Major New Zealand Scientific Voyage Launched Today

The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark, launched (i.e. announced, as it is not a launching when the ship is not leaving until the 31st) the NZ IPY-CAML. This voyage is an International Polar Year (IPY) and Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) expedition. It is planned to take eight weeks and the vessel being used is the Tangaroa. The main focus is to be on the biodiversity in the Ross Sea for the CAML. One of the things they will do is film the seabed at depths of 4000 meters, which has not been done before. Read more about this major scientific sea expedition to Antarctica here.

Invasive Species That Could Threaten Antarctic Environment

Today I found a very informative article about alien species beginning to become a problem in Antarctica. These plant and animal species are usually carried to the continent unknowingly by humans. Invasive species are an environmental problem in many other regions, but the harsh cold climate of Antarctica has at least in the past kept invasive species at bay. Read more about the threat of invasive species to Antarctica here.

Russian Sets Off To Set Sailing Record

Today Fedor Konyukhov left Australia to begin his expedition to sail around Antarctica one his own. According to this article only one other person has done such a feat before. It was Jon Sanders who circumnavigated Antarctica back in 1981/1982. It took him much more time than the 60 to 65 days it is expected to take Fedor Konyukhov to complete his solo sailing around Antarctica. He is sailing to set the record on the Antarctic Cup Racetrack.

Australian Governor General Forced to Cancel Trip

I wrote about him visiting Antarctica this week in an earlier blog post
found here. Today I noticed a news article about his trip being canceled. At first it was only delayed because of weather. In fact it has been rescheduled twice, but due to the continuing bad weather in Antarctica the trip has now been officially abandoned.

Japan Stops Whale Hunt

Here is an article about Japan stopping its whale hunt due to Greenpeace interference.

Yes, There Is Greenery in Antarctica

I know a lot of people think I am crazy when I tell then that there is plant life in parts of Antarctica. People think that nothing can grow on this icy continent. Well, it just is not true. Some plants have adapted and can grow here. It is kind of limited, but there is most definitely moss and lichens growing in Antarctica, especially on the Peninsula. Here is a good article about on scientist who is researching lichen.

Lichen photo I took back in December 2004

Volcanic Eruption in Antarctica...2,000 years ago

Just because a volcano is buried under ice does not mean it is not active. Researchers recently discovered that more than 2,000 years ago a volcano erupted from underneath the ice in Antarctica breaking through the ice and covering the continent in ash. The evidence of this is a layer of ash found in the ice sheet. They suspect this volcano is still active and although buried by ice may be melting the bottom of the ice causing the fast glacial flow of the nearby ice. Read more about this discovery here.

Australian Head of State to Visit Antarctica

The Governor General of Australia, Michael Jeffery, will be the first Australian head of state to visit Antarctica. He is expected to go next week using the new airlink that has begun operation between Hobart and Antarctica as a regular airlink for researchers and base support staff. Read more about his visit here.

Lake Under Antarctic Ice Sheet

Here is an article about exploring Lake Ellsworth underneath ice in Antarctica. Scientists from the Universities of Edinburgh and Northumbria. So far in there research they have figured out the depth of Lake Ellsworth. The depth of 105 meters shows that this site is "ideal site for future explorative missions to detect microbial life and recover climate records." If the survey work going on now goes well, then as a probe will be built and used as early as 2012/2013. Read more about this here.

Issue of Japanese Whalers Continues

So, recently the issue of Japanese whalers breaking international treaties against whaling has increased in intensity with an Australian judge banning the activity and the Japanese whalers taking protesters into custody.

Australian Judge Bans Japanese Whaling in Antarctic

Yesterday a banned the Japanese company, who has been in the news recently because of their plan to hunt whales in the Antarctic, from whaling in the Antarctic, which Australia has declared as an animal sanctuary. Now the pressure is on the Australian government to enforce this decision while the Japanese do not recognize this court ruling. This can be read about here.

Japanese Whalers Detain Activists

A Japanese whaling vessel has detained two activists for acid throwing and illegally boarding the Japanese vessel. Article about this can be found here.