The Antarctic ozone hole during 2011
1 January, 2014 by Jonathan Shanklin
The Antarctic ozone hole of 2011 is reviewed from a variety of perspectives, making use of various data and analyses. The ozone hole of 2011 was relatively large in terms…Our publications
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Non-breeding season movements of six North American Roseate Terns Sterna dougallii tracked with geolocators
1 January, 2014
Little is known of the endangered and declining western North Atlantic population of the Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii outside the breeding season, when most mortality probably occurs. We used geolocators…Environmental complexity and biodiversity: the multi-layered evolutionary history of a log-dwelling velvet worm in montane temperate Australia
17 December, 2013 by Chester Sands
Phylogeographic studies provide a framework for understanding the importance of intrinsic versus extrinsic factors in shaping patterns of biodiversity through identifying past and present microevolutionary processes that contributed to lineage…Surgery and anaesthesia during the heroic age of Antarctic exploration (1895-1922)
17 December, 2013
During the heroic age of Antarctic exploration, general anaesthesia was given on at least 11 occasions. This paper describes some of the surgery procedures performed, including on the doctors themselvesRead more on Surgery and anaesthesia during the heroic age of Antarctic exploration (1895-1922)
Evaluation of biospheric components in Earth system models using modern and palaeo observations: the state-of-the-art
16 December, 2013 by Eric Wolff
Earth system models are increasing in complexity and incorporating more processes than their predecessors, making them important tools for studying the global carbon cycle. However, their coupled behaviour has only…Estimates of the Southern Ocean general circulation improved by animal-borne instruments
16 December, 2013 by Keith Nicholls
Over the last decade, several hundred seals have been equipped with conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) sensors in the Southern Ocean for both biological and physical oceanographic studies. A calibrated collection of seal-derived…The atmospheric HCHO budget at Dumont d’Urville (East Antarctica): Contribution of photochemical gas-phase production versus snow emissions
16 December, 2013 by Anna Jones
HCHO was monitored throughout the year 2009 at the coastal East Antarctic site of Dumont d'Urville (DDU) using Aerolaser AL-4021 analyzers. The accurate determination of less than 100 pptv required…Vulcanolepas scotiaensis sp. nov., a new deep-sea scalpelliform barnacle (Eolepadidae: Neolepadinae) from hydrothermal vents in the Scotia sea, Antarctica
9 December, 2013 by Jennifer Jackson, Katrin Linse
A new deep-sea stalked barnacle, Vulcanolepas scotiaensis sp. nov. is described from hydrothermal vents at depths of 2400–2600 metres along segments of the East Scotia Ridge and from 1400 metres…Determining the spectra of radiation belt electron losses: Fitting DEMETER electron flux observations for typical and storm times
9 December, 2013 by Mark Clilverd
The energy spectra of energetic electron precipitation from the radiation belts are studied in order to improve our understanding of the influence of radiation belt processes. The Detection of Electromagnetic…Geographical range, heat tolerance and invasion success in aquatic species
7 December, 2013 by Simon Morley
Species with broader geographical ranges are expected to be ecological generalists, while species with higher heat tolerances may be relatively competitive at more extreme and increasing temperatures. Thus, both traits…Read more on Geographical range, heat tolerance and invasion success in aquatic species
Investigating the consistency between proxy-based reconstructions and climate models using data assimilation: a mid-Holocene case study
6 December, 2013 by Pierre Mathiot
The mid-Holocene (6 kyr BP; thousand years before present) is a key period to study the consistency between model results and proxy-based reconstruction data as it corresponds to a standard…Diversity of microfungi in orthogenic soils from Beaufort Island, continental Antarctica
1 December, 2013 by Peter Convey
This paper presents the results of a biodiversity study of microfungi in ornithogenic soils from Beaufort Island (Ross Sea, continental Antarctic). During the 2004/05 austral summer, we sampled a wide…Variability of circumpolar deep water transport onto the Amundsen Sea continental shelf through a shelf break trough
1 December, 2013 by Adrian Jenkins, Deb Shoosmith, Keith Nicholls
The presence of warm Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) intrusions on the Amundsen continental shelf has been linked to recent thinning of the outlet glaciers draining the West Antarctic ice sheet…Late Cretaceous winter sea ice in Antarctica?
1 December, 2013 by Jane Francis, Vanessa Bowman
The Late Cretaceous is considered to have been a time of greenhouse climates, although evidence from Maastrichtian sediments for rapid and significant sea-level changes suggests that ice sheets were growing…Circumpolar overview and spatial heterogeneity of Antarctic macrobenthic communities
1 December, 2013 by Huw Griffiths
The geographical coverage of a comprehensive dataset on Antarctic macrobenthic communities is provided for the first time. Since the sampling methods applied since the 1950s vary considerably, a robust analysis…Read more on Circumpolar overview and spatial heterogeneity of Antarctic macrobenthic communities
Ice shelf/ocean interactions under the Amery Ice Shelf: seasonal variability and its effect on marine ice formation
1 December, 2013 by Keith Nicholls
Marine ice is an important factor in ice shelf stability. An extensive marine ice layer is present under the Amery Ice Shelf (AIS), East Antarctica. This paper documents observations on…From strategic ambiguity to technical reference points in the Antarctic krill fishery: the worst journey in the world
1 December, 2013 by Simeon Hill
The goals of ecosystem based management (EBM) are strategically ambiguous, meaning that they require interpretation to identify objectives for ecosystem state. Ecosystem states that are useful for achieving such objectives…The effect of basal channels on oceanic ice-shelf melting
1 December, 2013 by Adrian Jenkins, Paul Holland, Thomas Millgate
The presence of ice shelf basal channels has been noted in a number of Antarctic and Greenland ice shelves, but their impact on basal melting is not fully understood. Here…Read more on The effect of basal channels on oceanic ice-shelf melting
Observations of nitric oxide in the Antarctic middle atmosphere during recurrent geomagnetic storms
1 December, 2013 by David Newnham, David Maxfield, Mark Clilverd, Richard Horne
We report ground-based measurements of the polar middle atmosphere made using a 230-250 GHz passive microwave radiometer deployed at Troll station (72°01’S 02°32’E, L-shell of L = 4.8), Antarctica. Our observations show enhanced…Females better face senescence in the wandering albatross
1 December, 2013 by Deborah Pardo
Sex differences in lifespan and aging are widespread among animals. Since investment in current reproduction can have consequences on other life-history traits, the sex with the highest cost of breeding…Read more on Females better face senescence in the wandering albatross
Recent oceanic changes in the Arctic in the context of long-term observations
1 December, 2013 by Povl Abrahamsen
This synthesis study assesses recent changes of Arctic Ocean physical parameters using a unique collection of observations from the 2000s and places them in the context of long-term climate trends…Read more on Recent oceanic changes in the Arctic in the context of long-term observations
Comparison between POES energetic electron precipitation observations and riometer absorptions; implications for determining true precipitation fluxes
1 December, 2013 by Andrew Kavanagh, Mark Clilverd
Energetic Electron Precipitation (EEP) impacts the chemistry of the middle atmosphere with growing evidence of coupling to surface temperatures at high latitudes. To better understand this link it is essential…Recent environmental change and trace metal pollution in World Heritage Bathurst Harbour, southwest Tasmania, Australia
1 December, 2013 by Dominic Hodgson
Bathurst Harbour in World Heritage southwest Tasmania, Australia, is one of the world’s most pristine estuarine systems. At present there is a lack of data on pollution impacts or long-term…A paleolimnological reconstruction of Holocene climate change in southern Patagonia
1 December, 2013 by Dominic Hodgson, Stephen Roberts
To fully understand the Holocene climatic variability in the sub-polar latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere and its driving mechanisms, like the Southern Hemisphere westerly winds, we undertook a multi-proxy analysis…Read more on A paleolimnological reconstruction of Holocene climate change in southern Patagonia
Diversity and bioactivity of actinomycetes from Signy Island terrestrial soils, maritime Antarctic
1 December, 2013 by David Pearce, Peter Convey
The Antarctic represents a largely untapped source for isolation of new microorganisms with potential to produce bioactive natural products. Actinomycetes are of special interest among such microorganisms as they are…Regular patterns in frictional resistance of ice-stream beds seen by surface data inversion
29 November, 2013 by Richard Hindmarsh, Richard Hindmarsh
Fast-flowing glaciers and ice streams are pathways for ice discharge from the interior of the Antarctic Ice Sheet to ice shelves, at rates controlled by conditions at the ice-bed interface.…Oxygen isotope anomaly not present in water vapor from Alert, Canada
26 November, 2013 by Martin Miller
Lin et al. (1) claim to have discovered a positive 17O anomaly in water vapor from Alert, Canada, indicative of a component of stratospheric origin. However, their data (Tables S1−S5)…Read more on Oxygen isotope anomaly not present in water vapor from Alert, Canada
Scale-dependence of seabird-fishery data analysis and management: Reply to Croxall et al. (2013)
20 November, 2013 by Richard Phillips
Croxall et al. (2013; Mar Ecol Prog Ser 493:297-300) assert that fine-scale analysis of seabird-fisheries overlap, such as that presented in Torres et al. (2013; Mar Ecol Prog Ser 473:275-289),…Temporal and spatial evolution of the Antarctic sea ice prior to the September 2012 record maximum extent
20 November, 2013 by Gareth Marshall, Scott Hosking, John Turner, Tony Phillips
On 24 September 2012 the Antarctic sea ice extent (SIE) reached a new annual daily maximum (ADM) for the satellite era of 19.72 × 106 km2. The largest positive SIE anomalies compared to…Potential subglacial lake locations and meltwater drainage pathways beneath the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets
11 November, 2013 by Jonathan Kingslake
We use the Shreve hydraulic potential equation as a simplified approach to investigate potential subglacial lake locations and meltwater drainage pathways beneath the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets. We validate…Review of Exploring Antarctic values, by Daniela Liggett & Alan D. Hemmings (2013)
8 November, 2013
For over the past 50 years the tag line for Antarctica has been "A continent for peace and science," leaving the rest of human activities rather adrift. Yes, there have…Read more on Review of Exploring Antarctic values, by Daniela Liggett & Alan D. Hemmings (2013)
Energetic electron precipitation characteristics observed from Antarctica during a flux dropout event
5 November, 2013 by Mark Clilverd, Neil Cobbett
Data from two autonomous VLF radio receiver systems installed in a remote region of the Antarctic in 2012 is used to take advantage of the juxtaposition of the L = 4.6 contour,…Where to find 1.5 million yr old ice for the IPICS “Oldest-Ice” ice core
5 November, 2013 by Eric Wolff, Michael Dinn, Robert Arthern, Richard Hindmarsh, Robert Mulvaney, Richard Hindmarsh
The recovery of a 1.5 million yr long ice core from Antarctica represents a keystone of our understanding of Quaternary climate, the progression of glaciation over this time period and…Read more on Where to find 1.5 million yr old ice for the IPICS “Oldest-Ice” ice core
A review of sea ice proxy information from polar ice cores
1 November, 2013 by Eric Wolff
Sea ice plays an important role in Earth's climate system. The lack of direct indications of past sea ice coverage, however, means that there is limited knowledge of the sensitivity…Read more on A review of sea ice proxy information from polar ice cores
Evaluating highly branched isoprenoid (HBI) biomarkers as a novel Antarctic sea-ice proxy in deep ocean glacial age sediments
1 November, 2013 by Claire Allen, Dominic Hodgson
Antarctic sea-ice plays a primary role in the climate system, potentially modulating interhemispheric millennial-scale climate change and deglacial warming. Recently, microfossil proxy data have provided important insights into this potential…Corticosterone mediated costs of reproduction link current to future breeding
1 November, 2013 by Richard Phillips
Life-history theory predicts that costs are associated with reproduction. One possible mediator of costs involves the secretion of glucocorticoid hormones, which in birds can be measured in feathers grown during…Read more on Corticosterone mediated costs of reproduction link current to future breeding
Exploration of a simple model for ice ages
1 November, 2013 by Eric Wolff
We argue that, while Milanković variations in solar radiation undoubtedly have a major influence on the timing of the Quaternary ice ages, they are partly incidental to their underlying causes.…Predictions of critical transitions with non-stationary reduced order models
1 November, 2013
Here we demonstrate the ability of stochastic reduced order models to predict the statistics of non-stationary systems undergoing critical transitions. First, we show that the reduced order models are able…Read more on Predictions of critical transitions with non-stationary reduced order models
Eddy-driven exchange between the open ocean and a sub-ice shelf cavity
1 November, 2013 by Keith Nicholls, Paul Holland
The exchange between the open ocean and sub-ice shelf cavities is important to both water mass transformations and ice shelf melting. Here we use a high-resolution (500 m) numerical model…Read more on Eddy-driven exchange between the open ocean and a sub-ice shelf cavity
Inter-year differences in survival of Atlantic puffins Fratercula arctica are not associated with winter distribution
1 November, 2013 by Richard Phillips
Miniature geolocator loggers (Global Location Sensing, GLS) that provide daily locations of birds have revolutionised the study of winter ecology and migration patterns of seabirds. A long-term study of ringing…A novel and low cost sea ice mass balance buoy
1 November, 2013 by Jeremy Wilkinson
The understanding of sea ice mass balance processes requires continuous monitoring of the seasonal evolution of the ice thickness. While autonomous ice mass balance buoys (IMB buoys) deployed over the…Movements and activities of male black-tailed gulls in breeding and sabbatical years
1 November, 2013 by Philip Trathan
Long-lived animals sometimes skip one or more breeding seasons; however, little is known about their movements and activities during such ‘sabbatical’ periods. Here we present novel data on year-round movements…Read more on Movements and activities of male black-tailed gulls in breeding and sabbatical years
The Balloon Array for RBSP Relativistic Electron Losses (BARREL)
1 November, 2013 by Mark Clilverd
BARREL is a multiple-balloon investigation designed to study electron losses from Earth’s Radiation Belts. Selected as a NASA Living with a Star Mission of Opportunity, BARREL augments the Radiation Belt…Read more on The Balloon Array for RBSP Relativistic Electron Losses (BARREL)
Plasticity in shell morphology and growth among deep-sea protobranch bivalves of the genus Yoldiella (Yoldiidae) from contrasting Southern Ocean regions
1 November, 2013 by Katrin Linse
The ecology of Antarctic deep-sea fauna is poorly understood and few studies have gone beyond assessing biodiversity when comparing deep regions of the Southern Ocean. Protobranch bivalves are ubiquitous in…Foraging range and habitat associations of non‑breeding Tristan albatrosses: overlap with fisheries and implications for conservation
1 November, 2013 by Richard Phillips
The Tristan albatross Diomedea dabbanena is Critically Endangered: >99% of adults breed at Gough Island, central South Atlantic Ocean, where chicks are threatened by introduced predators. At sea they mostly…Ecosystem impacts of feral rabbits on World Heritage sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island: a palaeoecological perspective
1 November, 2013 by Dominic Hodgson
The introduction and establishment of non-indigenous species through human activities often poses a major threat to natural biodiversity. In many parts of the world management efforts are therefore focused on…School characteristics of mesopelagic fish at South Georgia
1 November, 2013 by Geraint Tarling, Ryan Saunders, Sally Thorpe, Sophie Fielding
In this paper, we describe the variation in myctophid schools characteristics at South Georgia using multi-frequency acoustic data collected annually between November 2007 and January 2012. We studied the relationship…Read more on School characteristics of mesopelagic fish at South Georgia
New models of North West European Holocene palaeogeography and inundation
1 November, 2013
This paper presents new 500 year interval palaeogeographic models for Britain, Ireland and the North West French coast from 11000 cal. BP to present. These models are used to calculate…Read more on New models of North West European Holocene palaeogeography and inundation
Vertebrate records in polar sediments: Biological responses to past climate change and human activities
1 November, 2013 by Dominic Hodgson
Biological responses to climate and environmental changes in remote polar regions are of increasing interest in global change research. Terrestrial and marine polar ecosystems have suffered from impacts of both…Postmigratory body condition and ovarian steroid production predict breeding decisions by female gray-headed albatrosses
30 October, 2013 by Richard Phillips
Carryover effects have been documented in many migratory bird species, but we know little about the physiological mechanisms that mediate those effects. Here we show that the energetic, endocrine, and…Modeling interannual dense shelf water export in the region of the Mertz Glacier Tongue (1992-2007)
28 October, 2013 by Andrew Meijers
1] Ocean observations around the Australian-Antarctic basin show the importance of coastal latent heat polynyas near the Mertz Glacier Tongue (MGT) to the formation of Dense Shelf Water (DSW) and…A 308-year record of climate variability in West Antarctica
28 October, 2013 by Eric Wolff, John Turner, Liz Thomas, Thomas Bracegirdle
We present a new stable isotope record from Ellsworth Land which provides a valuable 308-year record (1702-2009) of climate variability from coastal West Antarctica. Climate variability at this site is…Read more on A 308-year record of climate variability in West Antarctica
On the formulation of snow thermal conductivity in large-scale sea ice models
22 October, 2013 by Pierre Mathiot
An assessment of the performance of a state-of-the-art large-scale coupled sea ice - ocean model, including a new snow multilayer thermodynamic scheme, is performed. Four 29-years-long simulations are compared against…Read more on On the formulation of snow thermal conductivity in large-scale sea ice models
The roles of sex, mass and individual specialisation in partitioning foraging-depth niches of a pursuit-diving predator
21 October, 2013 by Norman Ratcliffe, Philip Trathan, Stacey Adlard
Intra-specific foraging niche partitioning can arise due to gender differences or individual specialisation in behaviour or prey selection. These may in turn be related to sexual size dimorphism or individual…Two-phase change in CO2, Antarctic temperature and global climate during Termination II
20 October, 2013 by Emilie Capron
The end of the Last Glacial Maximum (Termination I), roughly 20 thousand years ago (ka), was marked by cooling in the Northern Hemisphere, a weakening of the Asian monsoon, a…Read more on Two-phase change in CO2, Antarctic temperature and global climate during Termination II
Science goals and overview of the radiation belt storm probes (RBSP) energetic particle, composition, and thermal plasma (ECT) suite on NASA’s Van Allen Probes mission
18 October, 2013 by Richard Horne
The Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP)-Energetic Particle, Composition, and Thermal Plasma (ECT) suite contains an innovative complement of particle instruments to ensure the highest quality measurements ever made in the…Seasonal variations in lower stratospheric gravity wave energy above the Falkland Islands
16 October, 2013 by Andrew Kavanagh, Steve Colwell, Tracy Moffat-Griffin
The gravity wave field in the lower stratosphere (between 15 km and 22 km altitude) above Mount Pleasant Airport (51°49’S, 58°26’W), on the Falkland Islands is studied using over 2100 high-resolution radiosonde…Comparison of modeled and observed effects of radiation belt electron precipitation on mesospheric hydroxyl and ozone
16 October, 2013 by Mark Clilverd
Observations have shown that mesospheric hydroxyl (OH) is affected by energetic electron precipitation (EEP) at magnetic latitudes connected to the outer radiation belt. It is not clear, however, if the…Glaciology and geological signature of the Last Glacial Maximum Antarctic ice sheet
15 October, 2013 by Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand, James Smith
Dynamical changes in contemporary ice sheets account for significant proportions of their current rates of mass loss, but assessing whether or not these processes are a natural part of ice-sheet…Read more on Glaciology and geological signature of the Last Glacial Maximum Antarctic ice sheet
Decadal freshening of the Antarctic Bottom Water exported from the Weddell Sea
15 October, 2013 by Michael Meredith, Paul Holland
Recent decadal changes in Southern Hemisphere climate have driven strong responses from the cryosphere. Concurrently, there has been a marked freshening of the shelf and bottom waters across a wide…Read more on Decadal freshening of the Antarctic Bottom Water exported from the Weddell Sea
Role of squid in the Southern Ocean pelagic ecosystem and the possible consequences of climate change
15 October, 2013 by Paul Rodhouse
Southern Ocean squid are important predators and prey and are a potential fishery resource. Their future under climate change is analysed from predictions of change by 2100 and assessments of…Late Holocene ice-flow reconfiguration in the Weddell sector of West Antarctica
15 October, 2013 by Hugh Corr, Jonathan Kingslake, Richard Hindmarsh, Richard Hindmarsh
Here we report Late Holocene ice sheet and grounding-line changes to the Weddell Sea sector of West Antarctica. Internal radio-echo layering within the Bungenstock Ice Rise, which comprises very slow-flowing…Read more on Late Holocene ice-flow reconfiguration in the Weddell sector of West Antarctica
Ross Sea Mollusca from the Latitudinal Gradient Program: R/V Italica 2004 Rauschert dredge samples
7 October, 2013 by Huw Griffiths, Katrin Linse
Information regarding the molluscs in this dataset is based on the Rauschert dredge samples collected during the Latitudinal Gradient Program (LGP) on board the R/V “Italica” in the Ross Sea…Evidence from ice shelves for channelized meltwater flow beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet
6 October, 2013 by Adrian Jenkins, Fausto Ferraccioli, Hugh Corr, Tom Jordan
Meltwater generated beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet exerts a strong influence on the speed of ice flow, in particular for major ice streams1, 2. The subglacial meltwater also influences ocean…The interplanetary magnetic field influences mid-latitude surface atmospheric pressure
4 October, 2013 by Gareth Chisham, Mai Mai Lam, Mervyn Freeman
The existence of a meteorological response in the polar regions to fluctuations in the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) component By is well established. More controversially, there is evidence to suggest…Read more on The interplanetary magnetic field influences mid-latitude surface atmospheric pressure
Predictive systems ecology
2 October, 2013 by Eugene Murphy
Human societies, and their well-being, depend to a significant extent on the state of the ecosystems that surround them. These ecosystems are changing rapidly usually in response to anthropogenic changes…Influence of wintering area on persistent organic pollutants in a breeding migratory seabird
2 October, 2013 by Richard Phillips
As apex marine predators, seabirds are often sampled to monitor bioaccumulative persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the marine environment. Despite the restrictions on use and production of many POPs, concern…The impact of tourists on Antarctic tardigrades: an ordination-based model
2 October, 2013 by Sandra McInnes, Sandra McInnes
Tardigrades are important members of the Antarctic biota yet little is known about their role in the soil fauna or whether they are affected by anthropogenic factors. The German Federal…Read more on The impact of tourists on Antarctic tardigrades: an ordination-based model
Electron acceleration at Jupiter: greater input from cyclotron-resonant interaction with whistler-mode chorus waves
2 October, 2013 by Emma Woodfield, Richard Horne, Sarah Glauert
Jupiter has the most intense radiation belts of all the outer planets. It is not yet known how electrons can be accelerated to energies of 10 MeV or more. It…Seismic stratigraphic record of the Amundsen Sea Embayment shelf from pre-glacial to recent times: Evidence for a dynamic West Antarctic Ice Sheet
1 October, 2013 by Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand, Robert Larter
Studies of the sedimentary architecture and characteristics of the Antarctic continental margin provide clues about past ice sheet advance-retreat cycles and help improve constraints for paleo-ice dynamic models since early…Paleogeographic controls on the onset of the Antarctic circumpolar current
1 October, 2013 by Jane Francis, Vanessa Bowman
Development of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) during the Cenozoic is controversial in terms of timing and its role in major climate transitions. Some propose that the development of the…Read more on Paleogeographic controls on the onset of the Antarctic circumpolar current
The macro- and megabenthic fauna on the continental shelf of the eastern Amundsen Sea, Antarctica
1 October, 2013 by Chester Sands, David Barnes, Huw Griffiths, Katrin Linse, Peter Enderlein
In 2008 the BIOPEARL II expedition on board of RRS James Clark Ross sailed to the eastern Amundsen Sea Embayment and Pine Island Bay, one of the least studied Antarctic…Traveling ionospheric disturbances in the Weddell Sea Anomaly associated with geomagnetic activity
1 October, 2013 by Gareth Chisham, Mervyn Freeman
We present observations from the Falkland Islands Super Dual Auroral Radar Network radar of the propagation of HF radio waves via the Weddell Sea Ionospheric Anomaly (WSA), a region of…Lower ionosphere monitoring by the South America VLF Network (SAVNET): C-region occurrence and atmospheric temperature variability
1 October, 2013 by Mark Clilverd
Daily profiles of phase measurements as observed on fixed VLF-paths generally show a transient phase advance, followed by a phase delay, for about 90 minutes after sunrise hours. This is indicative…A climatology of strong wind events at McMurdo station, Antarctica
1 October, 2013 by John Turner
The first climatology of strong wind events (SWEs) at McMurdo station, Antarctica based on the in situ observations and reanalysis fields is presented. SWEs occur throughout the year, but with…Read more on A climatology of strong wind events at McMurdo station, Antarctica
A re-examination of latitudinal limits of substorm-produced energetic electron precipitation
1 October, 2013 by Mark Clilverd
The primary sources of energetic electron precipitation (EEP) which affect altitudes 30 keV) are expected to be from the radiation belts, and during substorms. EEP from the radiation belts should be…The effect of acclimation temperature on thermal activity thresholds in polar terrestrial invertebrates
1 October, 2013 by Roger Worland, Peter Convey
In the Maritime Antarctic and High Arctic, soil microhabitat temperatures throughout the year typically range between -10 and +5°C. However, on occasion, they can exceed 20°C, and these instances are…Extinction and recolonization of maritime Antarctica in the limpet Nacella concinna (Strebel, 1908) during the glacial cycle: toward a model of Quaternary biogeography in shallow Antarctic invertebrates
1 October, 2013 by Simon Morley
Quaternary glaciations in Antarctica drastically modified geographical ranges and population sizes of marine benthic invertebrates and thus affected the amount and distribution of intraspecific genetic variation. Here, we present new…Ecosystem services of the Southern Ocean: trade-offs in decision-making
1 October, 2013 by Eugene Murphy, Philip Trathan, Simeon Hill, Susie Grant
Ecosystem services are the benefits that mankind obtains from natural ecosystems. Here we identify the key services provided by the Southern Ocean. These include provisioning of fishery products, nutrient cycling,…Read more on Ecosystem services of the Southern Ocean: trade-offs in decision-making
A new diffusion matrix for whistler mode chorus waves
1 October, 2013 by Nigel Meredith, Richard Horne, Sarah Glauert, Tobias Kersten
Global models of the Van Allen radiation belts usually include resonant wave-particle interactions as a diffusion process, but there is a large uncertainty over the diffusion rates. Here we present…Read more on A new diffusion matrix for whistler mode chorus waves
Transatlantic migration by post-breeding puffins: a strategy to exploit a temporarily abundant food resource?
1 October, 2013 by Richard Phillips
The distribution of Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) from Skellig Michael, south-west Ireland, was investigated using geolocation loggers between the 2010 and 2011 breeding seasons. All tracked birds travelled rapidly west…Aircraft-Deployable Ice Observation System (ADIOS) for instrumenting inaccessible glaciers
1 October, 2013 by David Jones, Hilmar Gudmundsson
There remain large regions of scientific interest in the Antarctic that are not instrumented. These include highly dynamic ice streams and glaciers that are difficult or impossible to reach safely…Quantifying the predictability of the timing of jökulhlaups from Merzbacher Lake, Kyrgyzstan
1 October, 2013 by Jonathan Kingslake
Glacier-dammed lakes can yield subglacial outburst floods (jo¨kulhlaups) repeatedly. Predicting flood timing is crucial for hazard mitigation, but incomplete understanding of flood-initiation physics makes this challenging. Here we examine the…Mesoproterozoic subduction under the eastern edge of the Kalahari-Grunehogna Craton preceding Rodinia assembly: the Ritscherflya detrital zircon record, Ahlmannryggen (Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica)
1 October, 2013 by Philip Leat
The ∼2000 m thick clastic and volcaniclastic sedimentary rock pile of the Mesoproterozoic Ritscherflya Supergroup is located near the eastern margin of the Archaean Grunehogna Craton of Dronning Maud Land…Formation of RADARSAT backscatter feature and undulating firn stratigraphy at an ice-stream margin
1 October, 2013 by Ed King
On RADARSAT imagery, the southern margin of the onset zone of Bindschadler Ice Stream, West Antarctica, manifests a multi-banded feature, with brightness varying across the bands and oscillating along each…Poa pratensis L., current status of the longest-established non-native vascular plant in the Antarctic
1 October, 2013 by Kevin Hughes
A single colony of the non-native grass Poa pratensis L., which was introduced inadvertently to Cierva Point, Antarctic Peninsula, during the 1954–1955 season, was still present during a survey in…Nonbreeding distribution of flesh-footed shearwaters and the potential for overlap with north Pacific fisheries
1 October, 2013 by Richard Phillips
Populations of flesh-footed shearwaters on Lord Howe Island, Tasman Sea, have declined recently, with mortality in longline fisheries likely to be one of the major causes. It is therefore imperative…Influence of age, sex and breeding status on mercury accumulation patterns in the wandering albatross Diomedea exulans
1 October, 2013 by Richard Phillips
Although mercury bio-amplifies through the food chain and accumulates in top predators, mercury concentrations in tissues of the wandering albatross are greater than in any other vertebrate, including closely related…Decline in local abundance of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand
1 October, 2013 by Jennifer Jackson
Regional populations of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) around New Zealand are genetically isolated from each other and the species was recently classified as nationally endangered based on relatively small population…Efficient flowline simulations of ice-shelf/ocean interactions: Sensitivity studies with a fully coupled model
1 October, 2013 by Adrian Jenkins
Thermodynamic flowline and plume models for the ice-shelf/ocean system simplify the ice and ocean dynamics sufficiently to allow extensive exploration of parameters affecting ice-sheet stability while including key physical processes.…Polar marine biology science in Portugal and Spain: Recent advances and future perspectives
1 October, 2013 by Melody Clark
Polar marine ecosystems have global ecological and economic importance because of their unique biodiversity and their major role in climate processes and commercial fisheries, among others. Portugal and Spain have…Marine ice formation in a suture zone on the Larsen C Ice Shelf and its influence on ice shelf dynamics
1 October, 2013 by Ed King, Paul Holland
Antarctic ice shelves are fed primarily by the glaciers flowing into them. Downstream of promontories separating these glaciers, supercooled water can rise and freeze into suture zones, leading to the…Pine Island Glacier ice shelf melt distributed at kilometre scales
26 September, 2013 by Andrew Fleming, Adrian Jenkins, David Vaughan, Hugh Corr, Paul Holland, Pierre Dutrieux
By thinning and accelerating, West Antarctic ice streams are contributing about 10% of the observed global sea level rise. Much of this ice loss is from Pine Island Glacier, which…Read more on Pine Island Glacier ice shelf melt distributed at kilometre scales
Structural limitations in deriving accurate U-series ages from calcitic cold-water corals contrasts with robust coral radiocarbon and Mg/Ca systematics
26 September, 2013 by Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand
Radiocarbon and uranium-thorium dating results are presented from a genus of calcitic Antarctic cold-water octocorals (family Coralliidae), which were collected from the Marie Byrd Seamounts in the Amundsen Sea (Pacific…Upper atmosphere differences between the high-latitude Northern and Southern Hemisphere: the role of magnetic field asymmetry
23 September, 2013 by Ingrid Cnossen
The nondipolar portions of the Earth's main magnetic field constitute substantial differences between the two hemispheres. Beside the magnetic flux densities and patterns being different in the Northern Hemisphere (NH)…