BAS-Arctic Working Group
Working Group purpose
The Arctic Working Group is a group of more than 60 BAS scientists and operations staff who are currently working in the Arctic or have aspirations to work there. The AWG was started in 2018 to bring together researchers in different fields to share their experiences of Arctic research, to enable new collaborations, and to maximise the potential output of this group by coordinating efforts and knowledge regarding Arctic projects, funding calls and logistics.
Terms of Reference
Content coming soon
Our priorities
Content coming soon
Map of Arctic Working Group projects
Arctic marine geophysics
This research focuses on investigating the glacial histories of Arctic ice sheets and ice caps using the marine geological record preserved on continental margins. By reconstructing past ice sheets, their …
SDOO
Abrupt warming episodes punctuate Greenland ice core records throughout the last glacial period. These events were first identified in two Greenland stable water isotope records (Dansgaard et al., 1993), and …
Climate and Ice during the Last Interglacial
During the Last Interglacial (129-116 thousand years ago, ka) CO2 and global temperature were both higher than they were before human industrialisation. By examining Last Interglacial climate, we thus gain …
TEA-COSI
TEA_COSI assesses Arctic Sea-ice which has an important impact on currents and ocean circulations around the globe
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 …
ESA IAP ArcticSat project
Situational awareness in the Arctic
ICE-ARC
physicists, chemists, biologists, economists, and sociologists from 21 institutes in 11 countries across Europe assess the rapid retreat and collapse of Arctic sea-ice cover
SIOS
Svalbard Integrated Earth Observing System (SIOS) is an international infrastructure project. There are 26 partners from Europe and Asia involved. The essential objective is to establish better coordinated services for …
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 …
Data As Art
DATA AS ART is an ongoing science & art project in development at NERC’s British Antarctic Survey (BAS). It visualises science data (in its widest definition), to create stunning and …
EISCAT Science Support
The UK EISCAT support group (UKESG) is a collaboration between the British Antarctic Survey and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, funded via the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) EISCAT, the …
Iceland Greenland seas Project
PI: Ian Renfrew (University of East Anglia) CO-I’s: Tom Bracegirdle, Tom Lachlan-Cope, Alexandra Weiss PDRA’s: Andrew Elvidge (University of East Anglia), James Pope NERC Grant: NE/N009924/1 Project Partners: Robert Pickart …
ACSIS
Major changes are occurring across the North Atlantic climate system: in the ocean and atmosphere temperatures and circulation, in sea ice thickness and extent, and in key atmospheric constituents such …
Increasing ship traffic in Inuit Nunangat
17 August, 2023
Researchers from British Antarctic Survey are heading to the Canadian Arctic this week to learn more about the impacts of increasing ship traffic in Inuit Nunangat. In recent years, climate …
Poet Laureate visits UK Arctic Research Station
14 July, 2023
The UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage CBE has travelled to the UK Arctic Research Station, where he will create new works inspired by the visit. While hosted at the UK …
Britain’s Arctic Research Station celebrates 30 years of science and monitoring climate change
28 September, 2021
The Arctic Station in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard in Norway, the UK’s permanent Arctic research facility, celebrates its 30 years anniversary this week (Tuesday 28 September) as it continues to undertake critical …
BAS celebrates International Day of Women and Girls in Science
11 February, 2022 by Melody Clark
Today, 11 February, is International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a global initiative led by UNESCO and UN-Women. To celebrate, we have asked some of our female staff …
Biogeographical and seasonal distribution of pteropod populations in the Western and Central Mediterranean Sea inferred from sediment traps
26 April, 2024 by Clara Manno
Pteropods are a group of cosmopolitan holoplanktic gastropods that produce an aragonite shell and play an important role in both marine ecosystems and geochemical cycles. In addition to being affected…Even-Order Harmonic Distortion Observations During Multiple Geomagnetic Disturbances: Investigation From New Zealand
25 April, 2024 by Mark Clilverd
Large geomagnetic storms are a space weather hazard to power transmission networks due to the effects of Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GICs). GIC can negatively impact power transmission systems through the…Space Weather: A Global Hazard from Space to New Zealand’s Technological Infrastructure
23 April, 2024 by Mark Clilverd
From a distance, we perceive the Sun as an unchanging source of light. While this is functionally true on a day-to-day human level, at a scientific level, the Sun has…Read more on Space Weather: A Global Hazard from Space to New Zealand’s Technological Infrastructure
Pathogenic potential of an environmental Aspergillus fumigatus strain recovered from soil of Pygoscelis papua (Gentoo Penguins) colony in Antarctica
23 April, 2024 by Peter Convey
Aspergillus fumigatus is a common opportunistic pathogen in different animals, including birds such as penguins. For the first time, a fungal strain identified as A. fumigatus was isolated from soil…Biological indicators reveal mesozooplankton foray behaviour in dynamic physical environments: Reply to Kaartvedt et al. (2024) [Reply comment]
18 April, 2024 by Povl Abrahamsen, Geraint Tarling, Ryan Saunders, Sally Thorpe, Victoria Fowler
Kaartvedt et al. (2024; Mar Ecol Prog Ser 734:173–175) comment on the role internal waves played in the findings of Dewar-Fowler et al. (2023; Mar Ecol Prog Ser 715:27–39) that…Mapping Potential Timing of Ice Algal Blooms From Satellite
17 April, 2024 by Gaelle Veyssiere, Jeremy Wilkinson
As Arctic sea ice and its overlying snow cover thin, more light penetrates into the ice and upper ocean, shifting the phenology of algal growth within the bottom of sea…Read more on Mapping Potential Timing of Ice Algal Blooms From Satellite
Evolution of Antarctic Sea Ice Ahead of the Record Low Annual Maximum Extent in September 2023
16 April, 2024 by Caroline Holmes, Jeremy Wilkinson, John Turner
The 2023 Antarctic sea ice extent (SIE) maximum on 7 September was the lowest annual maximum in the satellite era (16.98 × 106 km2), with the largest contributions to the…Why Does the October Effect Not Occur at Night?
16 April, 2024 by Mark Clilverd
The October effect is known as a rapid and strong decrease in the signal amplitude of radio waves with very low frequency (VLF), reflected at the lowest edge of the…Read more on Why Does the October Effect Not Occur at Night?
Dynamics of extreme wind events in the marine and terrestrial sectors of coastal Antarctica
11 April, 2024 by Hua Lu, John King, Thomas Caton Harrison, Thomas Bracegirdle
Antarctic coastal surface winds affect ice-sheet stability, sea ice, and local ecosystems. The strongest coastal winds are especially important due to the nonlinear relationship between wind speed and wind stress.…Evaluating the performance of key ERA-Interim, ERA5 and ERA5-Land climate variables across Siberia
11 April, 2024 by Andrew Clelland, Gareth Marshall
Reanalysis datasets provide a continuous picture of the past climate for every point on Earth. They are especially useful in areas with few direct observations, such as Siberia. However, to…Life strategy of Antarctic silverfish promote large carbon export in Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea
11 April, 2024 by Clara Manno
Antarctic silverfish Pleuragramma antarcticum is the most abundant pelagic fish in the High Antarctic shelf waters of the Southern Ocean, where it plays a pivotal role in the trophic web…Top predator feeding ecology and microplastic (MP) contamination on the far eastern South American coast: Evidence of MP trophic biotransfer
5 April, 2024 by Simon Morley
This study describes the feeding ecology, spatial distribution of each ontogenetic phase and the corresponding plastic debris contamination, in the Caribbean sharpnose shark, Rhizoprionodon porosus as a function of spatial-temporal…Fungal diversity present in snow sampled in summer in the north-west Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, Maritime Antarctica, assessed using metabarcoding
4 April, 2024 by Peter Convey
We assessed the fungal diversity present in snow sampled during summer in the north-west Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, maritime Antarctica using a metabarcoding approach. A total of…An iridovirus from the Antarctic seaspider Pentanymphon antarcticum (Pycnogonida)
2 April, 2024 by Huw Griffiths
The Antarctic seaspider Pentanymphon antarcticum is a benthic species in the Southern Ocean, but little is known about its pathogen profile. In this study, we provide a draft genome for…Read more on An iridovirus from the Antarctic seaspider Pentanymphon antarcticum (Pycnogonida)
Investigating non-fungal eukaryotic diversity in snow in the Antarctic Peninsula region using DNA metabarcoding
1 April, 2024 by Peter Convey
Snow is a unique microhabitat, despite being a harsh environment, multiple life forms have adapted to survive in it. While algae, bacteria and fungi are dominant microorganisms in Antarctic snow,…Future Antarctic Climate: Storylines of mid-latitude jet strengthening and shift emergent from CMIP6
1 April, 2024 by Andrew Orr, Gareth Marshall, Nadine Johnston, Ryan Williams
A main source of regional climate change uncertainty is the large disparity across models in simulating the atmospheric circulation response to global warming. Using the latest suite of global climate…Detection of plastic, cellulosic micro-fragments and microfibers in Laternula elliptica from King George Island (Maritime Antarctica)
1 April, 2024 by Simon Morley
It is generally acknowledged that microplastic pollutants are prevalent in ocean waters and sediments across a range of tropical, temperate, subpolar, and polar regions. The waters surrounding King George Island…A Comparison of Auroral Oval Proxies With the Boundaries of the Auroral Electrojets
1 April, 2024 by Gareth Chisham
The boundaries of the auroral oval and auroral electrojets are an important source of information for understanding the coupling between the solar wind and the near-earth plasma environment. Of these…Read more on A Comparison of Auroral Oval Proxies With the Boundaries of the Auroral Electrojets
Observations of mesospheric gravity waves generated by geomagnetic activity
1 April, 2024 by Andrew Kavanagh, Tracy Moffat-Griffin
Gravity waves (GWs) play an important role in the dynamics and energetics of the mesosphere. Geomagnetic activity is a known source of GWs in the upper atmosphere. However, how deep…Read more on Observations of mesospheric gravity waves generated by geomagnetic activity
Location Dictates Snow Aerodynamic Roughness
29 March, 2024 by Markus Frey
We conducted an experiment comparing wind speeds and aerodynamic roughness length (z0) values over three snow surface conditions, including a flat smooth surface, a wavy smooth surface, and a wavy…
