Modelling Movement of Antarctic Krill
The MMAK project is using state-of-the-art ocean-sea ice models to improve our understanding of processes that influence the distribution of krill in the South Orkney Islands region.
Oceanography
Polar oceans influence the entire Earth System in all areas, including the seas around the UK. The polar oceans have an enormous capacity to store and redistribute fresh water, heat, carbon dioxide and other climatically-important substances. Oceanographic studies help make more accurate predictions about global impacts.
National Capability for Global Challenges
Polar Expertise – Supporting Development
Scotia Sea open-ocean biological laboratories
Sustained ocean observing programme
SO-AntEco Biodiversity
In this collaboration with the Natural History Museum (NHM) and the University of Liverpool, we have developed novel methods for using existing data to contribute to marine conservation and fisheries …
UKESM-BAS
Reliable projections of the Earth’s climate are at the heart of scientific support for international efforts to address global change. There is increasing recognition that reliable projections require that physical …
ORCHESTRA
Understanding the Ocean Regulation of Climate by Heat, Carbon Sequestration and Transports
Oceanographic models for the Scotia Sea
Development of regional models to examine the detailed oceanography of island shelves and surrounding regions.
DynOPO
Dynamics of the Orkney Passage Outflow (DynOPO) is a collaboration between BAS, the University of Southampton and the National Oceanography Centre (NOC). The project aims to investigate the flow of …
A23 repeat section
Understanding Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) and its affect on global ocean circulation.
Rothera Time Series
Earth System indicators in Antarctica
Antarctic tipping points
1 June, 2023
Concern is rising about tipping points in the Antarctic region (Armstrong et al., 2022). Recent heatwaves, changes in the Southern Ocean, and a reduction in the extent of Antarctic sea …
Un-mixing the ocean: double diffusion and turbulence in polar oceans
19 January, 2022
New research links ocean tides to when icebergs in Antarctica break off
24 July, 2025
A new study has revealed that ocean tides can directly influence when massive Antarctic icebergs break off from the ice shelves surrounding the continent, a process known as calving. The research marks a major step toward accurately forecasting ice loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet and improving projections of global sea level rise.
A first for RRS Sir David Attenborough: science in the dark
25 June, 2025
Professor Mike Meredith is an oceanographer at British Antarctic Survey. He concludes a first of its kind science cruise on the RRS Sir David Attenborough conducting research in the polar …
Underwater robotic gliders provide new insights into the impact of a melting megaberg
4 April, 2025
For the first time, scientists have collected measurements close to a giant iceberg, giving an unprecedented window into the impact of meltwater on the surrounding Southern Ocean and ecosystem. The …
Mission to Antarctica seeks answers to critical questions about nutrients and carbon
5 February, 2025
Scientists return to the Southern Ocean this week (5 February 2025), as part of the BIOPOLE project, to answer fundamental questions about how nutrients drive the global carbon cycle and …
Plastic reduces how krill remove carbon into deep ocean
20 November, 2024
New research shows that increased levels of plastic pollution in the Southern Ocean could reduce the ability of Antarctic krill, a tiny shrimp-like crustacean, to help take CO2 from the atmosphere. The …
Underwater tsunamis focus of new study
19 November, 2024
An international research team, led by British Antarctic Survey (BAS), has been awarded £3.7M to advance a ground-breaking study on how underwater tsunamis are triggered by glacier calving around Antarctica. …
First Antarctic research mission on polar ship
20 November, 2023
A team of international researchers set sail on the RRS Sir David Attenborough today (20 November) to answer some of the big questions about how Antarctic ecosystems and sea ice …
Urgent call for more Southern Ocean research
18 August, 2023
Today, hundreds of international scientists are sounding a clarion call for urgent expansion of Southern Ocean research in the emerging climate crisis. 300 scientists from 25 nations have been meeting …
Deep ocean waters in Antarctica are shrinking and warming
12 June, 2023
Antarctic Bottom Water is the coldest, densest water mass on the planet and plays a pivotal role in regulating the ocean’s ability to store heat and capture carbon. In a …
Underwater tsunamis created by glacier calving
23 November, 2022
Scientists on a research vessel in Antarctica watched the front of a glacier disintegrate and their measurements ‘went off the scale’. As well as witnessing disruptions on the ocean surface, …