Collecting data in Antarctica
Observation and data gathering
Gathering data by conducting field experiments in Antarctica is both expensive and dangerous. All of the gear has to be flown in from places like Christchurch or carried by ship. Travel around the continent is mostly by air. Scientists live in tents or field stations, and they and their research are at the mercy of the weather. Imagine what it must feel like to travel all the way down there and then be confined to a tent for days due to white-out conditions!
Base camp
A base camp set up in Antarctica by Adrian McDonald and University of Canterbury researchers. They will live in these tents while carrying out research to validate satellite data.
Why do scientists go to the effort and expense to research in Antarctica when technologies like satellites and remote sensing can collect information for them? There are several reasons.
Nature of scientific observation
Science is based on the systematic collection and interpretation of observations. For scientists working in Antarctica, data is obtained by direct physical observation (counting penguin chicks or soil invertebrates) or with instruments (data loggers or weather stations). Scientists use the observations to build datasets, which are often shared globally.
Sampling sea ice and platelet ice in Antarctica
Marine scientist Dr Aimee van der Reis and PhD candidate Salvatore Campanile collect samples of microalgae in sea ice and platelet ice. They use a complicated coring system to collect the bottom 25 cm of solid ice and then the layers of platelet ice below.
Photo by Claire Concannon.
Collecting samples
One reason to visit Antarctica is to collect samples. There are protocols surrounding the removal of any natural material, but approved projects allow for the collection of ice, soil or other items for study. Lab space, availability and specialist equipment at Scott Base are limited, so often scientists take the samples back to New Zealand for further research. (Of course, all scientists have to follow biosecurity guidelines when bringing samples into New Zealand.)
Tagging and direct measurements
Satellites might allow scientists to count numbers of mammals or birds, but a visit to Antarctica enables scientists to collect more precise data. For example, scientists use both high-tech and low-tech gadgets to monitor Adélie penguins and their chicks. Electronic tagging enables scientists to identify and monitor specific animals, but they might also use old-fashioned tools – a ruler, a spring balance and a notebook – to record the growth of individual chicks. The science teams often gather urine or scat to check the health of the animals and monitor their diets.
University of Canterbury weather station
Scientists use a variety of weather monitoring tools and sets of data to make weather predictions – this weather station was set up by University of Canterbury researchers to verify satellite data.
Collecting information from data loggers and weather stations
In addition to direct measurements, scientists use on-site equipment to collect data. People working at Scott Base have been taking daily weather recordings since 1957! Much of the process is automated today. The information is used to identify changes to local and global climate, and to help with day-to-day operational decisions. Experts make annual visits to inspect and calibrate the weather stations and verify the data.
Validating satellite data
Measurements from weather stations are compared with weather measurements obtained via satellites. The comparisons help to establish the accuracy of satellite data. Working out why differences occur between actual observations and satellite observations helps to make predictive models more accurate.
The need for on-going data collection
Our understanding of the world continues to grow and change – new evidence may come to light, or existing evidence may be interpreted in new ways.
The world also continues to change. Antarctica is a polar desert and very responsive to changes in climate. Returning to the Dry Valleys year after year to take samples and make observations helps scientists build up knowledge about the impacts of climate change – both in Antarctica and the rest of the world. Monitoring changes to the annual sea ice cycles help scientists better understand the impacts of climate change, as well as learning more about the habitat the sea ice provides for phytoplankton growth, which underpins the Antarctic ecosystem.
There is also still much to discover about some of the unique ecosystems that exist in Antarctica. Because of this, and what research in Antarctica can tell us about the rest of our world, scientists will continue to travel to Antarctica in spite of the costs and danger.
Related content and activity ideas
Find out about the work of researchers who collect data in Antarctica:
Adventure and innovation on the ice – Dr Paul Mayewski and Dr Daniel Dixon
Data collection is one of five themes that feature in Using On Thin Ice: Nigel Latta in Antarctica in the classroom. The planning resource connects Hub resources with excerpts from Nigel Latta’s documentary series.
Educators and journalists also get in on the research action:
Read the level 3 Connected article Captured in ice. The teacher support materials, including learning activities, can be downloaded from Tāhūrangi (Word and PDF files are available).
Useful links
Download the PDF of the Antarctic New Zealand Code of Conduct to find out how to minimise the impacts of sampling.
Read about research about the impact of climate change on Antarctica and how this is impacting on penguins, seals, glaciers and ice sheets.
Scientists continue to research climate change from the unique clues that the Antarctic environment holds. Discover more about Victoria University of Wellington’s Antarctic Research Centre Te Puna Pātiotio’s key research areas and how they approach them. The team won the 2019 Prime Minister’s Science Prize.
