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SCAR News - Archive from 2009

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SCAR in Copenhagen for the Climate Conference

SCAR was accepted as a Non-Governmental Organisation for the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (Copenhagen, December 7-18). The SCAR Executive Committee agreed that Colin Summerhayes (Executive Director) should attend the meeting to represent SCAR and to deliver talks on SCAR's recently published review "Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment" (ACCE). Copies of the review had previously been sent to the heads of each of the conference delegations from so-called Annex I countries, and to those of the SCAR member countries among the Non-Annex I countries. Dr Summerhayes gave the ACCE talk in the WWF "Arctic Tent" on Friday December 11, and again at a press conference in North Atlantic House on Sunday December 13. The latter session also involved a presentation by Dr Dorthe Dahl-Jensen (SCAR, Denmark) on "The Greenland Ice Sheet in a Changing Climate", which had just been published by the Arctic Council's Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP).

The Greenland and ACCE reports indicate that the two ice sheets are losing about the same mass of ice to the sea each year, each contributing to a rise of around 0.5 mm/yr for a total of 1 mm/yr of the total current rate of rise (3.4 mm/yr), the rest of which comes from melting mountain ice and from the thermal expansion of seawater. The session was moderated by Dr Bob Corell, and included presentations on changing Arctic ecology by Dr Terry Callaghan, and on the effects of global warming on Inuit populations in Greenland.

On Monday December 14, Dr Corell and Dr Dahl-Jensen, together with the Danish and Norwegian Ministers of the Environment and Al Gore, launched the results of another polar study - "Melting snow and ice: a call for action" (published by the Centre for Ice, Climate and Ecosystems, Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø. 92pp.) That same report featured again in a further presentation by Dr Jan-Gunnar Winther and Dr Dahl-Jensen on Tuesday December 15. Also on the Monday, Dr Rob Dunbar (Stanford University), a former co-chair of SCAR's Antarctic Climate Evolution (ACE) programme, gave radio and TV interviews on "West Antarctica - a source of melting ice and rising seas", drawing heavily on the ACCE report. Thus one way or another SCAR's climate programme and the rapid increase in ice discharge from West Antarctica and the consequence for rising sea levels were much in evidence during the run up to the final deliberations that were scheduled for the end of the week. By these means SCAR has been quite effective in meeting one of its key goals - to advise policy makers on the implications of Antarctic science for policy.

SCAR seeks nominations for SCAR medals for 2010

The SCAR medals are awarded biennially either for excellence in Antarctic research or for International Scientific Coordination. The awards in 2010 will take place during the Open Science Conference in Buenos Aires on August 5. For details see the description of the Awards Scheme on the SCAR Awards page, and note the need to use the nomination form. The deadline for nominations is 1 April 2010.

Professor Steven Chown awarded the first Martha T Muse Prize for Science and Policy in Antarctica

An outstanding researcher and world renowned advisor to the Antarctic Treaty System, Professor Steven Chown of Stellenbosch University, South Africa, has been named the inaugural recipient of the prestigious Martha T. Muse Prize for Science and Policy in Antarctica. Professor Chown is a widely published and cited authority on invasive species and the effect of climate change and human interactions on Antarctica. The Selection Committee of leading Antarctic scientists and policy makers cited his outstanding contributions to both science and policy in Antarctica. Professor Chown plays a critical role in Antarctic policy by leading the delegation of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) at the annual Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCMs). His advice and leadership has been pivotal in advising policy makers in a wide range of environmental stewardship issues before the ATCM's Committee on Environmental Protection.

Professor Steven Chown Professor Steven Chown working in the field on sub-Antarctic Heard Island
Professor Steven Chown

Professor Chown searching for invertebrates in tussock grass on sub-Antarctic Heard
Island, having just rolled across the surface of the cushion to avoid causing impact

Professor Chown will be awarded the Prize and deliver the Muse Lecture at the Oslo International Polar Year Conference in June 2010 and will also be a guest of honour at the SCAR Open Science Conference in Buenos Aires in August 2010.

Vacancy - Executive Officer of SCAR

SCAR is seeking an Executive Officer to assist in the running of the SCAR Secretariat. The post is offered on either a full-time or part-time (3 days a week) basis and is a permanent position, starting March 1st. Candidates should preferably have a MSc or PhD degree in a scientific discipline relevant to research in Antarctica or the Southern Ocean and must be fluent in spoken and written English. For more information, please see the further details of the post. Applications should be sent by 10 January 2010, to the SCAR Secretariat, Scott Polar Research Institute, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1ER, UK (by mail or fax (+44 1223 336549), but preferably by e-mail to info@scar.org). SCAR is an equal opportunity employer.

SCAR publishes "Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment" report

Following production of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment report in 2005, SCAR decided that a southern hemisphere equivalent was required, and set about producing it. 100 scientists from 13 countries contributed as authors, and the manuscript was worked up by an editorial team of 9, headed by Dr John Turner of the British Antarctic Survey - reflecting the fact that the work began as a project of SCAR's "Antarctica in the Global Climate System" scientific research programme, of which he was at the time the scientific leader. The project expanded through time to incorporate the past climate dimension, provided by scientists from SCAR's "Antarctic Climate Evolution" programme, and the biological impacts, provided by scientists from SCAR's "Evolution and Biodiversity in the Antarctic" programme.

The completed report was printed in October and has been mailed to authors and to the Heads of Delegations to the 15th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Conference on Climate Change, which takes place in Copenhagen in December. SCAR produced only 500 hard copies, having decided that this ought to be a web-based product that was readily available at no cost to the entire scientific community. It was felt that this is the sort of scientific service SCAR should be providing to the community. Remaining hard copies will in addition go to SCAR national committees and delegates, to COMNAP and to the Treaty Parties as well as to a wide selection of polar and other libraries. Elements of the report have already been published as scientific papers in Reviews of Geophysics (January 2009) and will appear in the December issue of the Antarctic Science Journal. Annual reviews of the science of climate change in the Antarctic, based on the ongoing work in the report, have been presented to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings and the associated Committee on Environmental Protection.

The editors are most grateful to the many authors who contributed text, to the many reviewers who commented on the circulated drafts in summer 2007 and summer 2008, and to their parent institutions for allowing them the time to contribute to this magnum opus. No doubt with more time and effort an even better job could have been done, but the end result is a volume that will be a landmark for many years and that will guide future research directions in SCAR and at the national level. SCAR will continue supplying annual updates on climate to the ATCM, and will in due course update the ACCE report itself as the science evolves. Thanks go to all those involved in the report's production, and to BAS for providing support for the press conference at the Science Media Centre in London on November 30, at which the book was formally launched.

The report is available from the ACCE page of the SCAR website, along with copies of the press release, and a document detailing the main 10 points from the report. For further enquiries, consult the SCAR Executive Director at cps32@cam.ac.uk.

SCAR begins interacting with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

On October 26-29, Dr Peter Barrett (NZ) attended the 31st Session of the IPCC, which was refining plans for the 5th Assessment Report (AR5), which will be published in 2014. The reporting process now seems to be paying appropriate attention to Antarctic climate issues, but there is scope for expanding the remit of the assessment to include past geological periods when the Earth was as warm and had as much CO2 in the atmosphere as the world we seem to be heading for. His report on the meeting and his proposal for adding 'deep time' to the IPCC remit can be seen on the IPCC Interactions page of the SCAR website. The key message Dr Barrett learned at Bali was the importance of getting good people nominated through the National Committee process. SCAR's ACE and AGCS communities should be thinking about this.

1st Circular issued for SCAR Open Science Conference

The 1st Circular for the 4th SCAR Open Science Conference is now available. The conference, which takes place from 3 - 6 August 2010 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, has the theme "Antarctica - Witness to the Past and Guide to the Future".

People intending to attend the Conference may wish also to register for the AGU meeting of the Americas, 8-13 August 2010, to be held at the Rafain Hotel and Convention Center, Av. Olímpio Rafagnin 2357, Foz do Iguaçu - PR, 85862-210, Brazil. For details, see the SCAR Events page.

Meeting of the SCAR Action Group "GPS for Weather and Space Weather Forecasting"

A two-day meeting of this group was held at the Instituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Rome, Italy, on 10-11 September, and attended by scientists from the UK, Poland, South Africa, Brazil, Finland, Canada, Slovenia, and Italy. During the first day, national activities and recent results were presented, highlighting Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based studies carried out in the polar regions. The second day was dedicated to a discussion of the next steps for the Action Group. Participants agreed to encourage the establishment of a permanent network of GNSS receivers over the Arctic and Antarctica in support of a multi-purpose investigation, in particular for constructing 3-D views of the distribution of water vapour, and for imaging the ionosphere. As a second objective, they agreed to stimulate international collaboration in bi-polar investigations, particularly of magnetically conjugate regions. In order to facilitate this process, the group decided to establish a common portal where data and products will be available for scientific communities, and to organise dedicated sessions at international meetings for disseminating information and raising awareness of the significance of the method and the results.

Polar Science Conferences in 2010

The 1st Circular for the 4th SCAR Open Science Conference, which takes place on 3-6 August 2010 in Buenos Aires, will be issued shortly. The conference theme is "Antarctica - Witness to the Past and Guide to the Future". The science programme of the OSC will consist of up to 53 sessions on 4 themes: (i) Connectivity and cross-scale interactions; (ii) Tipping points; (iii) Ecosystem health; (iv) Continuity and change. At this time the draft programme contains some 53 sessions. The final distribution of sessions will depend on the receipt of abstracts, which will be called for in the 1st Circular and on the conference web site (when open). The conference will be an integral part of the XXXI SCAR meeting (see the SCAR Events page for details).

In addition, the 2nd Circular and Call for Abstracts for the IPY Oslo Science Conference (8-12 June 2010) with its theme of "Polar Science - Global Impact", has just been issued; more information is available on the conference website. This meeting will demonstrate, strengthen, and extend the International Polar Year's accomplishments in science and outreach. The conference is an essential opportunity to display and explore the full breadth and implications of IPY activities. The international and interdisciplinary science conference will in particular highlight the global impact of the changes that have been observed in the Polar Regions. This meeting is jointly sposnored by SCAR and its Artic counterpart, the International Artic Science Committee, along with ICSU and WMO.

Polar Information Commons (PIC): Establishing the framework for long-term stewardship of polar data and information

As part of the legacy of the International Polar Year (IPY 2007-2008), SCAR is working with the International Council for Science (ICSU) and other bodies to develop the concept and implementation plans for a Polar Information Commons (PIC) that will facilitate the internatonal exchange of polar scientific data. The international PIC team has developed an exciting vision and workable approach for the PIC that will achieve the project goals to establish a sustainable long-term framework for preservation and access of polar data and entrain new stakeholders and participants into polar data management. In short, the PIC will enable both individuals and organisations to make their data available openly through the PIC, while at the same time preserving their ability to gain credit and recognition for their work through a set of community norms. Using a PIC digital "badge", polar data centres, libraries, and other groups will be able to freely assess these open resources and determine what contributions need and deserve acquisition, archiving, and value-added, long-term management. A flyer summarizing the PIC concept has been produced. This and other materials are now available on the PIC website. Readers' inputs on the specific design and content of the web site would be most appreciated.

Meeting report and poster available on the Southern Ocean Observing System

The latest meeting report of the SCAR/SCOR Oceanography Expert Group, focussing on the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS), is now available as SCAR Report 35, as is a poster from the OceanObs09 conference. The goal of the SOOS is to provide the sustained multi-disciplinary observations needed to detect, interpret and respond to changes in the Southern Ocean. The Oceanography Expert Group, in consultation with other groups and invited experts, is currently finalising a draft of the SOOS planning document, which will be available for comment by the community sometime in December.

Call for abstracts for AGU Chapman Conference on the Exploration and Study of Antarctic Subglacial Aquatic Environments

The abstract submission tool for the AGU Chapman Conference on the Exploration and Study of Antarctic Subglacial Aquatic Environments (SAE) is now on-line. The conference takes place from 15 to 17 March 2010, in Baltimore, USA. The deadline for abstracts is 2nd December 2009. Further details of the conference can be found on the conference website.

Census of Antarctic Marine LIfe (CAML) reports in

Based on the largest-ever survey of marine biodiversity in Antarctica, CAML is currently integrating samples and data taken on 18 major research vessels during the IPY. Over a million geo-referenced species records are available in the newly-restructured dataportal, linked to a register of 15,860 taxa (including 10,120 verified species) and 11,000 DNA barcodes. The South American coordination of CAML has completed a matrix of research across the Antarctic programs of seven countries. In the next year, CAML plans to double the number of species records and barcodes. The CAML survey is of global significance and will provide data for scientific investigations for many years. Integration and synthesis of the data are underway in selected projects, with key discoveries in the biogeography of octopus and pycnogonids; review of circum-Antarctic ecoregions, regime shift in zooplankton and time-series analysis of benthic fauna over 30 years in Admiralty Bay. A gap analysis using current data has explored the spatial, depth and taxonomic coverage of the survey. The capacity of Antarctic biodiversity researchers has been enhanced by CAML through SCAR. CAML funded three early career scientists for the July 2009 SCAR Biology Symposium in Sapporo, Japan and a total of 15 CAML papers were presented. The discoveries in molecular biology were outstanding, showing that the Antarctic fauna is the source of many far-flung groups including isopods, pycnogonids and octopus. Jan Strugnell received a SCAR young career research award for her presentation showing evidence from eight genes on the repeated colonisation of the deep sea by octopus from Antarctica. In July 2010, CAML will present the latest results at the SCAR Open Science Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Results from the deep sea will be featured at the International Polar Year Science Conference in Oslo, Norway in June 2010. For more details see, the 2009 CAML Annual Report.

Dr. Michael Sparrow Confirmed as Next SCAR Executive Director

Following an extensive search, the SCAR Executive Committee (EXCOM) is pleased to announce that Dr Michael Sparrow, the current SCAR Executive Officer, will take up the position of Executive Director when the present incumbent, Dr Colin Summerhayes, retires on March 31 after six years in post. SCAR President Chuck Kennicutt reported that "we had an excellent pool of applicants and these choices are always difficult but the Search Committee (EXCOM) was unanimous in its selection. As of February 1, 2010 Mike will become the Executive Director Designee and work side-by-side with Colin during the changeover. At the end of Colin's contract, Mike will fully assume the position and responsibility of Executive Director." Having decided upon Mike's advancement, Chuck went on to say "we will also immediately begin discussions about his replacement. I expect that the Secretariat will be fully staffed by the time Mike assumes the Executive Director role on April 1, 2010. I am sure you join me in congratulating Mike on his promotion and as I indicated to him, I am looking forward to working with him during the remainder of my Presidency!"

You can read Mike's biography. During his two years with SCAR, his portfolio has included, among other things, managing finance and budgets, planning SCAR business meetings in St Petersburg (2008), working with the Expert Group on Oceanography to develop the design for a Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS), assisting with the development of the Standing Committee on Antarctic Geographic Information (SCAGI), managing the newly developed Martha Muse Award programme, and managing SCAR's Capacity Building, Education and Training activities, which embrace the Association for Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) and the SCAR research Fellowships.

SCAR Publishes Report on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

In response to a request to the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat by the Secretariat of the Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), based in Stockholm, for a report on the status of research on POPs in the Antarctic, SCAR's Action Group on Environmental Contamination in Antarctica (ECA) has produced a report on this topic for transmission to the POPs Secretariat. The report is now published on the SCAR web site and is available to view and download from the Occasional Publications section. SCAR is most grateful to the team who produced this elaborate and comprehensive report under the leadership of Roger Fuoco.

View the POPs Report.

Asymmetric auroral intensities in the Earth's Northern and Southern hemispheres

Based on a Letter to Nature, 460, 491-493 (23 July 2009) by K. M. Laundal & N. Østgaar, and related to the SCAR ICESTAR programme:

It is commonly assumed that the aurora borealis (Northern Hemisphere) and aurora australis (Southern Hemisphere) are mirror images of each other because the charged particles causing the aurora follow the magnetic field lines connecting the two hemispheres. The particles are believed to be evenly distributed between the two hemispheres, from the source region in the equatorial plane of the magnetosphere. Although it has been shown that similar auroral features in the opposite hemispheres can be displaced tens of degree in longitude, and that seasonal effects can cause differences in global intensity, the overall auroral patterns were still similar. Here we report observations that clearly contradict the common assumption about symmetric aurora: intense spots are seen at dawn in the Northern summer Hemisphere, and at dusk in the Southern winter Hemisphere. The asymmetry is interpreted in terms of inter-hemispheric currents related to seasons, which have been predicted but hitherto had not been seen.

The authors consider several mechanisms for the generation of such auroras as previously proposed in the literature; different intensity of the Earth's magnetic field in the ionosphere in the conjugate auroral regions, different ionospheric electrical conductivity due to seasonal effects, like the sunlight illumination in the two hemispheres, the orientation of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF), that favours one hemisphere with respect to the other in the configuration available during the observations. None of these explains the observed asymmetry. The authors suggest that the most likely explanation may be found in the generation of inter hemispheric field aligned currents, electrical currents carried by electrons that flow along the Earth's magnetic field and are responsible for the observed auroral features, which have never been directly observed in both hemispheres before.

Bathymetry data gaps in Southern Ocean need filling

SCAR's Expert Group on the International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean (IBCSO) is compiling bathymetric data, acquired during the past 40 years, to produce more detailed maps of sea floor topography as an aid to oceanographers (topography steers currents), biologists (topography is a key element of habitat) and geologists (topography is a first clue to geological process). To generate the first International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean, the IBCSO data manager (Norbert Ott, at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven) collects and compiles bathymetric data, grids, and maps provided by hydrographic offices, scientific institutions and data centres. The IBCSO database now comprises about 1200 cruises with single-beam data (including 300 from fisheries without track control), about 140 cruises with multibeam data, and 10 regional bathymetric grid compilations from various sectors of the Southern Ocean. The ship track inventory displays the irregular distribution of tracks along which bathymetric data was collected in the Southern Ocean. Expedition motorways extend to Antarctica from Cape Town, Punta Arenas and Christchurch. Elsewhere, especially in the South Pacific sector and the Central Weddell Sea, we see large areas without tracks, due to sea ice coverage or remoteness. SCAR encourages national operators and principal investigators to plan expedition tracks to fill the gaps on the chart, following the Star Trek motto - "To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before". We've done our bit - now it's your turn to help make a map of the planetary surface a reality.

Progress with the Southern Ocean Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Survey

All CPR samples collected during the Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) survey in 2007/08 have been processed and the data fed into the database held at the Australian Antarctic Division Data Centre and SCAR-MarBIN. The data now comprises 27,591 sample records for more than 200 zooplankton taxa, with a 5 nautical mile resolution covering approximately 70% of the Southern Ocean. The CPR data are available upon request from the survey website. The data set includes sea-surface temperature, salinity and fluorometry. The samples will provide a synoptic assessment of the current spatial patterns of plankton diversity around Antarctic for one season that can be used as a reference to monitor future change. The data include the first CPR records in the Bellingshausen Sea, conducted from the Akademik Federov, which show both low species diversity and abundances in this area. Analysis of the overall dataset shows no longitudinal zonation within the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. A zooplankton atlas based on the CPR data will be published in early 2010. The atlas will comprise distribution maps of the 50 most abundant species and focus on the region south and west of Australia.

Read a more detailed report on the survey.

SCAR Launches New Data and Information Strategy

A SCAR Data and Information Management Strategy has recently been prepared by SCAR's Standing Committee on Antarctic Data Management (SCADM) and Standing Committee on Antarctic Geographic Information (SCAGI), in consultation with SCAR's Science Groups. The Strategy document is now published as SCAR Report 34, but is also downloadable from the Data and Information Management section of the Science and Data page. The Strategy was called for in the SCAR Strategic Plan 2004-2010, and a first draft was presented to the SCAR Delegates at their meeting in July 2008. The Delegates called for improvements to be made for consideration by SCAR's Executive Committee (EXCOM) in 2009, and the revised strategy was endorsed at the EXCOM meeting in August this year.

The strategy adds value to SCAR's and Members' data and information management efforts through promoting operation of a coherent and integrated data and information management system capable of supporting interdisciplinary Antarctic science. The strategy relies on leveraging existing assets, developing partnerships with global data and information activities, and supporting SCAR's science communities through adoption of community-based standards. It brings SCAR up to speed in the context of the global development of data and information management, and is vital to the progress of SCAR's science. Science is the key beneficiary, but the strategy should also be useful to national operators and the Antarctic Treaty Parties.

SCAR is now developing a Data and Information Management Implementation Plan, and a Data Policy for the approval of the SCAR Delegates at their meeting in Buenos Aires in August 2010.

AGU Chapman Conference Co-Sponsored by SCAR

On March 15-17, 2010 a major conference will be convened in Baltimore, Maryland on subglacial aquatic environments research and exploration entitled "AGU Chapman Conference on the Exploration and Study of Antarctic Subglacial Aquatic Environments". The co-conveners are Martin Siegert, University of Edinburgh, and Chuck Kennicutt, Texas A&M University. With on-going and recent funding in excess of $25 million USD for three major SAE projects (Lake Vostok, Lake Ellsworth, and Whillans Ice Stream), SAE research is poised for major advancements over the next three to five years. The conference will communicate the most recent results to the wider community and share expertise in planning subglacial aquatic environment (SAE) exploration programmes. It will bring together a diverse group of experts, who might not otherwise collaborate or interact, to broaden the interdisciplinary nature of all aspects of SAE research. It will bridge existing knowledge to future research and will be a benchmark for SAE exploration and study. A longer-term objective is to create a sustainable, vibrant, and growing community of SAE researchers and enthusiasts. In addition, an AGU Monograph will be published chronicling the state-of-the art of SAE. The Conference is partially funded by SCAR, the SCAR Subglacial Antarctic Lake Environments (SALE) programme, the US National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs and the American Geophysical Union (AGU). For further details, registration and abstract submission guidelines, please visit the conference website. Travel grant programmes and special opportunities for under represented groups, students and early career scientists to attend will be announced shortly.

Oslo IPY Science Conference Programme Launched

The Oslo IPY Science Conference programme has now been agreed. To view it, go to the Conference web page and click on Programme on the top bar. This will produce a menu of individual theme sessions on the left hand side of the page.

SCAR History Group to hold Workshop at Antarctic Treaty Summit

In connection with the Antarctic Treaty Summit celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty, the SCAR History Action Group and the History Committee of the American Geophysical Union are holding a joint workshop on the theme "History of International Spaces" in Washington, D.C., on 3 December 2009.

People have divided the Earth geographically for millennia. Some of the divisions have been political, as when nations set their boundaries and then extend those boundaries to create empires. Scientists have also divided the earth into spaces depending on a number of attributes or purposes including magnetic fields, temperature and humidity distributions, geomorphology, flight paths, and ocean currents. However, fifty years ago, one geographic space—Antarctica—was designated as an international space. Since then we have also seen the creation of the International Space Treaty. The future may bring other international spaces, to be shared and examined by all peoples without national claims. It is in this spirit, that the organisers are encouraging the presentation of papers addressing scientific discovery, particularly geophysical, that surpasses national boundaries and takes place in international spaces.

Papers are invited for the workshop, which is open for any presentation on the history of polar research (both Arctic and Antarctic) or the history of geophysics. Abstracts of not more than 150 words may be submitted via e-mail attachment to Cornelia Luedecke (SCAR History Group) <C.Luedecke@lrz.uni-muenchen.de> and Kristine Harper (AGU History Group) <kcharper@fsu.edu>, no later than 31 October 2009.

Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) Project Newsletter Now Available

The World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) co-sponsor the Climate and Cryosphere Project (CliC), which was initiated by the WCRP in 2000. Its goal is to stimulate, support and coordinate research that focuses on processes by which the cryosphere interacts with the rest of the climate system.

To view current and earlier issues of Ice and Climate News, visit the CliC newsletter web page.

APECS launches a Polar Literature Discussion Website

The Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) have launched a discussion forum where people can discuss recent and classic literature articles, books, films, etc. that pertain to the polar regions and the cryosphere. For further details, please go to the Polar Literature Discussion Webpage.

SCAR using DNA barcoding as diagnostic for Southern Ocean species

SCAR's Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) programme aims among other things to collate DNA barcode data for Antarctic marine species. DNA barcoding is a technique that uses a short gene sequence from a standardized region of the genome as a diagnostic 'biomarker' for species. It can be used to identify known species, to discover new or cryptic species, to record genetic diversity and to study gene flow. Given the rate of climate-driven habitat changes that might lead to extinctions in the region, there is an urgent need for more in-depth genetic barcoding and species identification studies from a range of taxa and areas in the Antarctic. CAML plans to collect DNA sequences throughout the circum-Antarctic area, using material from voyages that occurred during 2008 and 2009 within the framework of the International Polar Year. CAML has established a supply agreement with the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding (CCDB) in Guelph, which has agreed to sequence material collected over the coming year. With the help of Antarctic scientists and the CCDB, CAML has so far amassed more than 10,000 DNA sequences from more than 1500 species and from a range of phyla and Antarctic locations. Anyone with additional Antarctic material that they would like to be sequenced at Guelph, should contact Rachel Grant (rachelannegrant@gmail.com) as soon as possible. Watch out for publication of an in press article in Polar Biology: Grant & Linse (2009) Barcoding Antarctic Biodiversity; current status and the CAML initiative, a case study of marine invertebrates. Among other things the paper identifies gaps in our knowledge with the hope of encouraging barcoding efforts in those areas.

Nominations open for the Martha T. Muse Prize for Science and Policy in Antarctica

Nominations are now open for the Martha T. Muse Prize for Science and Policy in Antarctica. The Prize is a US$100,000 unrestricted award presented to an individual in the fields of Antarctic science or policy that has demonstrated potential for sustained and significant contributions that will enhance the understanding and/or preservation of Antarctica. The Prize is inspired by Martha T. Muse's passion for Antarctica and is intended to be a legacy of the International Polar Year 2007-2008.

The prize-winner can be from any country and work in any field of Antarctic science or policy. The goal is to provide recognition of the important work being done by the individual and to call attention to the significance of understanding Antarctica in a time of change. Further details, including the process of nomination and selection of the Prize recipients, are available on the Martha Muse Prize website. The Prize is awarded by the Tinker Foundation and administered by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).

2010 SCAR Open Science Conference and XXXI SCAR Meeting

The fourth SCAR Open Science Conference (OSC) will be held from 3-6 August 2010 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The theme for the OSC is "Antarctica - Witness to the Past and Guide to the Future". The International Scientific Organizing Committee for the OSC is now soliciting from the science community a list of session titles, names of potential session conveners, and names of potential keynote speakers - required by 10 July 2009. Note that this OSC will not focus on IPY, which will be the theme for the 8-12 June 2010 IPY conference in Oslo. Please submit the requested information to Carlota Escutia Dotti (cescutia@ugr.es) and John C. Priscu (jpriscu@montana.edu), who co-chair the organizing committee for the OSC. We would like to produce a draft of OSC session titles, names of potential session conveners and keynote speakers based on community input by 20 July 2009. The OSC is part of the XXXI SCAR meeting which has three sessions: SCAR Business meetings from 30 July - 2 August 2010; the OSC, from 3-6 August inclusive; and the Delegates meeting from 9-11 August inclusive.

Online version of the International Antarctic Weather Forecasting Handbook

The latest version of the International Antarctic Weather Forecasting Handbook is now available on the Internet. This is basically the 2004 hardcopy version plus the 2009 supplement and update. It's very much easier to use now since you can search the entire volume for a word or phrase. Visit the Handbook website. We are looking for updates on the station information from any of the SCAR nations.

IPY International Early Career Researcher Symposium

The IPY International Early Career Researcher Symposium will take place from 4 to 8 December 2009 in Victoria, B.C., Canada. The Symposium is organised in conjunction with the 2009 ArcticNet Science Meeting, which will be held after the Symposium in Victoria.

With the support of IPY Canada, ArcticNet, and the Northern Research Forum, the Symposium will bring together Arctic and Antarctic early career researchers from across the world with experts to build skills, knowledge, and networks. The workshop is based around seven themes:

The training sessions will give concrete and useful advice, insight, and skills to help early career researchers meet the demands of polar science. The Symposium will also provide an unmatched opportunity to meet and collaborate with fellow early career researchers, and build the networks that will strengthen polar research in the future.

Lodging and food will be included and travel support will be available. Registration will be capped at 120 participants. Please visit the workshop website for more information and to register for future information packages and application forms.

Energy and Climate Change - a Statement from SCAR's Members (the Academies)

In December 2009, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change will hold a major international conference on climate change at which Ministers are expected to agree on a new way forward to manage the use of energy, so as to minimize global warming over the 21st century. In preparation for that conference, there will be this year a number of smaller meetings in various places to bring scientists together to prepare scientific advice for those Ministers. SCAR has done its best to provide such advice to the Parties to the Antarctic Treaty, through the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) in April (see ATCM Information Paper 05). The scientific academies that form SCAR's Members have themselves recently provided governments with advice on the use of energy in relation to global warming. It is this advice, and the outcome from the December UNFCCC meeting in Copenhagen, that will form the context for the development of the next version of SCAR's strategic plan in Buenos Aries in August 2010.

A New Social Contract for Science

Now that Jane Lubchenco has been appointed the new Head of the USA's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), it is worth reflecting on her notion of a new social contract for science. She argued that the immediate and real challenges facing humankind had not been fully appreciated nor properly acknowledged by the community of scientists whose responsibility it is, and will be, to meet them. These challenges, global warming foremost among them, threatened the integrity of the life-support system of our planet and the ecosystem goods and services that it delivers. They are vastly different in magnitude and scale and kind from past changes that we may have faced; even our best records and models offer little guidance concerning the scale and character of likely responses to these challenges. The world at the end of the last millennium is fundamentally different from the one in which the current scientific enterprise developed. Business as usual, and models based on the science of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s will not suffice in the face of these formidable challenges for society, which will affect human health, the economy, social justice and national security.

Society has a contract with science; it invests in science because it expects two outcomes; (i) the best possible science (greater knowledge about how the world works), and (ii) the production of something useful. The rationale for public investment in science, as well as specific decisions about the allocation of resources, are tied to expectations that something beneficial to society will emerge. At the end of the last millennium the role of science to discover and communicate new knowledge and to train the next generation had not changed, but the needs of society had. One of the critical emerging needs was for a greater role for science in informing decision-makers faced with increasingly large and rapidly growing environmental problems - providing knowledge about how to manage the planet. Lubchenco's new social contract for science envisaged that scientists will (i) address the most urgent needs of society, and (ii) communicate their knowledge and understanding widely so as to inform decisions by policy makers, to help society move towards a sustainable biosphere. The contract would not be a call to abandon fundamental research, but to invest fundamental research in a broad spectrum of areas where new knowledge is urgently needed. Pressing needs include communicating the certainties, uncertainties and seriousness of different environmental or social problems, providing alternatives to address them, and educating citizens about the issues and especially about how the environment works and what that means for the future of humanity. The environment, concludes Lubchenco, is not a marginal issue, it is the issue of the future, and the future is here now.

That was written in 1997 when Lubchenco, a Professor of Marine Biology and Distinguished Professor of Zoology at Oregon State University, became President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She was subsequently elected Chairperson of SCAR's parent body, the International Council for Science (ICSU). Her social contract remains as valid now in 2009 as it was in February 1997. It was published in Science, vol 279, January 1998. SCAR does its bit to meet the requirements of the new social contract by providing advice to the Parties to the Antarctic Treaty, and by devising research to address challenging societal issues - especially the questions of changing climate and changing biodiversity. Nevertheless we should not be complacent; the task ahead is huge and these issues should continue to take centre stage in our future strategic plans.

NOTUS: The newsletter of SCAR's Antarctica in the Global Climate System

The latest issue of the NOTUS newsletter can now be downloaded from the AGCS website.

Want to give a presentation on SCAR? Start here

Chuck Kennicutt has recently updated the Powerpoint slide presentation on SCAR. Members of the SCAR community are welcome to use it or to adapt it for their own local or regional needs. You can find the slides under the heading Other SCAR Presentations on the Communications page. On that page you will also find Powerpoint presentations from previous SCAR lectues to the ATCM, which you may find useful in your own talks and lectures.

If you wish to make up your own Powerpoint slides on SCAR matters, you can use the new designs of the SCAR Powerpoint templates (see the heading Templates on that same web page). These are actually located on the Members' page, for which you will need the Members username and password, which can be supplied to SCAR users by the Secretariat (info@scar.org).

Australia provides support for SCAR's Marine Biodiversity Information Network (SCAR MarBIN)

As pointed out in SCAR Circular 779 on April 3, 2009, SCAR's Marine Biodiversity Information Network faces certain funding constraints. Some support has been obtained from the TOTAL Foundation, and other sources are being approached. Thanks to the new Australian Antarctic Division's Chief Scientist, John Gunn, Australia has now stepped up to the plate with a financial contribution to Belgium to help to manage SCAR MarBIN for the next 2 years. John says, "Since SCAR MarBIN's inception, Australia has been a strong supporter of the Facility's goals and remains convinced that SCAR-MarBIN is an extremely important component of our collective Antarctic data management network. The marine data aggregator services provided by SCAR MarBIN, coupled with it role in coordinating and exposing the Register of Antarctic Marine Species (RAMS) are underpinning Antarctic scientific research, particularly that being conducted by the Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) Project.

"It would be a tremendous pity if all of the efforts involved to date were devalued by the closing of the Facility due to lack of ongoing funding. SCAR MarBIN is an excellent example of a modern data service that has achieved considerable outcomes with relatively few resources by harnessing the power of collaborative networks, by focusing on outreach and by having excellent technical staff.

"It can be difficult to make the case for funding when an activity might be seen as a 'public good' and where pay-offs may be indirect and often realised in the medium to long term. My anticipation is that in the fullness of time, as other nations establish mature approaches to data management, these nations will rise to share the task of creating a polar data commons - something we will all benefit from but which none of us can build on our own. It is the sum of all our national efforts that will make the difference in the end and which will provide an effective pan Antarctic data management system, capable of supporting Antarctic science in the 21st Century."

Well said, John. Now, if only others shared that view and opened their wallets!

Researcher argues for publishing data

As we move in to the 21st century, reasons abound for making scarce Antarctic and Southern Ocean data readily available to all. These vast regions are horribly under-sampled. The more data of all types that we can get into the public domain the more we can compensate for that incredible handicap, which prevents us from fully understanding the processes governing environmental change across the region. Sitting on our own little data sets is no help at all. It will not win us a pan-Antarctic view. Sharing is in everyone's best interests. So why doesn't it happen? Why are the nations who signed up to Article III 1 c of the Antarctic Treaty not making a commitment to it? Many of the answers are to be found in a paper by Mark Costello. Scientists do need a system for publishing data in the same way that they publish papers, and for getting recognition for it. But, hey guys, why wait? Don't delay - do it today! It's SCAR policy after all.

SCAR Representative appointed to ICSU Data Committee

On SCAR's recommendation, Kim Finney, Chief Officer of SCAR's Standing Committee on Antarctic Data Management (SCADM) has been appointed to ICSU's new Strategic Coordinating Committee on Scientific Data and Information. The new Committee will:
"establish and assert a visible and effective strategic leadership role, on behalf of the global scientific community, in relation to the policies, management and stewardship of scientific data and information. It will be charged with producing a sustainability plan for maintaining the established strategic coordination and leadership role of ICSU for consideration by the next ICSU General Assembly (2011)."

Part of the work of the Committee will be to examine the current ICSU data management structure of World Data Centres, and to recommend a modern data and information management infrastructure from which we should all benefit. Our own in house development of a data and information management strategy (led by Kim) will inform these new developments. In addition, as they come on line we will undoubtedly benefit from them. This initiative will enable us globally to contribute more effectively to the data management side of the IPY legacy, on which our science depends.

Nominations sought for Prize Selection Committee

SCAR is looking for potential members to join the Selection Committee for the Martha T. Muse Prize for Science and Policy in Antarctica. The Prize has been established by the Tinker Foundation to honour its long-time leader, Ms. Martha Twitchell Muse, and to provide a lasting legacy of the IPY. It will be adminstered by SCAR on behalf of the Foundation. The Prize is intended for an early- to mid-career researcher, in any field of Antarctic science or policy, who has demonstrated exceptional capabilities and the potential to show significant creativity and leadership in the future. The goal is to provide recognition of the outstanding and important work being done by the individual and to call attention to the importance of understanding Antarctica in this time of global climate change.

The next step in the process of establishing the Muse Prize is to appoint a Selection Committee comprised of six members that are representative of the geographical, discipline and gender diversity of the international Antarctic community. We ask that you consider your colleagues and peers as potential Selection Committee members. Individuals may nominate themselves or be nominated by other individuals, agencies, organizations or institutions. In this first assembling of the Selection Committee, appointment terms will be one to three years to allow for regular rotation of Committee members.

If you wish to nominate yourself or someone to serve on the Muse Prize Selection Committee, please send a letter of application, stating why you (or the individual in question) should serve on the committee and provide either a 2-page CV or a web link to a personal page that includes explicit evidence (e.g., published papers) of the candidate's contributions to Antarctic science and/or policy and their standing in the community. The goal is to establish a high quality, experienced, "blue-ribbon" panel to select Prize winners. Candidate qualification packages must be sent via email to SCAR for the attention of Executive Officer, Mike Sparrow. Criteria for appointment to the Selection Committee will include considerable experience in Antarctic research (science or policy) and a wide knowledge of the international Antarctic scientific and/or policy communities. Packages will be accepted until 1 June 2009.

Treaty Parties Resolve to Commit to Observing Systems and Data Exchange

The XXXII Antarctic Treaty Meeting, in Baltimore (6-17 April) approved a Resolution on the Legacy of the International Polar Year, in which Treaty Parties are urged to:

Read the full text of the Resolution.

SCAR and IASC sign Agreement with International Permafrost Association (IPA)

On 27 March, at the Arctic Science Summit Week in Bergen, SCAR, IASC and IPA signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding their intention to work closely together. Full details are available under IPA on the Geo-Science page of the SCAR website.

Ministers Sign 2009 Declaration on the IPY and its Legacy

This year's Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting began in Washington DC on April 6 2009 with a joint meeting of the Parties to the Antarctic Treaty and the Member States of the Arctic Council, who came together in the persons of their various Environment Ministers to sign a joint Ministerial Declaration on the International Polar Year and Polar Science. The declaration is a call to arms for more research in the polar regions and for implementing the IPY legacy. The meeting was opened by Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, who underlined the intention of the new US administration to focus on the issue of climate change.

SCAR MarBIN Test Drive

After months of efforts, SCAR-MarBIN V2.0 is ready for a large scale test drive. We have developed a completely new data portal, which we hope you will find more attractive, more intuitive and more powerful. Please bear in mind that this is still a BETA version, and that some fine-tuning might still be needed. We count on your feedback to help us improve our tool. Visit the SCAR-MarBIN V2.Obeta website at its temporary address.

For the record, at the end of IPY (31 March 2009), SCAR-MarBIN has reached and surpassed all of its objectives:

Read the press release. A poster and brochure are also available for download. An article, 'Timely information about Antarctic marine biodiversity', will be published in Nature in the next few weeks.

News from SCAR-MarBIN

The latest issue of the SCAR-MarBIN newsletter is also available for download. The contents are:

View the latest issue of the Newsletter (size: 10MB).

SCAR's Review of Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment available for comment

We ask for comments on the penultimate draft of SCAR's Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment review, which you can download from the ACCE web site. Please feel free to download the chapters, and to then use the Track Changes option of MS Word to add or delete text and references, so that we can see clearly what you are suggesting in the way of improvements. If you make changes, please then delete all but the numbered section in which you made your changes, and return that numbered section to John Turner at jtu@bas.ac.uk. This will help us to see where your comments belong, and at the same time keep to a minimum the transfer of large files.

To speed publication it would be appreciated if you would provide your feedback no later than April 30.

View SCAR's Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment review

SCAR Seeks New Executive Director

The SCAR Executive Director retires at the end of March 2010. The advert for this position and the further particulars describing it can be found on the SCAR web site home page. The advert will also shortly appear in New Scientist and Nature.

365 days Under Antarctic Ice

1st July 1957 marked the beginning of the International Geophysical Year. The scientific world decided to explore the Antarctic. Twelve nations would join efforts to initiate a vast research programme aimed at penetrating the mysteries of the white continent. Three Frenchmen, Jacques Dubois, a meteorologist, Roland Schlich, a geophysicist, and Claude Lorius a glaciologist, occupied the Charcot Station, built near the South magnetic pole and located 320 km from the coast, for a whole year without any possibility of relief. They wintered from January 1957 to January 1958 in an aluminium hut only 24 m2 in size, buried under the ice.

Today, Roland Schlich of the School and Observatory of Earth Sciences, Strasbourg and Claude Lorius of the Laboratory of Glaciology and Geophysics of the Environment, Grenoble, are the last witnesses of this wintering and they remember . . .

365 days Under Antarctic Ice, is a film produced from footage filmed 50 years ago and it traces this human and scientific adventure, thanks to the evidence and unpublished documents from the time. The English version of the film is sponsored jointly by the European Geosciences Union (EGU) and SCAR and will be screened at the next EGU 2009 General Assembly in Vienna (US1 Session: Union Award Presentation and Medal Lectures on Wednesday 22 April 2009 13h30, Room D).

View the Film poster

SCAR's Education and Training links

The Education and Training section of the SCAR website has been greatly improved recently, with the creation of a new page for Antarctic Education Websites. The page has links to education websites from around the world and everyone, from children and non-scientists to experienced polar researchers, should find something of interest to them. Although the majority of sites listed are in English, there are a number of sites in other languages. The SCAR Secretariat would welcome suggestions of other websites to be included, particularly those in other languages.

News from SCAR's EBA (Evolution and Biodiversity in the Antarctic) programme

The third issue of the EBA Newsletter (March 2009) is now available on the Life Sciences page.
View the EBA Newsletter.

SCAR's Census of Antarctic Marine Life finds 1000 new species

The Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) - a SCAR programme, an IPY programme, and part of the global Census of Marine Life - found some 7500 animal species, 1000 more than were known before. Surprisingly, some 235 species were found to be common to both the Arctic and the Antarctic.

For more details, read the full ScienceNews article.

2008 SCAR Medalist Claude Lorius awarded Blue Planet Prize

Dr Claude Lorius, winner of the 2008 SCAR Medal for International Scientific Coordination, has been recognised with another international award, the prestigious annual Blue Planet Prize of the Asahi Glass Foundation. Dr Lorius received the prize at a ceremony in Tokyo on 12 November 2008, in recognition of his contribution towards disclosing past climate change based on polar ice sheet core analysis. He discovered the relation between climate change during glacial and interglacial periods and atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, indicating its current unprecedentedly high level and warning of consequent global warming.

Dr Lorius, along with the other 2008 prize recipient Professor Jose Goldemberg from Brazil, was selected from a total of 104 nominated candidates. The day after the award ceremony, Dr Lorius gave a commemorative lecture entitled 'Climate and Environment – 50 years of adventures and research in Antarctica'.

For full details of the award and commemorative lectures, please see the Blue Planet Prize website.

SCAR Submits 10 papers to 32nd ATCM and 12th CEP meetings

The SCAR papers for the 32nd ATCM and 12th CEP meetings are now on the XXXII ATCM Papers page of the SCAR web site. The list includes one submitted through SCAR by the IPY International Project Office (WP 48).

Dates fixed for SCAR XXXI meeting in Buenos Aires in 2010

The SCAR Science Business Sessions will take place on Friday 30 July through Monday 2 August 2010, to be followed by the SCAR Open Science Conference on Tuesday 3 August through Friday 6 August. The SCAR Delegates will meet on Monday 9 August through Wednesday 11 August 2010. Further details will follow as they become available.

SCAR President Makes Historic Visit to King George Island

The SCAR President recently completed an unprecedented tour of SCAR member nation scientific stations on King George Island. President Chuck Kennicutt was a member of a delegation of distinguished visitors that accompanied the Instituto Antarctico Uruguayo (IAU) to Artigas Base, King George Island. The Delegation was led by General Domingo Montaldo (Director of IAU) and Admiral Juan Fernandez, Commandant of the Uruguayan Navy. During the visit, Uruguay reopened its second scientific base in the region, Científica Antártica T/N Ruperto Elichiribehety (ECARE). During the 8-day stay, the SCAR President took the opportunity to visit Korea's King Sejong Station, China's Great Wall Station, Chile's Escudero Station, and Russia's Bellingshausen Station. At each station researchers and scientists were available to discuss on-going and planned research activities. Several of the stations are currently undergoing significant expansions and improvements in infrastructure, support facilities, and laboratories. The SCAR President noted that "…the visit provided me with a better understanding and appreciation for the capabilities in the King George Island area. There is great potential for cooperation and partnerships among SCAR nations with programs and facilities in the region."

One objective of the SCAR visit was to encourage and promote partnerships and coordination in the region. Extensive cooperation is already occurring and provides a solid basis for even greater synergy amongst programmes. In addition to nationals conducting research at each station, there were also guest scientists from Germany, Venezuela, Brazil, New Zealand and Switzerland. The visiting delegation also encountered many instances of shared logistics and support that are a model for future collaboration in the region. One of SCAR's missions is to assist as appropriate in facilitating scientific partnerships among SCAR nations in ways that are mutually beneficial. Toward this end, SCAR has organized a King George Island Expert Group to consider how scientific programmes in the region might more effectively contribute to SCAR scientific initiatives. The topic of SCAR and King George Island science will be discussed at COMNAP's annual meeting in August 2009 in Punta Arenas, Chile. Kennicutt noted that "SCAR has no desire to intervene or comment on the national scientific priorities of its member nations, but SCAR can serve a role in enhancing communication and cooperation among countries when common interests are being pursued in the same or similar locations. The concentration of facilities, logistics, capabilities, research personnel, and scientific programs in the King George Island region is one-of-a-kind in the world and we should explore how these capabilities can best benefit Antarctic science in general and enhance national contributions to SCAR scientific activities."

The President also noted that "…everywhere we went, we were welcomed by enthusiastic and dedicated young scientists conducting cutting-edge research in some of the most modern, remote facilities in the world. It is abundantly clear that Antarctic science is healthy, pursuing some of the most societal-relevant research of any scientific community, and engaging some of the brightest minds that our nations have to offer. The future is indeed bright for Antarctic science and international collaboration!"

SCAR Education and Training Webpages

SCAR has recently updated its Education and Training web pages to include links to facts about Antarctica, Antarctic education websites (from school to higher education), information for Early Career Scientists and SCAR strategic documents on capacity building, education and training. The web pages can be accessed via the Education and Training link.

SCAR sponsors International Symposium on Glaciology

SCAR is co-sponsoring,with the International Glaciological Society (IGS), the International Symposium on Glaciology in the International Polar Year, which takes place at Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, from July 27-31 2009. Full details are contained in the Second Circular. More information is available from the Symposium website. Abstracts should if possible be submitted by March 20, 2009. Note that it is possible to arrange SCAR sessions or workshops within the bounds of the meeting.

Subglacial Antarctic Lake News from the IPY

The following article was released on the IPY Media web page as part of the celebrations of the end of the IPY. It highlights SCAR's Subglacial Antarctic Lake Exploration programme (SALE). For details, visit the 'First Antarctic Subglacial Lake Entry on the Horizon' news item.

SCAR announces the launch of its 2009-10 Fellowship Programme

SCAR is launching its 2009-10 Fellowship Programme, which this year is in two parts:

  1. the Standard SCAR Fellowship - for postgraduate and/or post- doctoral researchers from within the 35 SCAR Member countries to undertake research at an institute in another SCAR country.
  2. SCAR/IPF/IAI/UNEP Sixth Continent Initiative Fellowships - for postgraduate and/or post-doctoral researchers from within the 35 SCAR Member countries, or from non-traditional polar countries, to undertake research and development activities in the Antarctic.

The SCAR Fellowship Programme is designed to encourage the active involvement of early career scientists and engineers in Antarctic
scientific research, and to strengthen international capacity and cooperation in Antarctic research. Please could you encourage candidates to apply to this scheme, which has proved very successful to date.

For further details, please go to the SCAR Fellowships page. Note that the deadline for submissions is the 15th of May.

News from SCAR's GeoSciences Group

The latest issue of GeoReach, the newsletter of the GeoSciences Standing Scientific Group, is now available on the GeoSciences page.
View the February 2009 GeoReach issue.

SCAR Annual Report published

The SCAR Annual Report for 2008 has been published as Bulletin 170 and is now available on the Bulletins page of the SCAR website.

New SCAR Subglacial Antarctic Lake Environments (SALE) Poster

A new SALE poster is available from the SALE website. Both high resolution and low resolution versions are available.

SALE is a SCAR programme that brings together an international confederation of scientists dedicated to understanding the interplay of biological, geological, chemical, glaciological, and physical processes within subglacial environments.

CODATA and SCAR Partner In Polar Data and Information Commons

The ad-hoc group on data management is currently finalising the SCAR Data and Information Strategy, to be presented to EXCOM for endorsement at its August 2009 meeting in Punta Arenas. Following endorsement of the Strategy, work will begin on an implementation plan. Fortuitously CODATA, an ICSU body concerned with scientific data management, was recently awarded a (30,000 Euro) ICSU grant to pursue development of a Polar Data and Information Commons during 2009. SCAR was a partner in the grant proposal and will work with CODATA in pursuing development of an implementation plan for a bipolar approach to data management. SCAR's requirements should form a subset within this over-arching plan. The other key partners in the CODATA proposal were the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the IPY International Programme Office, the International Arctic Council (IASC), the World Data System Transition Team, the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences. The overall objective of the CODATA project is to set the foundations for establishing a sustainable, long-term framework for the preservation of, and access to polar data.

ASPeCt Sea-Ice Database Application

ASPeCt (Antarctic Sea Ice Processes and Climate) is an expert group on multi-disciplinary Antarctic sea ice zone research within the SCAR Physical Sciences programme. Established in 1996, ASPeCt has the key objective of improving our understanding of the Antarctic sea ice zone through focussed and ongoing research field programmes, remote sensing and numerical modelling. The Australian Antarctic Data Centre now archives in situ data on Antarctic sea ice and snow cover properties. This includes data from thickness transects across ice floes, snow pits and ice cores. Visit the Australian Antarctic Data Centre website (best viewed with Mosaic or IE 7.0).

Data from Australian, Japanese, German and US expeditions are currently available. Data can also be contributed online using the excel proforma available from the site.

Ice oceans 'are not poles apart'

Polar bears and penguins may live at opposite poles, but Census of Marine Life explorers have found that hundreds of identical species thrive in both the Arctic and Antarctic. Researchers in the north and south were startled to find that the polar oceans share 235 species despite an 11,000 kilometre gap. They documented changes in species distribution as warmer oceans spur migration. United by a high-speed current, Antarctic benthos is revealed as a single bioregion. Smaller species are replacing larger ones in some Arctic waters. These results from IPY programmes are milestones towards a historic first global oceans Census, the results of which are due to be published in October 2010. This news would simply not have been possible without the great work of so many Census scientists, especially on SCAR's Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML).

For details and a video see the Census of Marine Life website.

Read the BBC News article.

IPY Polar Field School in Svalbard

SCAR is proud to announce the International and Interdisciplinary IPY Polar Field School in Svalbard, Norway, organised by APECS in collaboration with UNIS, UArctic and IPY Norway. We would be grateful if you could help us to advertise this exciting event by sending news of this announcement to undergraduate or masters students in your institutes.

Entitled 'An Interdisciplinary Experience in Polar Studies', the field school takes place from 15 June to 3 July 2009 at the University Centre in Svalbard. In celebration of the International Polar Year (2007-09), the course will focus on environmental change in the Arctic and Antarctic through a series of lectures and field excursions in Svalbard. Topics covered will include Glaciology, Geology, Meteorology, Oceanography, Marine/Terrestrial Biology, and the Human Dimension in Polar Regions. Applicants should be Undergraduates or Masters students, with a minimum of one year in physical/technical and/or natural sciences. The deadline for applications is 27 March 2009.

Read the course circular for more information, or visit the APECS website. For a course description and information about UNIS, visit the UNIS website. For further details, contact Dr Liz Thomas, Paleoclimatologist at the British Antarctic Survey (tel: +44 1223 221658).

Webcasts of St Petersburg Open Science Conference now available

Webcasts from the SCAR/IASC IPY Open Science Conference, held in St Petersburg last July, are now available on the Arctic Portal website. They include the press conference, excerpts from the first two days' proceedings, and powerpoint presentations from the keynote speakers. They can be viewed by going to the webcasts section of the Arctic Portal website and clicking on SCAR/IASC IPY Open Science Conference.

SCAR President Communicates about Achievements and Activities

In July 2008 the new SCAR President, Chuck Kennicutt, began issuing a series of monthly notes to draw attention to different issues facing SCAR or achievements by SCAR. These notes are now available via the SCAR Communications page or can be accessed directly through the Notes from the President section.

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