I am the Science Leader of the Ice Dynamics and Palaeoclimate team at BAS. 

I have been responsible for many years for the BAS ice core analytical programme and the development of the continuous flow analysis system for rapid analysis of ice cores.  I have many seasons experience in the field in Antarctica, Greenland and the Arctic, either taking part in multinational ice drilling projects or leading the UK ice drilling projects.  Major successes include leading the ice core drilling projects to bedrock on Berkner Island, James Ross Island and Fletcher Promontory plus numerous other shallow and medium depth ice core projects.

• Mulvaney, R., King, E., Martin, C., Rix, J., Cavitte, M., Ritz, C., & Frezotti, M. (2022). Ice radar data from Little Dome C, Antarctica, 2016-2018 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/3ea504d8-41c2-40dc-86dc-284c341badaa

• Winton, V., Caillon, N., Hauge, L., Mulvaney, R., Rix, J., Savarino, J., Tuckwell, R., & Frey, M. (2019). Ice core chemistry, density, conductivity, dust, snow accumulation rate, and stable nitrate isotopic composition of the 120 m ISOL-ICE ice core, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/9c972cfb-0ffa-4144-a943-da6eb82431d2

• Winton, V., Caillon, N., Hauge, L., Mulvaney, R., Rix, J., Savarino, J., Tuckwell, R., & Frey, M. (2019). Ice core chemistry, conductivity, and stable nitrate isotopic composition of the Samalas eruption in 1259 from the ISOL-ICE ice core, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/d9a74ea7-2a1a-4068-847e-5bc9f51947c5

• Mulvaney, R. (2017). Stable isotope data and snow accumulation from the Dyer Plateau ice core, drilled 1989-90, Palmer Land, Antarctic Peninsula (Version 1.0) [Data set]. Polar Data Centre; British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council; Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK.. https://doi.org/10.5285/21a8fca5-8eae-48e4-93c0-bc6b4433e34c

• Mulvaney, R. (2017). Borehole derived Pine Island Glacier mean annual temperatures – collected 2014-2015 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. Polar Data Centre; British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council; Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK.. https://doi.org/10.5285/eae547d0-9668-4ba1-9fc4-67929382395f

• Marshall, G., Miles, G., Turner, J., Lachlan-Cope, T., & Mulvaney, R. (2007). Automatic Weather Station (AWS) data collected from Rothschild, Latady and Smyley Islands, Antarctic Peninsula, 2005 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://data.bas.ac.uk/full-record.php?id=GB/NERC/BAS/PDC/00293

• Marshall, G., Miles, G., Turner, J., Lachlan-Cope, T., & Mulvaney, R. (2007). Analysis of snow/ice cores collected from Rothschild, Latady and Smyley Islands, Antarctic Peninsula, 2006 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://data.bas.ac.uk/full-record.php?id=GB/NERC/BAS/PDC/00294

1. Polar Zero – Ice core

   A moment frozen in time Experience the sound of ancient air bubbles popping as an Antarctic Peninsula ice core emerges from an insulated tube.  As it melts and drips away […]

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2. Polar Zero – 1765 ‘Air’

   Polar Zero – 1765

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3. Polar Zero: climate science-art collaboration

   The Polar Zero experience at Glasgow Science Centre is a fusion of science and art made for COP26 climate summit

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4. Climate Code

   This collaborative project is born from exploring novel ways of visualising environment​al data and telling the climate change story. Read more about the project and the science behind it through the project page.

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5. Ice Floor Sci-Art Installation

   Ice Floor, is an immersive exhibition commissioned by engineering consultants Arup. UK born artist Wayne Binitie created the installation.

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6. Impact of Plastic in the Polar Regions

   This project investigated plastic pollution across Arctic and Antarctic environments. Scientists collected water, ice, and sediment samples to quantify macro and microplastic pollution, track its sources, and assess its impact on polar wildlife.

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7. Earth’s Oldest Ice

   Beyond Epica – Oldest Ice drilled Antarctic cores up to 1.5 million years old. It explored past climate and greenhouse gas cycles, building on the Dome C ice record.

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8. Data as Art: POLAR AESTHETICS

   British Antarctic Survey has an ongoing science & art collaboration with Royal College of Art PhD candidate Wayne Binitie. Wayne has visited BAS a number of times to develop his […]

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9. Weddell Sea ice sheet and climate

   Studying ice response during past climate changes improves understanding of Antarctic ice sheet dynamics. This knowledge helps predict how ice sheets may behave under future warming scenarios.

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10. Rapid drilling to find ancient ice

    A new drill (the Rapid Access Isotope Drill, or RAID) is being developed by BAS which, rather than collect a full ice-core, this drill will chop up the ice and will allow collecting ice chippings.

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11. Antarctic Climate over the last millennia

    This project used ice cores drilled across the Antarctic Peninsula and West Antarctica to reconstruct past climate and understand whether the recent warming in these rapidly changing regions is unusual over longer timescales..

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12. Improving estimates of Antarctica’s contribution to sea level

    This research aims to improve estimates of Antarctica’s contribution to sea level. Sea level is currently rising at approximately 3mm/yr.

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13. ISOL-ICE

    This project collected a shallow ice core from East Antarctic Plateau to reconstruct past ultraviolet radiation and therefore the ozone layer for the past 1,000 yr by measuring the isotopes of nitrogen and oxygen in the nitrate ion.

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14. iStar-D The contribution to sea-level rise from the Amundsen Sea sector of Antarctica

    iStar-D will identify the potential contribution to sea-level rise, from ice locked in the Amundsen Sea sector of Antarctica

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1. SCIENCE ON THE ICE – Part 2: Setting up camp at Little Dome C

   This Antarctic season BAS scientist Dr Robert Mulvaney is taking part in the ongoing hunt for the oldest ice record Beyond Epica. Using a variety of different techniques, he and […]

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2. SCIENCE ON THE ICE – Part 1: The search for the oldest ice continues

   BAS glaciologist Dr Robert Mulvaney journeys deep into Antarctica where he and the team continue their search for the oldest ice record of atmosphere and climate – hopefully stretching back 1.5 million years.

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1. Antarctica’s oldest ice heading to Europe

   The oldest ice ever extracted from Antarctica is on its way to Europe, marking a major milestone in climate science.

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2. Ancient Antarctic ice loss offers insights into future climate scenarios

   Scientists from the University of Cambridge and British Antarctic Survey have used ice core records to draw new conclusions about how Antarctica was affected by increased global temperatures over 100,000 years ago.

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3. Historic drilling project finds ice over 1.2 million years old

   The Beyond EPICA-Oldest Ice project has successfully drilled a 2800-metre-long ice core consisting of ice which is over 1.2 million years old.

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4. Oldest ice drilling campaign reaches key milestone

   Scientists in East Antarctica drilling to find the Earth’s oldest ice have reached a key milestone after two months of fieldwork in sub-zero temperatures. The team is part of Beyond […]

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5. Beyond EPICA deep drilling campaign begins

   Scientists return to East Antarctica this month (December) to locate the oldest ice on Earth. The team is part of an EU-funded research consortium from 10 European countries whose aim […]

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6. High levels of pollutants in Antarctic snow

   Scientists have recorded markedly increased levels of ‘fluorinated forever chemicals’ in Antarctic snow which are thought to have originated from the use of CFC-replacements.

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7. Drilling of oldest ice on Earth completed

   The first ice core drilling campaign of Beyond Epica-Oldest Ice has been successfully completed at the remote Little Dome C site in Antarctica – one of the most extreme places […]

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8. Mission to drill Antarctica’s oldest ice

   The first campaign to drill Antarctica’s oldest ice starts this month (November). Beyond EPICA-Oldest Ice aims to drill an ice core to collect a record of past climate spanning 1.5 million years

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9. Immersive science-art exhibition opens at Glasgow Science Centre

   A new immersive exhibition, Polar Zero, opens at Glasgow Science Centre this weekend (2 October), injecting an artistic and cultural dimension to the climate negotiations at the Conference of the […]

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10. Polar Zero: visual arts take centre stage at COP26

    Immersive science-art ice core research exhibition to be displayed at Glasgow Science Centre during COP26

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11. Ice core inspired art installation opens in London

    A new climate change artwork – Ice Floor, a new Phase 2 by Wayne Binitie, opens this week at Arup’s Fitzroy Street offices in London. The work was developed in […]

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12. New mission for 1.5 million year climate record

    This week a team of European researchers announces its plans for an ambitious mission to find the oldest ice on Earth (9 April 2019).  Antarctica’s ice has the potential to […]

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13. Polar medals awarded to BAS staff

    Two British Antarctic Survey (BAS) staff have been awarded the Polar Medal, and one member of staff has been awarded a prestigious Second Clasp. The announcement was published at the […]

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14. Scientists complete remote ice core drilling mission

    A team of scientists and engineers from British Antarctic Survey and the University of Cambridge has successfully drilled over 650 metres in to an Antarctic ice cap to obtain an […]

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15. British Antarctic Survey at Bluedot Festival 2017

    British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is delighted to be participating in this year’s Bluedot music festival in Macclesfield 7-9 July. The event, which last year attracted over 20,000 visitors, is billed […]

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16. Quest begins for oldest ice on Earth

    First phase of project to collect 1.5 million years of climate data in Antarctica A team of European scientists heads to East Antarctica this month to locate the oldest ice […]

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17. Polar ice reveals secrets of carbon-climate feedbacks

    An international team of scientists have used air bubbles in polar ice from pre-industrial times to measure the sensitivity of the Earth’s land biosphere to changes in temperature.

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18. A recent pause in Antarctic Peninsula warming

    The rapid warming of the Antarctic Peninsula, which occurred from the early-1950s to the late 1990s, has paused. Stabilisation of the ozone hole along with natural climate variability were significant in bringing about the change. Together these influences have now caused the northern part of the peninsula to enter a temporary cooling phase. Temperatures remain higher than measured during the middle of the 20th Century and glacial retreat is still taking place. However, scientists predict that if greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise at the current rate, temperatures will increase across the Antarctic Peninsula by several degrees Centigrade by the end of this century.

    Read more of: A recent pause in Antarctic Peninsula warming

    

19. NEWS STORY: Polar ice cores reveal volcanic eruptions

    Polar ice cores reveal volcanic eruptions that changed human history Researchers find new evidence that large eruptions were responsible for cold temperature extremes recorded since early Roman times A freshly […]

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20. Ice core aquisition and analysis

    UK national facility and capability

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21. NEWS STORY: New iSTAR season starts

    Scientists head to Pine Island Glacier for new research season A team of twelve scientists and support staff has arrived on Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica in the second […]

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22. NEWS STORY: Changes in winds in south

    Ocean winds keep Australia dry and Antarctica cold New research explains why Antarctica is not warming as much as other continents, and why southern Australia is recording more droughts. Analysis […]

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23. PRESS RELEASE: Increase in melt rates on Antarctic Peninsula

    New insight into accelerating summer ice melt on the Antarctic Peninsula A new 1000-year Antarctic Peninsula climate reconstruction shows that summer ice melting has intensified almost ten-fold, and mostly since […]

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24. NEWS STORY: Greenland ice shows past trends

    Greenland ice core reveals warm past temperatures British Antarctic Survey scientists have contributed to a new study published in Nature (Thursday 24 January) that provides surprising details on changes in […]

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25. PRESS RELEASE: Antarctica’s climate timeline

    New climate history adds to understanding of recent Antarctic Peninsula warming Results published this week by a team of polar scientists from Britain, Australia and France adds a new dimension […]

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26. How Antarctic ice cores give us clues about Earth’s future climate

    Science writer and broadcaster Richard Hollingham meets Dr Robert Mulvaney at the British Antarctic Survey, who explains how collecting ice cores from all over Antarctica gives scientists a unique window […]

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27. Glaciologist recognised in New Year Honours List

    Recognised internationally for his research into the Earth’s past climate, Dr Mulvaney, has led British and collaborative deep-field missions to collect Antarctic ice cores from some of the most inaccessible […]

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28. Visit Antarctica with British Antarctic Survey during Cambridge Science Festival – 10-20 March 2008

    Join scientists from British Antarctic Survey as they take you on a journey to Antarctica. As part of this year’s Cambridge Science Festival, BAS will host two evening talks at […]

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