Investigating physical and chemical changes in atmospheric circulation, ozone depletion, temperatures and sea-ice extent in both Polar Regions can help determine how much of the observed change is due to human activity and how much is a result of natural factors. Unique chemical processes occur in the atmosphere above Antarctica and the Arctic reveal much about our changing world.

Understanding the atmosphere and the ozone layer – a short film from UNEP

 

 

turbulence probe over sea ice

Arctic Summer-time Cyclones

The Arctic Summer-time Cyclone Project is a joint project of scientists from the University of Reading, University of East Anglia and the British Antarctic Survey with expertise in atmospheric dynamics, …

MesoS2D

In order to accurately predict impacts of space weather and climate variability on the whole atmosphere we need an accurate representation of the whole atmosphere. The mesosphere (~50-95 km altitude) …

Chart showing climate temperature records from the Arctic in a blue to red colour scale

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.

Panorama view of South Georgia looking SSW

Southern Ocean Clouds

SOC is a project of the NERC CloudSense Programme The biases observed in climate models over the Southern Ocean in surface radiation and sea surface temperature are larger than anywhere …

A sunset over a body of water.

SEANA

Global shipping is undergoing significant changes. In January 2020 the maximum sulphur emission by ships in international waters will reduce from 3.5% to 0.5% by mass, as a result of …

A plane flying over a body of water.

North Sea Methane

Offshore gas fields worldwide are major sources of methane emissions. Developing reliable methods to locate emissions and pinpoint sources is critical for quantifying the volume of methane emissions from gas …

Schematic of atmospheric waves and the large-scale circulations they drive.

Whole Atmosphere Climate Change

The near-Earth space environment is host to an increasing amount of advanced, satellite-based technology, used for both commercial and scientific purposes. To safeguard this technology and ensure that we can …

Aurora Australis from the ISS

SWIGS

  Certain ground based technologies, such as electrical power grids, pipelines and railways are susceptible to the effects of Space Weather. Changes in the way the magnetic fields of the …

A person riding a wave on top of a mountain.

SONATA

The Southern Ocean is one of the most important and poorly understood components of the global carbon cycle that profoundly shapes Earth’s climate. It is the primary hot spot for …

A group of people riding skis on top of a snow covered slope

UK researchers join forces to put science at forefront of climate solutions

3 November, 2021

British Antarctic Survey is one of seven Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) supported centres and the Met Office, which will work together as the new UK National Climate Science Partnership (UKNCSP) to respond to threats posed by a rapidly changing climate by putting climate science at the forefront of the solutions agenda.

Scientist examining samples in a laboratory

Do your PhD with British Antarctic Survey in 2021

25 November, 2020

Applications for PhD projects with British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are now open for October 2021 admission. There are currently over 100 PhD students associated with BAS, working on a huge variety …

Automated Halley monitors the ozone hole over Antarctica

16 September, 2020

This World Ozone Day, British Antarctic Survey (BAS) celebrates new technology which enables continuous monitoring of the ozone hole over Antarctica. Readings from the Dobson Ozone Spectrophotometer at Halley Research …

A propellor areoplane next to the flags of the Antarctic Treaty nations, behind the south pole marker

Record warming at the South Pole

29 June, 2020

The South Pole has warmed at over three times the global rate since 1989, according to a paper published in Nature Climate Change today (29 June 2020). This warming period was …

A plane flying in the air.

Cloud study aids climate predictions

17 January, 2020

British Antarctic Survey’s Twin Otter aircraft takes to the skies over Barbados as part of a major international research campaign to enhance understanding of the behaviour of clouds and their …

Engineers automate science from remote Antarctic station

25 June, 2019

A remote and unoccupied research station in Antarctica has, for the first time, collected important scientific measurements of climate, ozone and space weather thanks to ground-breaking technology developed by British …