ISSUE 38 2020 The Australian Antarctic Division, a Division of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, 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 offshore areas. • Take advantage of the special opportunities Antarctica 8 Future Capabilities 14 Science offers for scientific research. Traverse capability at core of ice research The Ice-o-pod • Protect the Antarctic environment, having regard to its special qualities and effects on our region. • 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 24 History 28 Outreach the Minister for the Environment and Energy. Going gaga over Googie Icebreaker’s last voyage becomes digital artwork © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia, 2020 Australian Antarctic Magazine is licensed by the CONTENTS Commonwealth of Australia for use under a Creative DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE HISTORY Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence, with the exception of the Coat of Arms of the Commonwealth of From the Director 1 Going gaga over Googies 24 Australia, content supplied by third parties, and any images Stamps commemorate the 1948 depicting people. For licence conditions see: https:// FUTURE CAPABILITIES Wyatt Earp Expedition 26 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. Big data science gets Kool 2 This publication should be attributed as ‘Australian Antarctic POLICY Magazine, Commonwealth of Australia 2020’. Southern Ocean science at the speed of light 4 Shining a light on deep sea cables 5 Australia conducts Antarctic Treaty inspections 27 The Commonwealth of Australia has made all reasonable Nuyina’s new Antarctic anchorage 6 efforts to identify content supplied by third parties using the OUTREACH following format ‘© Copyright, [name of third party]’. Traverse capability at core of ice research 8 Drilling deep 10 Icebreaker’s last voyage becomes digital artwork 28 Editorial enquiries, including requests to reproduce material, or contributions, should be addressed to: Artful tractors reflect Australian spirit 10 IN BRIEF The Editor SCIENCE Interim icebreaker 30 Australian Antarctic Magazine Australian Antarctic Division Icebreaker’s propeller turns for the first time 30 Surveys to set environmental baselines 203 Channel Highway for proposed Davis aerodrome 11 Sealers’ ships immortalised on Kingston, 7050 The Ice-o-pod 14 remote Heard Island 31 Tasmania, Australia. Microplastics found in Antarctic sea ice 31 Understanding the winter habits of krill 17 Australian Antarctic Division Building capacity for marine conservation 18 New Antarctic science strategic plan 32 Telephone: (03) 6232 3209 Ice core climate insights assist Precision parachute drop 32 (International 61 3 6232 3209) drought management 19 email: [email protected] First Antarctic heatwave recorded at Editor: Wendy Pyper Casey research station 20 Production: Nisha Harris, Jessica Fitzpatrick Battle of the sexes 22 Graphic Design: The20 Issue 38: June 2020 Areas of Ecological Significance 23 ISSN 1445-1735 (print version) Australian Antarctic Magazine is printed on Monza satin recycled paper; a 50% post consumer waste and 50% FSC ABOUT THE COVER certified fibre stock. Australia’s new icebreaker, RSV Nuyina, alongside Australian Antarctic Magazine can be viewed online: the wharf at Damen Shipyards, Galati, Romania, www.antarctica.gov.au/magazine in April 2020. While the ship is now 98 per cent @AusAntarctic complete, final harbour acceptance trials and sea AusAntarctic trials have been delayed due to travel restrictions AusAntarctic arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. (Image: Damen) AusAntarctic From the Director We’re living through a world of change. Most of us are experiencing disruption to our lives and livelihoods due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Australian Antarctic Program is no exception. The COVID-19 pandemic has meant substantial have been delayed, we have sought an interim that is fundamental to all Antarctic endeavours. Our changes to our Antarctic and Southern Ocean shipping solution. The Ice Class Multi Purpose inspections found a high level of compliance with operations, this year and into the next. This includes Vessel (MPV) Everest will resupply our stations and the environmental and non-militarisation principles a limit on the movement of people south on ships change over expedition teams (see In Brief). Despite of the Antarctic Treaty system. We were also very and planes, a reduced ability to recruit and train new delays to testing, the Nuyina is more than 98 per pleased to see examples of the scientific research teams for next summer, disruptions to our supply cent complete and is looking spectacular. I hope being undertaken, and the operational practices of chains, and delays to work on major projects. you enjoy the special poster insert we’ve included other Antarctic nations. Our inspection report will be in this issue, showcasing many of her scientific and available following consideration by the Antarctic In spite of these limits, the Australian Antarctic logistic capabilities. Treaty Consultative Parties. Program continues with a transformational change in how it operates in Antarctica, with a new Like so many aspects of our business, the Australian Unfortunately the pandemic has caused the icebreaker, upgrades to station infrastructure, a Antarctic Magazine has also been undergoing a cancellation of what would have been a significant reinvigorated traverse capability, and the Davis review. Since its inception in 2001, the magazine has international gathering of Antarctic scientists and Aerodrome Project. been published twice a year, and made available operators in Hobart in July – the combined Scientific online. We’re excited to announce that with an Committee on Antarctic Research Open Science Our teams have responded quickly to the change, imminent upgrade to our website (www.antarctica. Conference, and the Council of Managers of National bringing resilience, adaptability and good humour gov.au), we will bring you an enhanced digital Antarctic Programs Annual General Meeting. to the challenge of managing the risks to delayed version of the magazine, with more interactive projects, adapting our program and continuing While there have been disappointments this year, content. We will also move to one annual print issue to deliver on our scientific and operational the good news is that Australia’s Antarctic and – you can look forward to the next one in June 2021. commitments. sub-Antarctic stations remain virus-free. Thanks to Before the pandemic hit, I was fortunate to spend the hard work and planning of our doctors and other In March we bade farewell to our much-loved two months conducting the most extensive dedicated teams across the Division, Antarctica is icebreaker, Aurora Australis. This was an important international inspection program Australia has ever now the safest place to be. milestone for the Australian Antarctic Program undertaken in Antarctica – in accordance with the after 30 years of Antarctic service, however the I hope you and your families are safe and healthy, Antarctic Treaty and its Protocol on Environmental pandemic scuppered our plans for a series of and I look forward to reporting on positive Protection. My colleagues and I, from the Australian farewell events. The Aurora will live on in the hearts developments in the Australian Antarctic Program in Antarctic Division and the Department of Foreign and minds of those who sailed on her, and now the next issue of the Australian Antarctic Magazine, Affairs and Trade, inspected six Antarctic stations in the digital world too – with our 2019-20 Arts a year from now. from the Republic of Korea, Germany, China, Russia Fellows, Wild System, creating a virtual version and Belarus. We also visited six other stations Kim Ellis of the ship and their voyage for an interactive operated by the United States, New Zealand, Italy, Director exhibition (page 28). China, India and Russia (page 27). While final harbour acceptance and sea acceptance We were warmly welcomed at all the facilities we trials for our replacement icebreaker, RSV Nuyina, Kim Ellis at China’s Taishan station during Antarctic Treaty visited, reflecting the spirit of international cooperation inspections. (Image: AAD) Issue 38 2020 Australian Antarctic Magazine DIRECTORS MESSAGE 1 The new icebreaker RSV Nuyina will see a scale change