AUStraLian ANTARCTIC MAGAZinE ISSUE 16 2009 FUTURE DirEctiONS AUStraLian ANTARCTIC MAGAZinE ISSUE 16 2009 CONTENTS The Australian Antarctic Division, a Division of the FUTURE DIRECTIONS 1 Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and Steering the Antarctic Division through the pack ice 2 the Arts, leads Australia’s Antarctic program and seeks to advance Australia’s Antarctic interests in pursuit Gunning for science 4 of its vision of having ‘Antarctica valued, protected CHANGING OF THE GUARD and understood’. It does this by managing Australian High school Russian raises the curtain on an Antarctic career government activity in Antarctica, providing transport 6 and logistic support to Australia’s Antarctic research Building a proud reputation in Antarctic science 7 program, maintaining four permanent Australian Advancing operations 8 research stations, and conducting scientific research programs both on land and in the Southern Ocean. INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR Australia’s contribution to the International Polar Year 9 Australia’s four Antarctic goals are: International polar snapshot 14 • To maintain the Antarctic Treaty System and enhance Australia’s influence in it; New Antarctic stations 15 • To protect the Antarctic environment; Declaration on the International Polar Year and polar science 15 • To understand the role of Antarctica in Mountains unearthed in the wild heart of Antarctica 16 the global climate system; and ANTARCTIC TREATY • To undertake scientific work of practical, Antarctic Treaty meeting focuses on the environment 19 economic and national significance. Antarctic Treaty turns 50 20 Australian Antarctic Magazine seeks to inform the SCIENCE Australian and international Antarctic community about the activities of the Australian Antarctic Cleaning up fuel spills on Macquarie Island 21 program. Opinions expressed in Australian Antarctic Monitoring Heard Island remotely 22 Magazine do not necessarily represent the position of the Australian Government. Wilkins Ice Shelf on verge of collapse 25 Every whale counts for Team Minke 26 Australian Antarctic Magazine is produced twice a year. All text and images published in the magazine Population dynamics of southern right whales 27 are copyright of the Commonwealth of Australia, Sub-Antarctic penguins infected with tick-borne viruses 28 unless otherwise stated. Editorial enquiries, Sub-Antarctic in the spotlight 30 including requests to reproduce material, or contributions, should be addressed to: Bushfire smoke visible in Antarctica 30 The Editor ANTARCTIC ART Australian Antarctic Magazine A view from Wombat 31 Australian Antarctic Division 203 Channel Highway HISTORY Kingston, 7050 Physicist marks a 40 year career in glaciology 32 Tasmania, Australia. POLAR MEDICINE Australian Antarctic Division Telephone: (03) 6232 3209 Vitamin D deficiency experienced in Antarctica 34 (International 61 3 6232 3209) Expedition and Wilderness Medicine 34 Email: [email protected] IN BRIEF 35 Facsimile: (03) 6232 3288 (International 61 3 6232 3288) FREEZE FRAME 37 Editor: Wendy Pyper Editorial Advisory Committee: Sally Chambers, Andrew Jackson, Professor Michael Stoddart Production: Jonothan Davis, Jessica Fitzpatrick, Glenn Jacobson Graphic Design: Red Jelly R E ISSN 1445-1735 (print version) T ES Australian Antarctic Magazine can be viewed online: INCH <http://www.aad.gov.au/magazine>. W W E R D N A FRONT COVER: GLENN BROWNING Mawson Station Doctor, Glenn Browning, took this photo of condensation in the triple-glazed windows of the Red Shed. Glenn says: “Overnight, a small amount of moisture trapped between the layers freezes, forming ice crystals. As the sun hits the windows the crystals gradually melt, forming these trails of condensation which appear to be almost like mercury, backlit by the sun reflecting off the workshop.” AAD9476rj AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 16: 2009 OVSKI L O I OR D TO FUTURE DIRECTIONS The Australian Antarctic their ‘to do’ lists. It also acknowledges the This year is also significant in marking the important contribution of three of our departing 50th anniversary of the signing of the Antarctic Division, like Antarctica, executives, who have helped shape our policy, Treaty. In a speech to a joint meeting of is in a state of change, in scientific and operational priorities and Antarctic Treaty Parties and the Arctic Council, activities for many years. Our former leaders US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, reflected terms of both our staff and reflect on their time with the Antarctic Division on the importance of the Treaty in ensuring and their hopes for the future of Antarctica and international cooperation in Antarctica and its our strategic direction. the Australian Antarctic program. continued relevance today – both in Antarctica and as an example of the benefits of global To help steer us through Change is also afoot in Antarctica with the these changes is new Director, conclusion of the International Polar Year (IPY). cooperation generally. One of the four key goals of the IPY was to leave Finally, this issue of the magazine updates you Lyn Maddock, and new Chief a legacy of infrastructure and observational on some of the latest activities in polar science, Scientist, John Gunn. systems to support research into the future. For medicine and art. These include the discovery some countries this has meant the construction of four new tick-borne viruses in penguins of new Antarctic stations in strategic locations on Macquarie Island, and a policy-science Among the challenges the Division faces is for scientific research. For others it has meant collaboration looking at new remote monitoring the development of a clear understanding of new, enhanced, or automated observation technology to assist with our management our priorities in Antarctica – given budget systems that will continue the work begun responsibilities at Heard and McDonald islands. pressures, an increase in the number of nations during the IPY. More broadly it has also meant Enjoy your reading. active in Antarctica, the importance of climate the collection of significant data sets, which change research, and changes in the way we will be shared amongst nations; establishment operate in Antarctica. Within this context, our of new or improved international links between scientists and scientific institutions; and new scientists are also working hard to develop a opportunities for future polar scientists. These new science strategy that will guide research in WENDY PYPER and other outcomes from the IPY set the stage Antarctica for the next five years. Editor for new ways of working in Antarctica that This issue of the magazine introduces you will strengthen our ability to answer scientific to Lyn and John and what’s at the top of questions of global importance. 1 FT CRO P AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 16: 2009 USS HO USS R StEERING thE ANtaRCTIC DIVI SION thROUgh thE paCK ICE Throughout her varied career indicators for states in areas such as courts, with the Australian Communications Authority prisons, child protection, education and health. and leading the new body, the Australian Communications and Media Authority. Lyn Maddock has acquired ‘My work at the Productivity Commission skills and knowledge that, drove home the importance of ensuring ‘This was a fascinating and challenging that operating practices are sufficiently experience which taught me a lot about when viewed collectively, documented,’ Lyn says. managing difficult situations,’ she says. cut a logical path to the ‘The new Melbourne office was expected to Lyn spent nine months in 2008 establishing run in the same way as the Canberra office, Screen Australia, which included rethinking Director’s seat at the but most of the organisation’s policies policies for film funding. and procedures were embedded in peoples’ Australian Antarctic Division. ‘All these skills – policy and research in experience and passed down informally, so we the Prime Minister’s Department, public often found ourselves reinventing practices we After completing an economics degree at relations from Westpac, policy and procedure didn’t need to. the University of Queensland, Lyn began her implementation from the Productivity public sector career in the Australian Bureau ‘If you’ve got a high turnover of people, as the Commission, management and business planning of Statistics, and as a research economist Antarctic Division has each summer with new from the safety commission, ambiguity and at the Bureau of Roads. She then moved expeditioners, it’s important that processes and change management from the communications into a long career as a policy economist in the things that drive an organisation’s culture – and broadcasting authorities, and the the Prime Minister’s Department, where she which are often not written down – are managed experience of working within and outside worked on microeconomic issues relating or documented appropriately.’ government – will be important in my role at the to transport, health and trade policy. She Antarctic Division,’ Lyn says. In 1997 Lyn took a job as Deputy CEO of the stepped into the private sector briefly, with National Occupational Health and Safety Lyn also brings experience as a player and coach a stint in government relations at Westpac, Commission, with responsibility for managing of state level hockey, which she says taught her before moving back to the public sector in research, the occupational health and safety about management and delegation. And she has the Productivity Commission’s