates The Protocol onEnvironmental Protection the sceneorobjectofinternationaldiscord”. for peacefulpurposesandshallnotbecome shall continueforevertobeusedexclusively “in theinterest ofallmankindthatAntarctica Antarctic Treaty wassigned in1959toensure constitute theAntarctic Treaty system.The and therelated internationalagreements that the Antarctic policytree istheAntarctic Treaty issues suchasclimatechange.Atthetopof or internationaldecision-makingonglobal rules aboutthewayAntarctica ismanaged In thiscontext,policycanmeanguidelinesor the highestpriority. international policyare usually that informnationaland Antarctic Division,issues for scientistsattheAustralian range ofresearch topics,but Antarctic scientistsworkona policy Antarctic and shapes informs science How •

terr the distributionofbiodiversity in introductions; the pathwaysandtypeofalienspecies soils inAntar how toremediate contaminated estrial Antarctica; and ctica. Antarctic environment. and monitoringevaluatingchanges inthe Antarctica, minimisingwildlifedisturbance, on issuessuchasthehumanfootprint in involved insupportingpolicydevelopment Antarctic Divisionscientistsare often Australian activitiesinAntarctica. Australian responsible approach tothemanagementof levels, helpingtoensure anenvironmentally Science canalsofacilitatechangeatmore local Climate Changereports. and inputintotheIntergovernmental Panel on climate changepolicy, through research papers also contributedirectly andindirectly to 14-15, 2014). Australian Antarctic scientists seabirds (Australian Antarctic Magazine27: fishing techniquesto reduce the bycatchof the broader ecosystem,andimprovements in understanding oftheimpactsfishingon assessing fisheriessustainability, improved both cases. Examplesincludebetterwaysof decision-making andpolicychangesin Albatrosses andPetrels. Sciencehasinformed and theAgreement ontheConservationof Antarctic MarineLivingResources (CCAMLR) as theConventionforConservationof high-quality sciencetoshapepolicy, such in otherinternationalbodiesthatrequire Scientists alsosupportAustralia’s engagement impacts ofhumanactivities(seepage22). and theabilitytocleanupenvironmental (Australian Antarctic Magazine23,19,2012), for protecting distinctbiogeographic regions Magazine 14:28,2008),abetterfoundation in biosecuritypractices (Australian Antarctic broad-reaching andincludeimprovements The flow-oneffectsofthis research are

1 the Antarctic Treaty System Chief Officer–SCARStandingCommitteeon Australian Antarctic Division Section Head-Biodiversity Conservation, ALEKS TERAUDS the SouthernOcean. environmental outcomesforAntarctica and been usedtoimprove policyand achievebetter In alltheexamplesoutlinedhere, sciencehas and/or changepolicy. unbiased resource toinformtheirdecisions policy-makers thattheresearch isarobust and in scientificjournals, alsohelpsto reassure example, likethatassociatedwithpublication and rigorous peer-review ofresearch, for the research more broadly. International the addedbenefitofhelpingtodisseminate CCAMLR, andexpandedcollaborations have in internationalpolicyforumsliketheCEPand research collaborations can oftenbeinfluential also important.Theresults ofmultinational a waythatisaccessibletopolicy-makers is accordingly. Presenting research results in will bebetterplacedtotarget theirresearch at internationalandnationallevels),they understand whatthepolicyprioritiesare (both policy-makers isfundamental.Ifscientists communication betweenscientistsand from sciencetopolicy?Clearandregular So whathelpsasuccessfultransition 1.

(Photo: KimKliska) the Conservationof Albatrosses andPetrels. and petrel species,through the Agreement on browed albatross (pictured) andotheralbatross that helppr Antarctic sciencehasinformedpolicydecisions otect MacquarieIsland’s black- Unlocking the icy Rare sub-Antarctic secrets of Australian orchid flowers far climate variability from home A deep-field mission to recover an Antarctic ice core up to The critically endangered grooved helmet orchid 2000 years old, aims to shed further light on the long-term (Corybas sulcatus) has flowered for the first time influences on Australian weather and climate. away from its native home of Macquarie Island. Six researchers will spend up to 50 days south of Mt The orchid was collected by botanist Natalie Tapson Brown, 330 km east of Davis research station, drilling a from the sub-Antarctic island earlier this year, core to a depth of around 350 m this summer. and transplanted in its new home at the Royal The Australian Antarctic Program project* is led by Dr Tasmanian Botanical Gardens (RTBG) in March. Tessa Vance from the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Listed as being critically endangered, the The grooved helmet orchid from Cooperative Research Centre. small orchid reaches just 1–2 cm in height. Macquarie Island. (Photo: RTBG) Dr Vance said there is little information on how weather It is only found on Macquarie Island, making it patterns, formed in the Indian Ocean, have changed over one of the rarest species on Earth. time periods longer than a few decades, and how this “The population is very small, so it’s important to secure the species with seed affects Australia. collections in case of threatening events such as drought,” Australian Antarctic “The region is known as a ‘cyclone nursery’ as it’s where Division biologist Dr Dana Bergstrom said. many storms are ‘born’ before they head from west to east The orchid will be used by the RTBG’s Native Orchid Conservation and Research across the Southern Ocean and impact both Australia and Program to understand the conditions in which it can survive and flourish. East Antarctica,” she said. Dr Tapson, who spent three months on Macquarie Island collecting seeds for the “A new ice core record from Mount Brown south will RTBG’s Tasmanian Seed Conservation Centre, also collected 12 other plant species, provide us with a snapshot of the climate history of the including the critically endangered Macquarie Island cushion plant (Azorella Indian Ocean and hopefully some insight into climate macquariensis). variability in Australia over the last one to two millennia.” The collection will help secure the plant diversity of the entire island’s flora. The chemical constituents in Antarctic ice cores, including traces of hydrogen and oxygen, sulphur from volcanoes, and sea salts, along with the amount of snowfall per year, provide information on past climate and climate processes. New Antarctic bus “The information in ice cores helps us understand how the climate changes, and to view predicted future change A new bus with balloon tyres weighing half a tonne each, will provide an enhanced level of comfort and service as it transports expeditioners between through the lens of past variability,” Dr Vance said. Wilkins Aerodrome and Casey research station this summer. In 2015, scientists developed a 1000 year record of drought The $1.2 million, 22 tonne vehicle will carry 36 expeditioners; 17 more in eastern Australia from the existing Law Dome ice core than the current steel-tracked bus, which has been in service since 2008. record (Australian Antarctic Magazine 30: 18, 2016). Australian Antarctic Division Mechanical Supervisor, Cameron Frost, “The Law Dome record showed us that prolonged droughts said the new bus has been specially designed for Antarctic conditions. in eastern Australia are part of the natural climate cycle,” Dr Vance said. “We hope an ice core from Mt Brown will provide us with another snapshot of climate variability in the Indian and south-west Pacific oceans, and more insight into long-term climate variability in Australia.” IN BRIEF IN *Australian Antarctic Science Project 4414. 33 2017

The new Antarctic bus, built in Calgary, will transport 36 expeditioners ISSUE between Wilkins Aerodrome and Casey research station. (Photo: Dominic Hall)

“The bus was manufactured in Calgary and is a smaller version of the buses used for glacier tours in Canada and by the United States Antarctic Program at McMurdo Station,” he said. “It has six all-terrain balloon tyres, measuring 1.5 metres high, which are designed to help it drive smoothly over soft, snowy surfaces; while electric and diesel heaters will keep the engine and passengers warm in sub-zero temperatures.” Dr Tessa Vance hopes an ice core collected from Mount Brown

The engine is the same as those in cranes used at Casey station, enabling the MAGAZINE ANTARCTIC AUSTRALIAN this summer will provide further insights into Australian diesel mechanics to service the vehicle and interchange parts when required. weather and climate. (Photo: Jill Brown) 31 The new bus will accommodate most of the 38 passengers delivered to Wilkins Aerodrome on each flight of the A319 intercontinental aircraft. 32 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 2016 IN BRIEF of Tasmania’s Master ofPublicHealth (RemoteandPolar Health) course. The expeditionmedicine course isopentothepublic andisoffered aspartofthe University experts basedinHobart. with thesupport of theAntarctic Division’s 24/7 telemedicinesystems, connecting themto has amedicalpractitioner whoisresponsible forthecare and well-beingofallexpeditioners, Each ofAustralia’s three Antarctic stations, andsub-Antarctic stationonMacquarie Island, planning andstockinganexpedition medicalkit. navigation skills, andconsidered pre-expedition management, remote area communication and conditions. Participants alsopracticed coldinjury search andrescue scenariosindark,wetandfreezing challenged toabseildowncliffsandundertake Australian Antarctic Division,participantswere Course, runbytheUniversity ofTasmania and During theeightdayExpeditionMedicineWinter climate andremote medicineskills. in theTasmanian wildernessin July, honingtheircold Antarctic-bound doctors spentawetandwildweek left outinthecold doctors Antarctic Melbourne, Veolia Waste, TasWater andAECOM. Australian Water RecyclingCentre ofExcellence,VictoriaUniversity, theUniversity of research, designandtestinginputfrom academiaandindustrypartners, includingthe The plantwasbuiltbytheAntarctic Division’s engineers andtradespeople, withfunding, stations inthefuture. scheduled forlate2018. AdvancedplantswillbebuiltatAustralia’s otherAntarctic Specialised tradespeople willinstalltheadvancedplantoverwinter, withcommissioning it willensure thewaterdischarged intothemarineenvironment hasanegligibleimpact. the pasttwoyears. Whilethere are nocurrent planstousethepurifiedwaterfordrinking, The advancedplant,builtinsidetwoshippingcontainers, hasbeen trialledinHobartover guidelines. Onceinstalled,itwillbethebesttreatment system in Antarctica. water thatexceedstheAustralian andWorld HealthOrganisation drinkingwater The wastewaterwillundergo aseriesofphysicalandchemicalprocesses toproduce Antarctic Magazine30:2-3,2016) is self-contained,lowmaintenanceanddesignedtooperate remotely (seeAustralian Australian Antarctic DivisionEngineer, MichaelPacker, saidthe$1.5milliondollarplant winter toprocess humanandkitchenwasteintodrinkingqualitywater. An advancedwastewatertreatment plantwillbeinstalledatDavisresearch stationnext Taking thewasteoutofwastewater (Photo: ElizaGrey) Treatment Plant,builtinsidetwoshippingcontainers. Engineer, MichaelPacker, intheAdvancedWastewater (Photo: HeathHolden) Medicine course inTasmania. conditions, duringanExpedition bearing skillsinchallenging instructors practice theirstretcher- Medical professionals andwilderness

Arts Fellow. (Photo:Gerrard Dixon) Mawson asthisyear’s Australian Antarctic Photographer MartinWalch willtravel to camera. capturing theuniqueicyenvironment on research stationtospendthree months photography andwilltravel toMawson Dr Walch specialisesintime-lapseandstill Australian Antarctic ArtsFellowship. Walch hasbeenawarded the2017 Leading Australian photographer Martin time lapse Antarctic entitled collaboration withDrDavidStephenson, his five-yearAustralian Research Council techniques andstrategies developed during Dr Walch’s Antarctic Fellowshipwilluse Museum ofArt. Center forArt+Environment, at theNevada will becollectedbytheworldrenowned in Tasmania andnationally, whileanarchive Dr Walch’s Antarctic workwillbeexhibited and aPhDinfineart. stereoscopic photography andlandscape, a MasterofFineArtsbyResearch indigital of FineArtwithHonours inphotography, University ofTasmania. HehasaBachelor Dr Walch isapart-timelecturer atthe sun,” MrWalch said. daily livesundertheever-present summer animals andpeople,astheygoabouttheir understanding themovementsofwater, ice, “My workwilloffernewwaysof art form. Australian community through theirchosen hand, andshare thiswiththebroader community toexperienceAntarctica first opportunities forpeoplefrom thecreative The Antarctic ArtsFellowshipprovides Museum andArtGallery. currently ondisplayattheTasmanian

The DerwentPr oject, whichis This photo of a black-browed albatross chick was taken while I was Freeze Frame working as a field biologist on the Macquarie Island albatross and Field biologist Kim Kliska spent three seasons working petrel program – a long-term study to help manage and conserve with albatrosses and petrels on Macquarie Island, threatened seabirds. I was conducting nest checks on the steep between October 2015 and April 2017. Prior to this slopes of the island when I spotted this curious youngster 100 m she spent five years working in biological research away. In between showers, this photo was taken with an Olympus around Australia. She has also worked in outdoor OMD E-M1, set at F6.3 and 1/400 s. I am passionate about education, in Australia and overseas, leading young capturing photos of the wildlife I am privileged to work with, so KIM KLISKA people on international expeditions to the Himalayas that I can share the experience with others and inspire them to and South-East Asia. care for these amazing creatures. ANTARCTICA valued, protected and understood