Return to Amundsen Sea

Oceanographer, Povl Abrahamsen, has returned to the Amundsen Sea in west Antarctica on the Korean research ship, Araon. One of his tasks is to assist with the deployment of ten autonomous phase-sensitive radio echo sounders (ApRES) on ice shelves in the region. These downward-looking radars are dug into the snow at the surface, and measure… Read more »

Read Full »

iSTAR Summary of activities

Since the 1990s, satellites have shown accelerating ice-loss driven by ocean change in five neighbouring glacier basins that drain more than one-third of West Antarctica. The rate of ice-loss here doubled in just six years and now accounts for ~10% of global sea-level rise. However, considerable uncertainty remains in projections of future ice-loss from West… Read more »

Read Full »

Photography award for iSTAR student

A photograph taken during the iSTAR traverse on Pine Island Glacer has won top prize in a national competition. The image, of a caboose and field camp, was taken by Damon Davies, a PhD student in the School of GeoSciences at the University of Edinburgh. Damon was a participant on both iSTAR traverses. The photo… Read more »

Read Full »

iSTAR wraps on the ice!

The ambitious iSTAR science programme, which is studying the retreat of Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica, has successfully completed the field work component of its six year, £7.4 million, mission. During the past two field seasons scientists and support teams crossed the glacier on tractors and skidoos, covering more than 2400 kilometres and working at… Read more »

Read Full »

iSTAR struggles on despite storm

2015 started with a bang for the iSTAR team as strong winds swept in across Pine Island Glacier. Here Isabel Nias describes how everyone had to batten down the hatches: I always thought that seeing in the New Year on Pine Island Glacier would be one to remember purely due to the location. However, I… Read more »

Read Full »