Australian ANTARCTIC MAGAZinE ISSUE 14 2008 AUSTRALIA IN THE INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR www.aad.gov.au Australian ANTARCTIC MAGAZinE ISSUE 14 2008 CONTEnts The Australian Antarctic Division, a Division of the Australia in the International Polar Year 1 Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, leads Australia’s Antarctic program and seeks CEAMARC to advance Australia’s Antarctic interests in pursuit of its vision of having ‘Antarctica valued, protected Underwater world gives up its secrets 2 and understood’. It does this by managing Australian Ship’s Log: Collaborative East Antarctic Marine Census 4 government activity in Antarctica, providing transport Sound decisions for seabed sampling 7 and logistic support to Australia’s Antarctic research program, maintaining four permanent Australian Sequencing secrets of whole microbial communities 8 research stations, and conducting scientific research Broadcasting marine science to the world 9 programs both on land and in the Southern Ocean. Venom evolution 10 Australia’s four Antarctic goals are: • To maintain the Antarctic Treaty System Supporting scientists at sea 12 and enhance Australia’s influence in it; SIPEX • To protect the Antarctic environment; • To understand the role of Antarctica in Sea Ice Physics and Ecosystem eXperiment 14 the global climate system; and Determining sea ice thickness with an airborne scanning laser 16 • To undertake scientific work of practical, Sea ice algae put spring in krill growth 17 economic and national significance. Today’s youth – tomorrow’s Antarctic scientists 19 Australian Antarctic Magazine seeks to inform the Australian and international Antarctic community about the activities of the Australian Antarctic Tracing elements in the ocean 20 program. Opinions expressed in Australian Antarctic South with Russia 21 Magazine do not necessarily represent the position of the Australian Government. Rapid disintegration of another ice shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula 22 Making Australian aviation history 23 Australian Antarctic Magazine is produced twice yearly. All text and images published in the magazine are Cosmic clues into solar activity and climate 24 copyright of the Commonwealth of Australia, unless Understanding the tolerance of Antarctic mosses to climate change 26 otherwise stated. Editorial enquiries, including requests to reproduce material, or contributions, should be On guard against an alien invasion 28 addressed to: First Antarctic ground-satellite view of ice aerosol clouds at the edge of space 29 The Editor Igloo Satellite Cabins: 25 years in Antarctica 30 Australian Antarctic Magazine Australian Antarctic Division ARTS FELLOWS 203 Channel Highway Kingston, 7050 Antarctic dreaming 32 Tasmania, Australia. Drawing in Antarctica 33 Australian Antarctic Division There’s something about Antarctica 34 Telephone: (03) 6232 3209 (International 61 3 6232 3209) IN BRIEF 35 email: [email protected] Facsimile: (03) 6232 3288 FREEZE FRAME 37 (International 61 3 6232 3288) Editor: Wendy Pyper Editorial Advisory Committee: Sally Chambers, Andrew Jackson, Professor Michael Stoddart Production: Jonothan Davis, Jessica Fitzpatrick, Glenn Jacobson, Chris Clarke Graphic Design: Red Jelly ISSN 1445-1735 (print version) Australian Antarctic Magazine can be viewed online: <http://www.aad.gov.au/magazine>. FRONT COVER: CHRIS WILSON Fresh midwinter snowfall over rocks at Casey station. AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 14: 2008 Australia IN THE InternatiONAL POLAR YEAR Australian Antarctic research AAD made huge advances and exciting new discoveries in the first season of the International Polar Year (IPY). The IPY officially runs from March 2007 until March 2009, to enable one full year of research to be conducted at both poles. This issue of the Australian Antarctic Magazine features just some of the research conducted for two of Australia’s major IPY projects – the Collaborative East Antarctic Marine Census (CEAMARC) and the Sea Ice Physics and A trawl-mounted camera captured the amazing biodiversity of Southern Ocean sea-bed life during the Collaborative Ecosystem eXperiment (SIPEX). East Antarctic Marine Census. This image shows, among other things, white, mushroom-shaped sea squirts (Ascidians), New species and remarkable communities a round sponge with a brittle star attached to it, a white, pine-tree-shaped soft coral, and scattered throughout, orange, branching ‘moss animals’ (Bryozoans). were discovered during the CEAMARC flagship voyage for the Census of Antarctic Marine Life, surprises – from giant jellyfish, sea spiders and A range of other IPY-related projects were also which is investigating the distribution and marine worms, to tiny and exquisitely formed supported this year including atmospheric abundance of Antarctic marine biodiversity to zooplankton. Many species were new to the research at Davis, which provided the first provide, among other things, a reference point researchers involved and may even prove to observations of noctilucent clouds in the Southern from which to monitor the impact of future be new records for the region and for science. Hemisphere using satellite and ground-based radar environmental and climate change. Three ships Pages 2-13 cover some of the research and other and lidar measurements simultaneously (page 29). combed a region adjacent to Dumont d’Urville in projects conducted as part of CEAMARC and Notable also was the extraction of an ice core East Antarctica, surveying pelagic (open ocean) reveal the amazing diversity of life that survives from Law Dome for analysis of a short-lived waters and the sea-bed up to 2100 m depth. The under extreme conditions. combination of traditional sampling gear and radio-isotope (page 24). This research was cutting-edge imaging technology revealed many The SIPEX voyage provided the first opportunity made possible by the historic introduction of for Australia to study the Antarctic sea ice zone the first passenger flights of the Airbus A319 in early spring – the period of maximum sea between Hobart and Australia’s Wilkins Runway FT O ice extent. The multi-disciplinary experiment in January (page 23). The aircraft enabled PCR O researchers to fly the ice core back to Australia H studied the physics and biology of the sea ice, in time to record the short-lived beryllium-7 uss and the interactions and dependencies of the R ice structure, thickness and snow properties signature – a feat previously not possible and their effects on the under-ice algae and because of the lengthy sea journey. As noted by ecosystem of the Southern Ocean. The articles both the Governor General (during the opening on pages 14-19 look at some of the research of the Wilkins Runway) and our new Environment conducted during SIPEX and the education Minister, Peter Garrett, the air link opens up new and outreach opportunities embraced by two opportunities for research in Antarctica. Tasmanian teachers who joined the voyage. The There is more IPY-related research than there are pair helped scientists to share their work with pages in this magazine, but future issues will students and teachers around the world – an continue to update you on the important work initiative strongly endorsed for all IPY projects. this significant year has set in train. Continuing the theme of education and outreach, This 4 mm long ‘copepod’ of the genus Euaugaptilus, the Australian Antarctic Division this year collected during the Collaborative East Antarctic supported three Arts Fellows in their ambitions to Marine Census, is a common component of the deep promote Antarctic people and places through their AJ PRESS zooplankton. Copepods are crustaceans, like krill, and various mediums; pages 32-34 tell their stories. an important food source for higher organisms. Director, AAD 1 FT O PCR O H uss R Underwater WORLD GIVES UP its secrets Giant sea spiders, jellyfish The census involved ships supported by four Scientists aboard the L’Astrolabe sampled the nations – Australia (Aurora Australis), France/ inshore plankton of the area using a standard and marine worms were Belgium (L’Astrolabe) and Japan (Umitaka Maru) ‘WP2’ plankton net. This is a small net (0.25 m2 – surveying transects in the Southern Ocean mouth area) with 200 micron (0.2 mm) mesh that among the many surprises adjacent to Terre Adélie and George V Land is ideal for collecting small zooplankton and very encountered by scientists in Antarctica. young fish larvae. The team also conducted CTD (conductivity-temperature-depth) casts which during the Collaborative While the Umitaka Maru and L’Astrolabe focussed measured the profiles of temperature, salinity and on the pelagic (open ocean) realm, the Aurora other physical properties in the water column. East Antarctic Marine Census Australis focussed on the sea-bed communities Bottles attached to the CTD frame collected water (CEAMARC), conducted of the survey region (see story page 4). for studying phytoplankton and other micro- Common sites were sampled by all three vessels organisms that provide food for the zooplankton. recently as part of the on the continental shelf. Umitaka Maru also While the L’Astrolabe survey was perhaps more surveyed sites north of the continental shelf routine, it provided continuity with past French International Polar Year to look at north-south distribution patterns, surveys in the area. and the deep pelagic zone – a poorly sampled (IPY) Census of Antarctic habitat known to have a high biodiversity of The Umitaka Maru conducted a more detailed zooplankton and jellyfish. survey using a range of traditional sampling Marine Life. gear supplemented with a new, innovative Visual 2 FT O PCR O H AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 14: 2008 uss R This cranchid squid larva is only 10 mm long but adults can grow up to 2 m in size. The bodies of these squid remain translucent. SIE SIE O O H H AM AM H H RA RA G G Japanese scientists measure the pelagic fish The Norpac net, consisting of 330 micron and 110 micron nets side by side, was used to study all sizes of plankton. Pleuragramma antarcticum (Antarctic herring). Plankton Recorder (VPR) developed by Dhugal The still camera on the VPR allowed us to take jellyfish in the deeper waters down to 2000 m.