Ships, ice cores and krill surveys underpin Australia's 10-year Antarctic monitoring strategy
The important role ships play in gathering scientific data in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean has been outlined at a leading Antarctic science conference in Hobart. The biennial Australian Antarctic Research Conference was held at the University of Tasmania and attracted 400 researchers from around the globe.
Australia's 10-year Antarctic monitoring strategy is built upon a robust foundation of data gathered by ships and scientific instruments, as outlined at the Australian Antarctic Research Conference in Hobart. Between 1990 and 2026, the Aurora Australis and RSV Nuyina, along with other vessels, have made 379 voyages, covering nearly 2.5 million kilometers and collecting 137 million measurements.
These data have shown a strong correlation between sea surface and air temperature increases, reflecting the global climate trends. The Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey, a long-term method of collecting marine biological data, reveals shifts in zooplankton populations and changes in species distribution, indicative of climate change impacts.
Advances in ship design, such as the use of wet wells on RSV Nuyina, enable more delicate and comprehensive data collection, including intact specimens for laboratory study. These efforts are crucial for feeding into national weather models and global climate models, providing valuable insights into the changing Antarctic environment.
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