Atmosphere, Ice and Climate team
Our ambition
The polar atmosphere-ocean-sea-ice system is highly-coupled and interconnected. Our overriding vision is to understand processes that drive this system and assess responses to our changing world. More robust predictions of the polar system, and how it links globally, are critical for guiding future climate policy decisions. While we focus primarily on the polar regions, we also address associated global questions that are best probed at lower latitudes.
Our research groups investigate (i) climate variability, change and predictability, with primary emphasis on high latitudes and altitudes; (ii) physical processes that control the polar atmosphere and sea ice, including cloud processes, and (iii) chemical processes that control composition of the polar atmosphere, their climate interactions, and how they link to the interpretation of ice core records. Additionally, the team is responsible for maintaining long-term observations of weather, climate and atmospheric composition at our research stations and from a number of remote sites.
Team priorities
Science
- Determine patterns of change and variability in the high-latitude atmosphere. Optimise the use and analysis of sustained, long-term observations of meteorology and composition.
- Atmosphere-ocean-sea ice interactions. Explore the ways in which the polar atmosphere interacts with the polar oceans, cryosphere, upper atmosphere and the global climate system.
- Climate and atmospheric composition. Carry out targeted studies (using both observations and models) of key processes that control polar climate and atmospheric composition, including atmosphere-ocean-sea ice interaction, sea-ice dynamics, clouds, aerosols, atmospheric waves and turbulence.
- Determine the causes of climate change in the polar regions. To what degree can observed change be attributed to human forcings (greenhouse gases, stratospheric ozone depletion), natural forcings (e.g. volcanic aerosols, solar variability) and internal variability (“chaos”)?
- Reduce uncertainty in predictions of polar and global climate and atmospheric composition through improved representation of polar processes in atmospheric, climate and earth system models.
- Apply our polar expertise and assets to address crucial global questions that are best probed at lower latitudes.
Technology, innovation and training
- Use state-of-the-art scientific instrumentation, as well as BAS’s unique polar platforms (airborne and ground-based), to achieve science priorities
- Exploit novel autonomous platforms and instrumentation to open up new possibilities for observations.
- Develop and apply cutting-edge numerical models and data analysis techniques to solve defined science questions.
- Train the next generation of polar atmospheric scientists to tackle key questions in the future.
- Maintain a suite of meteorological and atmospheric chemistry equipment to deliver long-term observations for climate/composition research. Train personnel on the operation and maintenance of this equipment to ensure the best data quality.
Influencing and leading international programmes
- Collaborate with leading UK and international research teams to tackle high impact science questions and drive the research agenda
- Take a leading role in the planning and implementation of polar science programmes through organisations such as the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research, the World Climate Research Programme and the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences
- Contribute sustained observations to World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) programmes, such as the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) and the Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW). Develop sustained observations at BAS stations to meet the requirements of these programmes
Stakeholder engagement
- Produce briefings on policy-relevant science for UK government departments.
- Work with the UK Met Office to determine priorities for meteorological observations in British Antarctic Territory
- Collaborate with instrument manufacturers to develop the systems that we need to deliver our science
Public engagement
- Disseminate our findings, published in the highest-impact journals, through presentations in leading national and international forums
- Participate in BAS media and public engagement programmes and support our early career scientists in their public engagement activities
Antarctic Coastal Winds
Winds along the Antarctic coast are small scale but have global importance. Climate models must have a realistic representation of these winds as they influence ice shelves, sea ice and …
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, …
CRiceS
Sea ice is an integral, changing part of the global Earth system. The polar climate system affects lives and livelihoods across the world by regulating climate and weather; providing ecosystem …
DEFIANT
Overview While climate models suggest Antarctic sea ice extent should also reduce in response to rising atmospheric CO2 concentraions, satellite observations reveal that during 1979-2015 the opposite was in fact …
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) …
Meteorology and Ozone Monitoring
Long-term meteorological and ozone observations and data help determine the causes of climate change in the polar regions. Meteorology Meteorological observations are made regularly throughout the day at Halley and …
PolarRES
The Polar regions play a crucial role in balancing the global climate system – with the poles heating up much faster than the rest of the world. Yet, climate projections …
Real Projections
Predicting how the climate will change as human activities lead to emission of more greenhouse gases is a global scientific challenge for climate scientists. We use models of the climate …
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 …
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 …
Southern Ocean Clouds
The biases observed in climate models over the Southern Ocean in surface radiation and sea surface temperature are larger than anywhere else in the world. They have a fundamental impact …
SURFEIT
About Surface Fluxes in Antarctica (SURFEIT) is a BAS National Capability International research programme. Its primary aims are to bring together relevant members of the international scientific community and increase …
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 …
DRAGON-WEX
DRAGON-WEX (the DRake pAssaGe and sOuthern oceaN – Wave EXperiment) is a NERC funded standard grant between the University of Bath and the British Antarctic Survey. We will implement and …
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 …
Water Resources of the Upper Indus Basin
The Indus River Basin feeds the world’s largest system of irrigated agriculture, supporting over 300 million people across India and Pakistan. Demand on freshwater in this region is growing, and …
ISOL-ICE
PI: Markus M. Frey Co-I’s: X. Yang, R. Mulvaney NERC Grant: NE/N011813/1 The ozone layer shields all land-based life forms from harmful ultraviolet radiation; and indirectly influences the climate at …
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
Microphysics of Antarctic Clouds NE
Introduction and Background The largest uncertainties in future climate predictions highlighted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change (IPCC 2007) arise from our lack of knowledge of the interaction of …
ABSCISSA
The source of sea-salt aerosols in the Polar Regions appears to be linked to sea ice surfaces, but exact details are unclear. Defining the sources is important given the critical …
Orographic Flows and the Climate of the Antarctic Peninsula (OFCAP)
OFCAP is an integrated programme of field observations, analysis and modelling aimed at understanding how the westerly winds in the Antarctic Peninsula interact with the mountains and influence the climate …
Joint Airborne Study of the Peninsula Region (JASPER)
JASPER brings together two of the best equipped Polar meteorology instrumented aircraft and teams to study boundary layer meteorology in the Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea. A joint project between …
Clouds formed with sea salt contribute to Arctic warming
4 September, 2023
Scientists studying Arctic warming have shared new evidence that sea salt aerosols from “blowing snow” play a significant role in forming clouds that reflect solar radiation back to the Earth’s …
Flying campaign to improve climate modelling begins
3 February, 2023
A team of scientists are currently conducting a major experiment over the Southern Ocean that will help to improve climate modelling. The Southern Ocean Clouds project team are performing several …
New funding to predict future sea-level rise in Antarctica
2 February, 2023
Researchers at British Antarctic Survey (BAS) will develop new and ambitious ideas to tackle critical global environmental challenges, such as global sea-level rise from Antarctica, thanks to new funding. The …
Flying campaign to future-proof sea ice measurements
20 December, 2022
An ambitious flying campaign out of British Antarctic Survey’s Rothera Research Station over the Weddell Sea this month (December) aims to calibrate the data collected from two important satellites that …
Funding addresses environmental challenges
27 June, 2022
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists will investigate critical challenges facing the UK, thanks to new funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). A £47m investment to several UK research …
Study sets course for research on Himalayan waters
22 April, 2022
A new study featuring contributions from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists has identified 100 pressing research questions on climate change and water resources in the Upper Indus Basin (UIB) that must be answered to protect the communities that live there.
Study underway as Antarctic sea ice extent at record level
29 March, 2022
A £5m project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) to investigate the complex changes seen in sea ice around the Antarctic begins this month (March 2022) as the …
Deep insight into Arctic from MOSAiC expedition
8 February, 2022
New research papers from the one-year MOSAiC expedition to study the Arctic have yielded new understanding about the region. Hundreds of international researchers are currently analysing observations from the MOSAiC …
Polar medals awarded to BAS staff
31 January, 2022
Three British Antarctic Survey (BAS) staff have been awarded the Polar Medal. The announcement was published last week (Friday 28 January) in the London Gazette. Melody Clark is a molecular …
Grant to understand future impacts on atmospheric prediction
13 January, 2022
A new project to improve scientists understanding of the impact of space weather and climate change on the atmosphere starts this month (January 2022). A team from British Antarctic Survey, …
Improving climate projections in the Polar Regions
29 November, 2021
The Polar Regions play a crucial role in balancing global climate – with the poles heating up much faster than the rest of the world. Yet, climate projections for these …
DEEPICE: Network of young researchers to unveil past climate change in Antarctica
13 October, 2021
A network of international researchers launches a European collaboration this week ( 14 October 2021). This collaboration will train a new generation of scientists to understand how past climate changes …
IPCC: Polar scientists welcome Climate Change Assessment
9 August, 2021
CAMBRIDGE: British Antarctic Survey welcomes the publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group 1 component of its Sixth Assessment Report. This assessment brings together the latest advances in …
New verified temperature record for Antarctic continent
1 July, 2021
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has today (1 July 2021) recognised a new record high temperature for the Antarctic continent of 18.3° Celsius on 6 February 2020 at the Esperanza …
New project to understand polar processes in global climate system
24 May, 2021
British Antarctic Survey researchers will work on a new Horizon 2020 project to advance their understanding of polar processes in the global climate system. The CRiceS project, or Climate relevant …
Celebrating International Day of Women & Girls in Science 2021
11 February, 2021
Today is International Day of Women and Girls in Science (11 February), a celebration of women and girls in science led by UNESCO and UN-Women. “International Day of Women and …
Climate scientists uncover 30-year-old temperature record
23 September, 2020
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has recognized a temperature of -69.6°C (-93.3°F) at an automatic weather station in Greenland on 22 December 1991 as the coldest ever recorded in the …
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 …
Antarctic sea ice loss explained in new study
17 June, 2020
Scientists have discovered that summer sea ice in the Weddell Sea area of Antarctica has decreased by one million square kilometres – an area twice the size of Spain – …
Climate scientists help businesses tackle climate change
26 February, 2020
Climate change could add around 20% to the global cost of extreme weather events by 2040, according to early findings from Cambridge researchers. The findings come from the Cambridge Climate …
Arctic under spotlight at World Economic Forum
20 January, 2020
A team of Arctic scientists – including British Antarctic Survey (BAS) climate scientist Dr Jeremy Wilkinson – are hosting their fourth Arctic Basecamp in Davos this week (20-24 January) at …
Scientists to study methane emissions in North Sea
23 April, 2019
Scientists embark on a three-week flying campaign today (23 April) to study methane emissions from gas fields in the southern North Sea. Using specialised scientific equipment, on board one of …
Antarctic snowfall dominated by a few extreme snowstorms
25 March, 2019
A new study reveals the importance of a small number of intense storms around Antarctica in controlling the amount of snow falling across the continent.
Scientists highlight Arctic at World Economic Forum
23 January, 2019
A team of Arctic scientists – including British Antarctic Survey (BAS) climate scientist Dr Jeremy Wilkinson – are hosting their Arctic Basecamp in Davos this week (23 January) at the …
FEATURED PAPER: Himalayan winds
16 January, 2019
Around one billion people depend on water resources originating from the Hindu-Kush Karakoram Himalayan region, attributable to both rainfall and melting of snow and ice. The wind in the valleys …
Funding to assess shipping emissions and climate hazards
13 December, 2018
British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists have been awarded funding to enable them to assess the impact of emissions from shipping and to quantify and manage the risk of climate hazards. …
World Ozone Day – 16th September
16 September, 2018
The 2018 ozone hole began forming in late August and won’t reach its largest for over a fortnight. Already it covers most of the Antarctic continent, an area of 14 …
European wind energy generation potential in a 1.5˚C world
17 May, 2018
The UK and large parts of northern Europe could become windier if global temperatures reach 1.5˚C above pre-industrial levels, according to a new study. This has implications for wind energy …
“Hairdryer winds” cause ice melt during Antarctic winter
3 May, 2018
A new study involving scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) suggests for the first time that warm winds are creating large surface melting of ice shelves in Antarctica during the …
FEATURED PAPER: Record temperature at Signy
19 February, 2018
On 30th January 1982, a record high temperature of +19.8°C was measured at Signy Research Station – a record for any station south of 60°S. In this paper, we examined …
Scientists gather in Davos to highlight Arctic climate change
23 January, 2018
A team of leading Arctic scientists – including British Antarctic Survey glaciologist Dr Jeremy Wilkinson – are gathering in Davos this week at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting (23-24 …
New study calls for unified research to understand changing ecosystems
2 October, 2017
A new multidisciplinary study led by scientists at British Antarctic Study (BAS) stresses the need for an integrated approach to understand the effects of climate change on Antarctic marine ecosystems. …
World Ozone Day: 30th anniversary of Montreal Protocol
11 September, 2017
This week (Saturday 16 September), marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. It is one of the most successful …
Study shows ice sheet loss over the last 11,000 years
5 July, 2017
Reporting this week (Wednesday 5 July) in the journal Nature, an international team of researchers led by British Antarctic Survey (BAS) explains that wind-driven incursions of warm water forced the …
Climate change may cause expansion to ice-free areas across Antarctica
29 June, 2017
Ice-free areas in Antarctica could expand by close to 25 per cent by 2100 and drastically change the biodiversity of the continent, research published this week in Nature has shown. …
Storms caused massive Antarctic sea ice loss in 2016
23 June, 2017
A series of unprecedented storms over the Southern Ocean likely caused the most dramatic decline in Antarctic sea ice seen to date, a new study finds. Antarctic sea ice – …
New insight into what weakens Antarctic ice shelves
25 April, 2017
New research describes for the first time the role that warm, dry winds play in influencing the behaviour of Antarctic ice shelves. Presenting this week at a European conference scientists …
FEATURED PAPER: Antarctic cloud physics
7 April, 2017
Observations were made of clouds over the Antarctic Peninsula during the summer of 2010 and 2011 using one the BAS Twin Otter aircraft fitted with a range of atmospheric instruments. …
Signy Island is hottest place in the Antarctic
1 March, 2017
A World Meteorological Organization (WMO) committee of experts announces this week (Wed 1 March) new records for the highest temperatures recorded in the Antarctic Region. The results are part of …
Antarctic sea ice extent lowest on record
16 February, 2017
This year the extent of summer sea ice in the Antarctic is the lowest on record. The Antarctic sea ice minimum marks the day – typically towards end of February …
ANTARCTIC BLOG: Working on the Polar Plateau
15 January, 2017
A new blog post from a team comprising polar atmosphere and ice chemist Holly Winton, analytical chemist Rebecca Tuckwell and atmospheric and glaciochemist Markus Frey who are working on the …
BLOG: Arriving at the Polar plateau
13 January, 2017
A new blog post from atmospheric and glaciochemist Markus Frey who’s just arrived on the Polar plateau as part of the ISOL-ice research project. Read the team’s earlier post here. …
FEATURED PAPER: Atmospheric variability & surface temperatures
22 September, 2016
This paper investigates the impact that the four principal patterns of Southern Hemisphere (SH) atmospheric circulation variability have on Antarctic surface air temperature (SAT): 1) the southern baroclinic annular mode …
Arctic sea ice heading towards second lowest on record
15 September, 2016
This year the extent of summer sea ice in the Arctic is heading towards being the second lowest on record. The Arctic sea ice minimum marks the day – typically …
A recent pause in Antarctic Peninsula warming
20 July, 2016
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.
First signs of healing in the Antarctic ozone hole
1 July, 2016
An international team of researchers has identified the “first fingerprints of healing” of the Antarctic ozone layer, published this week (30 June 2016) in the journal Science.
Carbon dioxide level breached at Halley VI
16 June, 2016
Levels of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere – which is the leading driver of recent climate change – have reached a milestone at British Antarctic Survey’s …
FEATURED PAPER: Circulation changes off West Antarctica
17 March, 2016
The Amundsen Sea Low (ASL) is a climatological low pressure system located over the southern Pacific Ocean, off the coast of West Antarctica. Atmospheric variability in this region is larger …
FEATURED PAPER: Polar Vortex teleconnection
26 January, 2016
This paper provides new evidence and proposes a new dynamical mechanism for the teleconnection between the two largest jet streams in the northern winter stratosphere – the tropical wind system …
PRESS RELEASE: COP21 Side Event, ‘Climate Change in the Arctic’
1 December, 2015
BAS Organises Side Event for 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21) Journalists wishing to arrange interviews with keynote speakers from this session should contact Heather Martin. As world attention focuses on …
NEWS STORY: Arctic sea ice 2015
17 September, 2015
Arctic sea ice 2015 On September 11, the National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC) reported that Arctic sea ice reached its likely minimum extent for 2015. The minimum ice …
NEWS STORY: Ocean life triggers ice formation in clouds
9 September, 2015
Researchers from the Arctic Research Programme, managed at British Antarctic Survey (BAS), have shown for the first time that phytoplankton (plant life) in remote ocean regions can contribute to rare …
NEWS STORY: Polar ice cores reveal volcanic eruptions
8 July, 2015
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 …
NEWS STORY: Ozone hole 30th anniversary
11 May, 2015
30th Anniversary of the Discovery of Ozone Hole This week British Antarctic Survey (BAS) commemorates the 30th anniversary of one of its most important scientific discoveries that affected the world …
NEWS STORY: Live link to the Arctic
1 May, 2015
Digital Explorer launches virtual adventure on the ice at the UK Arctic Research Station The British Antarctic Survey is proud to support Digital Explorer’s second visit to the UK Arctic …
PRESS RELEASE: Mapping the ice from below
24 November, 2014
Underwater robot sheds new light on Antarctic sea ice The first detailed, high-resolution 3-D maps of Antarctic sea ice have been developed using an underwater robot. Scientists from the UK, …
NEWS STORY: BAS to host workshop
13 October, 2014
British Antarctic Survey hosts Chemical Air-Snow-Sea Ice Interaction workshop in Cambridge More than 60 scientists from over 15 countries are attending a workshop in Cambridge this week (13-15 October) to …
NEWS STORY: Sea ice minimum explained
18 September, 2014
Arctic sea ice summer minimum 2014: A scientific perspective The Arctic sea ice minimum marks the day – typically in September – when sea ice reaches its smallest extent at …
NEWS STORY: World Ozone Day
16 September, 2014
Today, 16 September, is the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. The date commemorates the signing of the Montreal Protocol, which sought to reduce atmospheric levels of …
NEWS STORY: Icebergs leave their mark
16 June, 2014
Climate related iceberg activity has massively altered life on the seabed Researchers from the British Antarctic Survey have found evidence that climate change has fundamentally altered the way that life …
NEWS STORY: Arctic sea ice trends
13 February, 2014
British Antarctic Survey coordinates Arctic sea-ice investigation Arctic sea-ice cover is retreating at an unprecedented rate. Scientists fear we may see the complete loss of sea ice during the summer …
NEWS STORY: World’s coldest place identified
12 December, 2013
Scientists working at the United States National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) said this week they have identified the coldest place on Earth using satellite observations of surface temperature. …
NEWS STORY: Scientists contribute to oral history
3 December, 2013
Voices of Science: a new British Library oral history archive A major oral history project to gather the life stories of British scientists has culminated in the launch of a …
NEWS STORY: Tributes to ozone hole expert
13 May, 2013
It is with great sadness the British Antarctic Survey reports that Joe Farman died on Saturday 11 May 2013. He was 82. Joseph Charles Farman CBE, together with colleagues Brian …
NEWS STORY: Halley VI awarded new status
7 May, 2013
Halley VI receives environmental science status upgrade The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has announced British Antarctic Survey’s Halley VI research station has attained Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Global station status. …
NEWS STORY: Storm events link identified
17 April, 2013
Jet stream influences extreme storms A new study of Europe’s extreme storm events reveals that they often occur near the jet stream – the fast flowing air currents that flow …
PRESS RELEASE: Summer melt season extending
28 March, 2013
Summer melt season is getting longer on the Antarctic Peninsula, new data show New research from the Antarctic Peninsula shows that the summer melt season has been getting longer over …
PRESS RELEASE: Air flows explain record low
11 January, 2010
New research sheds light on Earth”s coldest temperatures Results from the first detailed analysis of the lowest ever temperature recorded on the Earth’s surface can explain why it got so …
PRESS RELEASE: Warmer spells detected in ice cores
18 November, 2009
Mysteriously warm times in Antarctica A new study of Antarctica’s past climate reveals that temperatures during the warm periods between ice ages (interglacials) may have been higher than previously thought. …
PRESS RELEASE: Rise in CO2 emissions
17 November, 2009
Fossil fuel CO2 emissions up by 29 per cent since 2000 The strongest evidence yet that the rise in atmospheric CO2 emissions continues to outstrip the ability of the world’s …
PRESS RELEASE: Ozone hole link to sea ice extent
21 April, 2009
Increasing Antarctic sea ice extent linked to the ozone hole Increased growth in Antarctic sea ice during the past 30 years is a result of changing weather patterns caused by …
PRESS RELEASE: Increase in CO2 emissions
26 September, 2008
CO2 emissions are booming Scientists will this week (Friday 26 Sept) announce the annual update on the global carbon figures. They report that CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels and …
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 …
Blog: The only woman in seminars
9 February, 2021 by Amelie Kirchgaessner
British Antarctic Survey scientist Dr Amelié Kirchgaessner shares her journey in polar science for International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2021 (11 Feb). My name is Amelié Kirchgaessner, …
MOSAiC Blog: Approaching RV Polarstern
26 February, 2020 by Markus Frey
Dr Markus Frey is on board Russian icebreaker Kapitan Dranitsyn, making the final approach through the Arctic sea ice to join the MOSAiC expedition on board RV Polarstern. German research icebreaker RV Polarstern is staying …
MOSAiC Blog: Storm on the Barents Sea
3 February, 2020 by Markus Frey
Dr Markus Frey is on board Russian icebreaker Kapitan Dranitsyn, waiting for a weather window to make the journey north to join the MOSAiC expedition on board RV Polarstern. German …
MOSAiC Blog: Sea ice rescue training
29 January, 2020 by Markus Frey
Atmosphere and ice climate scientist Dr Markus Frey is on his way to join the MOSAiC (Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate) expedition. Markus will be using …
PODCAST – Iceworld, Episode 2 – Meteorology
26 November, 2019 by Robert Taylor
November, 2019 In his second Antarctic podcast field guide Rob Taylor talks to Catherine Maguire and John Law from the Rothera Research Station meteorology team. Listen Now Episode 2 Rob …
MOSAiC Blog: Last preparations in Tromsø
18 September, 2019 by Markus Frey
The BAS SSAASI-CLIM team arrived in Tromsø a few days ago to set up equipment onboard of RV Polarstern. On Friday 20 Sep 2019 the German ice breaker will embark …
ISOL-ICE Lab Blog: Continuous Flow Analysis of 1,000 yr old ice at BAS
17 July, 2018 by Lisa Hauge
A new blog from ISOL-ICE project team member Lisa Hauge, who describes recent progress in the lab. Read the team’s earlier blog here. During the last 3 months the ISOL-ICE project has made …
SCIENCE IN THE LAB: From the Polar Plateau to Cambridge
19 October, 2017 by Holly Winton
A new blog from Polar Atmospheric Ice Chemist Dr Holly Winton, who is part of the ISOL-ice research project, explaining the process from fieldwork on the Polar Plateau to laboratory work …
ANTARCTIC BLOG: Working on the Polar Plateau
7 February, 2017 by Markus Frey
Ice core drilling is a large complex operation to firstly get the equipment out into the field, assemble it, drill intact columns of ice and then process the collected ice for analysis. Markus Frey explains.
ANTARCTIC BLOG: Journey to the Polar plateau
20 December, 2016 by Holly Winton
Our journey to the Antarctic Polar Plateau, where we will be spending the next few weeks as part of the ISOL-ICE research project, began on 7 December. We boarded a …
ANTARCTIC BLOG: Ocean meets air #2
4 March, 2016 by Thomas Barningham
Thomas Barningham from University of East Anglia shares his voyage and time at Halley Since my last post, a lot has happened – we have arrived and begun work at …
ANTARCTIC BLOG: Ocean meets air #1
23 December, 2015 by Thomas Barningham
Welcome to my blog. My name is Thomas Barningham and I’m currently in the third year of my PhD at the University of East Anglia. My work aims to understand …
ARCTIC BLOG: Setting foot back on land
27 March, 2015 by Markus Frey
Diary entry: Friday 27 March 2015 Time: 2200 hrs UTC Position: 78° 13′ N / 15° 33′ E Air Temperature: +1.5 °C Wind Speed: 8 knots We made it! After 38 days onboard the …
ARCTIC BLOG: Total solar eclipse
20 March, 2015 by Markus Frey
Diary entry: Friday 20 March 2015 Time: 1200 hrs UTC Position: 81° 44.23′ N / 19° 36.9′ E Air Temperature: −27.4 °C Wind Speed: 14 knots Nature is displaying a magnificent and …
ARCTIC BLOG: Enduring an Arctic storm
18 March, 2015 by Markus Frey
Diary entry: Wednesday 18 March 2015 Time: 2237 hrs UTC Position: 82° 34.7′ N / 22° 43.6′ E Air Temperature: −32.6 °C Wind Speed: 12 knots The storm lasted not even 48 hours, …
ARCTIC BLOG: Climbing to the Crow’s Nest
13 March, 2015 by Markus Frey
Diary entry: Friday 13 March 2015 Time: 1400 hrs UTC Position: 82° 52.1′ N / 21° 15.1′ E Air Temperature: −25.6 °C Wind Speed: 4.9 knots Since more than two and a half …
ARCTIC BLOG: Shimmering lights in the polar night
22 February, 2015 by Markus Frey
Diary entry: Sunday 22 February 2015 Time: 2220 hrs UTC Position: 82° 35′ N / 29° 24′ E Air Temperature: −26.1 °C Wind Speed: 19.3 knots The Norwegian research vessel, …
Extreme warm events in the South Orkney Islands, Southern Ocean: Compounding influence of atmospheric rivers and föhn conditions
18 September, 2023 by Andrew Orr, Ella Gilbert, Hua Lu, John King, Steve Colwell, Thomas Bracegirdle, Tony Phillips
Extreme warm events in the South Orkney Islands (SOIs) are investigated using synoptic observations from Signy and Orcadas stations for 1947-1994 and 1956-2019, respectively. Defining the extremes as temperatures exceeding…Arctic warming by abundant fine sea salt aerosols from blowing snow
4 September, 2023 by Ananth Ranjithkumar, Markus Frey, Xin Yang
The Arctic warms nearly four times faster than the global average, and aerosols play an increasingly important role in Arctic climate change. In the Arctic, sea salt is a major…Read more on Arctic warming by abundant fine sea salt aerosols from blowing snow
Sea-ice decline could keep zooplankton deeper for longer
28 August, 2023 by Gaelle Veyssiere, Jeremy Wilkinson
As Arctic sea ice deteriorates, more light enters the ocean, causing largely unknown effects on the ecosystem. Using an autonomous biophysical observatory, we recorded zooplankton vertical distribution under Arctic sea…Read more on Sea-ice decline could keep zooplankton deeper for longer
Antarctic extreme events
8 August, 2023 by Caroline Holmes, Jeremy Wilkinson, Kevin Hughes, Michael Meredith, Peter Convey, Thomas Bracegirdle
There is increasing evidence that fossil-fuel burning, and consequential global heating of 1.1°C to date, has led to the increased occurrence and severity of extreme environmental events. It is well…Measurements of gravity wave global distributions and trends in the ITM
31 July, 2023 by Tracy Moffat-Griffin
Global measurements to characterize gravity wave (GW) parameters, distribution and main trends in the ITM are crucial. This white paper summarizes current GW measurement techniques operated from ground-based to space…Read more on Measurements of gravity wave global distributions and trends in the ITM
A future of extreme precipitation and droughts in the Peruvian Andes
20 July, 2023 by Andrew Orr, Emily Potter
Runoff from glacierised Andean river basins is essential for sustaining the livelihoods of millions of people. By running a high-resolution climate model over the two most glacierised regions of Peru…Read more on A future of extreme precipitation and droughts in the Peruvian Andes
Snow Loss Into Leads in Arctic Sea Ice: Minimal in Typical Wintertime Conditions, but High During a Warm and Windy Snowfall Event
28 June, 2023 by Markus Frey
The amount of snow on Arctic sea ice impacts the ice mass budget. Wind redistribution of snow into open water in leads is hypothesized to cause significant wintertime snow loss.…Finale: Impact of the ORCHESTRA/ENCORE programmes on Southern Ocean heat and carbon understanding
26 June, 2023 by Alexandra Weiss, Andrew Meijers, Dave Munday, Dani Jones, Emma Boland, Povl Abrahamsen, Alexander Brearley, Michael Meredith, Shenjie Zhou
The 5-year Ocean Regulation of Climate by Heat and Carbon Sequestration and Transports (ORCHESTRA) programme and its 1-year extension ENCORE (ENCORE is the National Capability ORCHESTRA Extension) was an approximately…Evaporative controls on Antarctic precipitation: An ECHAM6 model study using novel water tracer diagnostics [in review]
9 June, 2023 by Alison McLaren, Louise Sime, Qinggang Gao, Thomas Bracegirdle
Improving our understanding of the controls on Antarctic precipitation is critical for gaining insights into polar, and global changes. Here we develop and implement innovative water tracing diagnostics in the…Snowpack nitrate photolysis drives the summertime atmospheric nitrous acid (HONO) budget in coastal Antarctica
17 May, 2023 by Anna Jones, Millie Bond, Freya Squires, Markus Frey
Measurements of atmospheric nitrous acid (HONO) amount fraction and flux density above snow were carried out using a long-path absorption photometer at Halley station in coastal Antarctica between 22 Jan-…Characteristics of surface “melt potential” over Antarctic ice shelves based on regional atmospheric model simulations of summer air temperature extremes from 1979/80 to 2018/19
15 May, 2023 by Andrew Orr, Ella Gilbert, Steve Colwell, Tony Phillips
We calculate a regional surface “melt potential” index (MPI) over Antarctic ice shelves that describes the frequency (MPI-freq, %) and intensity (MPI-int, K) of daily maximum summer temperatures exceeding a…New Insights on the Precursors to the Onset of Equatorial Plasma Irregularity Generation
12 May, 2023 by Subir Mandal
This work presents some new findings in terms of the vertical propagation speeds of gravity waves in the daytime as possible precursors to the ESF. These findings have resulted from…Decadal Predictability of the North Atlantic Eddy-Driven Jet in Winter
28 April, 2023 by Thomas Bracegirdle
This paper expands on work showing that the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is predictable on decadal timescales to quantify the skill in capturing the North Atlantic eddy-driven jet's location…Read more on Decadal Predictability of the North Atlantic Eddy-Driven Jet in Winter
Projected Changes to Wintertime Air‐Sea Turbulent Heat Fluxes Over the Subpolar North Atlantic Ocean
20 April, 2023 by John King
In wintertime over the subpolar North Atlantic Ocean (SPNA), the strongest surface sensible and latent heat fluxes typically occur just downstream of the sea-ice edge. The recent retreat in Arctic…Categorisation of the length of bowhead whales from British Arctic whaling records
19 April, 2023 by Gaelle Veyssiere, Jeremy Wilkinson
British whalers were the first and last from Europe to hunt bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) commercially from the Arctic whaling grounds of the Greenland Sea (East Greenland-Svalbard-Barents stock) and Davis…Read more on Categorisation of the length of bowhead whales from British Arctic whaling records
Technical note: Sublimation of frozen CsCl solutions in an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) – determining the number and size of salt particles relevant to sea salt aerosols
14 April, 2023 by Xin Yang
We present a novel technique that elucidates the mechanism of the formation of small aerosolizable salt particles from salty frozen samples. We demonstrated that CsCl may be a suitable probe…Untangling the influence of Antarctic and Southern Ocean life on clouds
6 April, 2023 by Markus Frey
Polar environments are among the fastest changing regions on the planet. It is a crucial time to make significant improvements in our understanding of how ocean and ice biogeochemical processes…Read more on Untangling the influence of Antarctic and Southern Ocean life on clouds
The representation of sea salt aerosols and their role in polar climate within CMIP6
27 March, 2023 by Ananth Ranjithkumar, Markus Frey, Xin Yang
Natural aerosols and their interactions with clouds remain an important uncertainty within climate models, especially at the poles. Here, we study the behavior of sea salt aerosols (SSaer) in the…Read more on The representation of sea salt aerosols and their role in polar climate within CMIP6
Improved Simulation of the Polar Atmospheric Boundary Layer by Accounting for Aerodynamic Roughness in the Parameterization of Surface Scalar Exchange Over Sea Ice
9 March, 2023 by Alexandra Weiss
A new, simple parameterization scheme for scalar (heat and moisture) exchange over sea ice and the marginal ice zone is tested in a numerical weather and climate prediction model. This…
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