Poster Session 2: Thursday
Tracks
Studio Theatre
| Thursday, August 27, 2026 |
| 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM |
Overview
Thursday - Friday
Details
CLIMATE SYSTEM AND CHANGE
Dr Alexander Fraser - AAPP Producing a fully automated climate data record of Antarctic landfast sea ice 101
Ms Kelly-anne Lawler - ANU Radiolarian-based reconstructions of upper ocean conditions at the Sabrina Coast, East Antarctica, during Late Quaternary interglacial periods 102
Miss Chen Zhang - UTAS Characterising fine-scale variability of gases in the shallow Million Year Ice Core 103
Mr Niam Askey-Doran - UTAS Insights into the East Antarctic lithosphere from tectonic segmentation and regional seismic constraints 104
Mr Kurt Burgess - IMAS Oceanic Uptake of Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Observed in the Greater Prydz Bay Region, East Antarctica 105
Prof Zanna Chase - IMAS Southern Ocean ²³⁰Th distributions reveal a strong coupling to silicic acid 106
Dr Poul Christoffersen - IMAS Eastern shear margin of Thwaites Glacier is wet, weak and unstable 107
Ms Saanvi Deobhankar - Monash Understanding the mechanisms linking Antarctic sea ice decline to Australian climate. 108
Dr Sam Eggins - ANU Molecular strategies for iron and copper utilisation in Southern Ocean phytoplankton 109
Mr Jakob Gradl - UTAS Simultaneous inverse calibration of ice sheet bed topography, basal friction, and ice rheology on Denman glacier, East Antarctica using mass-conserving neural networks 110
Ms Katarzyna Hasal - UTAS Sensitivity of Antarctic glaciers to changes in friction and viscosity. 111
Dr Thomas Holmes - AAPP Seasonal and annual shifts in dissolved iron distributions and cycling across a repeat basin-scale Southern Ocean transect 112
Dr Matthew Jeromson - UOC The Denman Region as a gateway for developing and applying beryllium-isotopes 113
Ms Qiuhong Liao - OUC / UNSW Historical and future subsurface ocean warming in the South Atlantic shaped by Antarctic Intermediate Water 114
Mr Xinlong Liu - UTAS Four Winters of Satellite-Derived Snow Thickness over Antarctic Sea Ice: A Robust Regional Contrast and Evidence for Incomplete Radar Penetration 115
Frank Mackenzie - Victoria University of Wellington Earth system implications of reduced Antarctic ice sheet extent 116
Ms Thanippuli Arachchige Nilusha Tharangani Perera - IMAS Opposing Rainfall Responses to Pacific Decadal Variability in Tasmania and Sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island 117
Mr Uzoma Nworgu - IMAS Antarctic Climate Extremes: Characterising Dry Events 118
Dr Inwoo Park - IMAS Application of coupling ice dynamics and subglacial hydrology model at Thwaites Glacier, West Antarcticaposy 119
Mr Worawin Premrasmi - UTAS The Role of Benthic Sources in Controlling the Dissolved Trace Metals Along the Adelie Land Margin in East Antarctica 120
Dr Will Scott - ANUm Inversion of GNSS data for solid-Earth structure beneath the Antarctic Peninsula 121
Ms Xueying Wang - UNSW / UOC Warming in the Western Boundary Currents and Southern Ocean Driven by Strengthened Tropical Winds 122
BIODIVERSITY
Dr Tess Hutchinson - Monash Pushing the limits of life: Antarctic microbial activity below -40°C 123
Ms Emily Miller - IMAS Reconstructing Holocene ecosystem shifts beneath the Shackleton Ice Shelf using sedaDNA and lipid biomarkers 124
Mr Anton Rocconi - AAD The Southern Ocean research aquarium (SOra) 125
Ms Sarah Jessop - IMAS The Living Seafloor of the Ross Sea: Predictive Models of Benthic Communities 126
Ms Laura Phillips - Monash DNA barcoding reveals hidden species across glacially separated ice-free areas 127
Mr Leo Rolland - UTAS East Antarctic polynyas are growing and greening 128
Mr Sive Xokashe - AAPP Dust and Bushfire Emissions Drive Seasonal Variability in Atmospheric Trace Metal Concentrations and solubilities in Western Australia 129
FIELD CAMPAIGNS
Associate Professor Patti Virtue - AAD Composition and ecological implications of marine debris at Heard Island: a UNESCO World Heritage Site 130
Miss Bridie Aulich - IMAS Submarine Volcanism in the Australian-Antarctic Basin 131
Miss Lana Barone - IMAS Beneath the ice: Uncovering Gondwanan orogenesis in East Antarctica 132
Dr Yuhao Dai - ANU Marine Si cycling in the Shackleton Ice Shelf region 133
Dr Julian Galvez - QUT Multi-sensor UAV remote sensing and ship-based hyperspectral characterisation of vascular plants at Heard Island: towards scalable detection of Poa annua 134
A/Prof Jacqueline Halpin - UTAS Decoding past ice sheet behaviour in the Denman region of East Antarctica 135
Dr Rebecca McWatters - AAD Drones Overhead: Using RPAS to monitor camp establishment, use and rehabilitation at Edgeworth David Base during the Denman Terrestrial Campaign. 136
Mr Noah Menner - IMAS Characterising the sedimentary source of iron and manganese on the Denman-Shackleton Continental Shelf, East Antarctica 137
Dr Leonie Suter - AAD Validation of ship-based autonomous eDNA Sampling Platforms for Southern Ocean Biodiversity Monitoring 138
MONITORING & DETECTING CHANGES
Mr Cameron Cooper - UTAS Extracting velocity data of the Denman Glacier from timelapse photography 139
Ms Deirdre Hanrahan-Tan - AAPP / IMAS Genomics of the Southern Ocean carbon pump: a deep dive into the SOTS sediment trap archive 140
Mr Simon Ramirez - UTAS Deciphering Wind Speed and Direction from Near-Sensor Antarctic Seismic Signals 141
Miss Eloise Birchall - Geoscience Australia Unlocking Sentinel-1 SAR Data for the Antarctic Region using REMA annual digital elevation models 142
Miss Solita Callaghan - IMAS Optimisation and implementation of a continuous flow analysis system to measure methane in ice cores 143
Miss Lucy Dowdell - QUT Faster modelling to predict impact of invasive species on Antarctic ecosystem networks 144
Mr Kaihong Jiao - IMAS Grounded icebergs around Antarctica: A high-resolution dataset derived from deep learning and Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar 145
Ms Megan Kerr - University of Texas Toward a crustal framework for geothermal heat flow variability in the South Pole Basin, East Antarctica 146
Ms Shyla Kupis - UTAS Critical appraisal of climate-driven firn models informed by rapid on-ground seismic surveys 147
Ms Carolyn Lober - QUT Multi-sensor satellite remote sensing of vegetation change
on Macquarie and other sub-Antarctic islands 148
Mr Mark Milnes - AAD Oceanographic Systems – Hydrographic Mapping and Other Acoustics Capabilities 149
Professor Brett Paull - UTAS Exploring alternative passive and active sampler technologies for routine Antarctic water and air sampling, transport and analysis 150
Mr William Rigby - AAD ARTEMIS: A Robotic Platform for Long-Term Environmental Monitoring and Ecological Observation 151
Dr Juan Sandino - QUT Scalable Antarctic Vegetation Mapping using Drone Imagery and Cross-Sensor Knowledge Transfer 152
Dr Doug Thost - AAD Twenty years of change at Brown Glacier, Heard Island: preliminary assessment of glacier retreat using a ship-based drone survey 153
Dr Pat Wongpan - AAD Iceberg Freeboards and Seal Dive Depths Provide Bathymetric Insights Seaward of the Cook, Ninnis, and Mertz Glaciers 154
HUMAN IMPACTS, INCLUDING CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS
Dr Kathryn Brown - AAD Contaminated site risk assessment in Antarctica: Application of toxicity tests with native terrestrial microinvertebrates 155
Dr Maria Kleshnina - QUT When Policy Shapes Selection: Anticipating Evolutionary Feedbacks in Conservation 156
Mr Tim Spedding - AAD Closing the loop: From Research Outputs to Environmental Action 157
Speaker
Mr Niam Askey-Doran
Phd Candidate
University of Tasmania
Insights into the East Antarctic lithosphere from tectonic segmentation and regional seismic constraints
Abstract Document
The potential role of glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) in the dynamics of the Antarctic ice sheet and sea level rise into the future is well known, but poorly quantified. A significant source of uncertainty in the magnitude of future solid Earth response is the structure of the lithosphere and underlying asthenosphere in data-sparse regions of East Antarctica.
Recent advances in seismic tomography of the Antarctic continent have progressed understanding of the solid Earth in Antarctica, however significant differences still exist between models. We use unsupervised clustering and information entropy metrics to compare the tectonic information present in Antarctic tomographic models. Optimised tectonic segmentations are hence used to infer cryptic terranes within the Antarctic continent without the need for prior tectonic information.
We compare these inferences of tectonic domains with regional structure derived from seismic data recorded in East Antarctica to improve constraints such as the nature of the lithosphere and depth of the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary. Such constraints enable improvement of 3D models of mantle viscosity used to inform GIA in Antarctica.
Recent advances in seismic tomography of the Antarctic continent have progressed understanding of the solid Earth in Antarctica, however significant differences still exist between models. We use unsupervised clustering and information entropy metrics to compare the tectonic information present in Antarctic tomographic models. Optimised tectonic segmentations are hence used to infer cryptic terranes within the Antarctic continent without the need for prior tectonic information.
We compare these inferences of tectonic domains with regional structure derived from seismic data recorded in East Antarctica to improve constraints such as the nature of the lithosphere and depth of the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary. Such constraints enable improvement of 3D models of mantle viscosity used to inform GIA in Antarctica.
Biography
Mr Kurt Burgess
Student
IMAS/University of Tasmania
Oceanic Uptake of Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Observed in the Greater Prydz Bay Region, East Antarctica
Abstract Document
Approximately 25% of excess carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere by humans through modern industrial activities has entered the global ocean, with the Southern Ocean understood to play an instrumental role in the uptake and storage of this anthropogenic CO2 (Cant). This research uses biogeochemical data collected during shipboard surveys conducted in 2006 (BROKE-West) and 2021 (TEMPO) to quantify the change in Cant over this fifteen-year window in subsurface waters between 50°E and 80°E. The TrOCA method will be used to quantify the concentration of Cant, as comparative analyses have shown this method to be reliable, and it has been used extensively in Southern Ocean studies. Cant concentrations will be quantified within the water masses observed in the greater Prydz Bay region, with signals anticipated in newly formed Antarctic Bottom Water. This research offers an opportunity to constrain decadal-scale Cant accumulation rates in the Southern Ocean and highlights the value of repeat hydrography as a mechanism to provide key insights into the magnitude and distribution of decadal ocean changes.
Biography
Prof Zanna Chase
Professor
ACEAS/University of Tasmania
Southern Ocean ²³⁰Th distributions reveal a strong coupling to silicic acid
Abstract Document
Thorium 230 (²³⁰Th) is a naturally occurring radionuclide produced at a constant and well constrained rate via the decay of uranium. Its known production and strong particle reactivity make it useful for tracing particle fluxes in the water column and to the sediment, including mineral dust and carbon. In most ocean regions, ²³⁰Th profiles increase linearly with depth, consistent with the reversible scavenging model. However, profiles in the Southern Ocean have long been observed to deviate from this behaviour.
Here, we compile an extensive dataset of ²³⁰Th and nutrient concentrations from south of 30°S to investigate the controls on ²³⁰Th distribution. Across all basins and depths, we identify a distinct two phase relationship between dissolved silicic acid (dSi) and ²³⁰Th. At dSi concentrations below ~45 µmol/kg, ²³⁰Th remains low and relatively constant, whereas at higher dSi concentrations it increases linearly. This relationship is strongest south of 50°S (r² = 0.7 for dSi > 45 µmol/kg) and is notably absent with other nutrients (N, P) and apparent oxygen utilisation. This behaviour suggests that ²³⁰Th in the Southern Ocean acts more like the micronutrient Zn, rather than as a purely scavenged trace element. We hypothesise that this pattern reflects a combination of low scavenging affinity for opal, association with opal bound organic matter, and low particle fluxes.
Here, we compile an extensive dataset of ²³⁰Th and nutrient concentrations from south of 30°S to investigate the controls on ²³⁰Th distribution. Across all basins and depths, we identify a distinct two phase relationship between dissolved silicic acid (dSi) and ²³⁰Th. At dSi concentrations below ~45 µmol/kg, ²³⁰Th remains low and relatively constant, whereas at higher dSi concentrations it increases linearly. This relationship is strongest south of 50°S (r² = 0.7 for dSi > 45 µmol/kg) and is notably absent with other nutrients (N, P) and apparent oxygen utilisation. This behaviour suggests that ²³⁰Th in the Southern Ocean acts more like the micronutrient Zn, rather than as a purely scavenged trace element. We hypothesise that this pattern reflects a combination of low scavenging affinity for opal, association with opal bound organic matter, and low particle fluxes.
Biography
Zanna is a professor of chemical oceanography at the University of Tasmania.
Dr Poul Christoffersen
Prof
IMAS/University of Tasmania
Eastern shear margin of Thwaites Glacier is wet, weak and unstable
Abstract Document
Ice sheet projections show Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica may become unstable if it’s observed retreat continues under a high emission scenario. However, there is uncertainty in projections because processes not currently included in models may influence the glacier’s future stability. A poorly understood process involves the boundary between fast- and slow-flowing ice. These shear margins exert strong control on the flow of glaciers, with outward margin migration leading to much faster flow.
Here, we characterise the the eastern shear margin of Thwaites Glacier in 3D using seismic imaging from a survey with one thousand nodal seismometers. We show that the ice-bed interface is flat, with no topographic control. Hydrologically, we observe a wet basal interface extending from the fast-moving side across the margin, well into the stagnant side, where conditions become dry. We found no direct evidence of a hydrological conduit to route water away. Instead, water is stored locally in the basal sediment, which weakens when water content rises. In these poorly drained conditions, shear margin stability may have a finite time limit defined by sediment thickness and storage capacity. We propose that the eastern shear margin is in the final stage of a cycle of formation and abandonment.
Here, we characterise the the eastern shear margin of Thwaites Glacier in 3D using seismic imaging from a survey with one thousand nodal seismometers. We show that the ice-bed interface is flat, with no topographic control. Hydrologically, we observe a wet basal interface extending from the fast-moving side across the margin, well into the stagnant side, where conditions become dry. We found no direct evidence of a hydrological conduit to route water away. Instead, water is stored locally in the basal sediment, which weakens when water content rises. In these poorly drained conditions, shear margin stability may have a finite time limit defined by sediment thickness and storage capacity. We propose that the eastern shear margin is in the final stage of a cycle of formation and abandonment.
Biography
Ice sheet projections show Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica may become unstable if it’s observed retreat continues under a high emission scenario. However, there is uncertainty in projections because processes not currently included in models may influence the glacier’s future stability. A poorly understood process involves the boundary between fast- and slow-flowing ice. These shear margins exert strong control on glacier dynamics, with outward margin migration leading to much faster flow.
Here, we characterise the the eastern shear margin of Thwaites Glacier in 3D using seismic imaging from a survey with one thousand nodal seismometers. We show that the ice-bed interface is flat, with no topographic control. Hydrologically, we observe a wet basal interface extending from the fast-moving side across the margin, well into the stagnant side, where conditions become dry. We found no direct evidence of a hydrological conduit to route water away. Instead, water is stored locally in the basal sediment, which weakens when water content rises. In these poorly drained conditions, shear margin stability may have a finite time limit defined by sediment thickness and storage capacity. We propose that the eastern shear margin is in the final stage of a cycle of formation and abandonment.
Ms Saanvi Deobhankar
Phd Student
SAEF/Monash University
Understanding the mechanisms linking Antarctic sea ice decline to Australian climate.
Abstract Document
Antarctic sea ice extent has remained in an anomalously low state since 2016, which is expected to drive extensive Southern Ocean changes with widespread implications for both atmospheric and oceanic processes. These impacts can propagate across latitudes, extending into the tropics, yet their influence on Australian climate remains poorly understood. This project aims to understand the mechanisms through which changes in Antarctic sea ice influence extratropical and tropical climate variability and, in turn, Australia’s climate regionally and seasonally. First, we will quantify how recent changes in Antarctic sea ice alter key atmospheric and oceanic teleconnections, such as SAM and ENSO, by analysing low sea ice perturbation experiments using ACCESS-ESM1.5 along with equivalent outputs from two additional CMIP6 models. Building on this multi-model assessment, we will then conduct additional ACCESS-ESM1.5 experiments forced with anomalously low and high SIE states to determine whether these teleconnections respond linearly or exhibit state-dependent behaviour under contrasting sea ice conditions. Lastly, we will analyse how the teleconnection patterns emerging from both experiments impact Australian climate by assessing shifts in mean and extreme temperature and precipitation responses. Overall, these findings will provide a clearer understanding of how reduced Antarctic sea ice reshapes Australia’s climate.
Biography
Dr Sam Eggins
Postdoctoral Researcher
ACEAS/Australian National University
Molecular strategies for iron and copper utilisation in Southern Ocean phytoplankton
Abstract Document
The Southern Ocean is one of the world's largest high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll regions, where chronically low iron availability limits phytoplankton growth and shapes community composition. Iron and copper are both biologically essential metals, required by components of the photosynthetic electron transport chain as well as a number of other metabolically critical metalloenzymes. While iron limitation in this region is well documented, comparatively little is known about how copper availability shapes phytoplankton physiology. One well-known adaptation among iron-starved phytoplankton is the metabolic substitution of the iron-containing cytochrome c₆ with the copper protein plastocyanin as an electron carrier to photosystem I. To explore these strategies more broadly, we cultured five Southern Ocean phytoplankton species under a factorial matrix of iron and copper limitation and characterised their molecular responses. We focussed on gene families underpinning high-affinity iron and copper acquisition, including reductive uptake systems that mobilise metals from poorly bioavailable organic pools, alongside the proteins of photosynthetic apparatus. Comparative analysis reveals a diversity of strategies for sustaining metal supply to photosynthesis under metal limitation. These findings refine our understanding of how Southern Ocean phytoplankton persist under iron stress and provide molecular context for interpreting their responses to a changing ocean.
Biography
I'm a postdoctoral researcher interested in the complex interactions between trace metals and biology in the Southern Ocean and beyond.
Mr Jakob Gradl
Phd Candidate
ACEAS/University of Tasmania
Simultaneous inverse calibration of ice sheet bed topography, basal friction, and ice rheology on Denman glacier, East Antarctica using mass-conserving neural networks
Abstract Document
The basal topography, basal friction, and the rheology of ice sheets are critical boundary conditions for numerical ice sheet models. They are typically estimated through inversion of the governing mass and momentum balance equations. However, simultaneously inverting for multiple parameters constrained by multiple physical laws is not trivial to implement in numerical frameworks. Therefore, inversions are usually performed for each parameter separately while prescribing the other. This separation can result in biases in the estimated parameters out of a need to compensate for errors present in the prescribed parameters. It has been suggested in the literature that – at least for bed topography and basal friction - simultaneous inversion of both parameters can improve the estimate for both fields as the joint estimate avoids compensating errors.
In physics-informed neural networks, the physical equations are part of the cost function rather than the forward model. Because of this, multi-physics inversions are relatively straightforward to set up in this framework. Here we present a neural network-based method for the joint inversion of bed topography, basal friction, and ice rheology. Our method utilises a vector decomposition strategy that guarantees strict adherence of the estimated parameters to mass conservation principles. We demonstrate our method by performing mass-conserving joint inversions of ice thickness, basal sliding, and ice hardness of Denman glacier.
In physics-informed neural networks, the physical equations are part of the cost function rather than the forward model. Because of this, multi-physics inversions are relatively straightforward to set up in this framework. Here we present a neural network-based method for the joint inversion of bed topography, basal friction, and ice rheology. Our method utilises a vector decomposition strategy that guarantees strict adherence of the estimated parameters to mass conservation principles. We demonstrate our method by performing mass-conserving joint inversions of ice thickness, basal sliding, and ice hardness of Denman glacier.
Biography
I'm a third-year PhD candidate at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) at the University of Tasmania. In my work, I'm focussing on the topography of the subglacial landscape in East Antarctica. I'm applying novel neural network-based techiques to do inverse calibration of subglacial properties from observations of the ice sheet surface. I did a Master degree in Earth Sciences at the University of Bremen, Germany and the University of Bergen, Norway. In my Master thesis, I was researching the connection between geothermal heat flow and the stable isotope composition of subglacial meltwater in Greenland. Before that, I did a Bachelor degree in Earth Sciences at the University of Kiel, Germany. In my Bachelor thesis, I was investigating sea surface salinity variabilities in the subpolar North Atlantic.
Ms Katarzyna Hasal
Phd Candidate
University of Tasmania
Sensitivity of Antarctic glaciers to changes in friction and viscosity.
Abstract Document
With the increasing impact of the Antarctic Ice Sheet on global sea level rise, it is important to accurately capture its evolution and quantify uncertainties of the projections. Differences in model outcomes under identical forcings arise from varying initialisation choices and assumptions about the physical state of the ice sheet.
The goal of this project is to address structural (model) uncertainty and examine its consequences. Using the Ice-sheet and Sea-level System Model (ISSM), I assess the sensitivity of Volume Above Flotation (a measure of ice-sheet sea level contribution) of selected Antarctic glaciers to changes in basal drag parameterisations, under different assumptions about viscosity of the ice.
Glacier flow is commonly modelled using Glen’s power law with exponent n = 3, however recent studies suggest that n = 4 might be a more accurate representation. Using automatic differentiation techniques and these two different values for the Glen flow law exponent, I generate sensitivity maps identifying where changes in basal parameters have the greatest impact on projected sea level contribution.
I will present the preliminary results for Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica, with the same experiments being planned for Thwaites, Denman and Totten glaciers.
The goal of this project is to address structural (model) uncertainty and examine its consequences. Using the Ice-sheet and Sea-level System Model (ISSM), I assess the sensitivity of Volume Above Flotation (a measure of ice-sheet sea level contribution) of selected Antarctic glaciers to changes in basal drag parameterisations, under different assumptions about viscosity of the ice.
Glacier flow is commonly modelled using Glen’s power law with exponent n = 3, however recent studies suggest that n = 4 might be a more accurate representation. Using automatic differentiation techniques and these two different values for the Glen flow law exponent, I generate sensitivity maps identifying where changes in basal parameters have the greatest impact on projected sea level contribution.
I will present the preliminary results for Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica, with the same experiments being planned for Thwaites, Denman and Totten glaciers.
Biography
Dr Thomas Holmes
Research Associate
AAPP/University of Tasmania
Seasonal and annual shifts in dissolved iron distributions and cycling across a repeat basin-scale Southern Ocean transect
Abstract Document
Phytoplankton form the base of most marine food webs, and their photosynthesis induces a transfer of carbon from the atmosphere into the ocean. However, Southern Ocean phytoplankton growth is limited by low iron concentrations. Thus, understanding the dynamics of iron supply and utilisation that affects phytoplankton growth is important for understanding the ocean’s future role in atmospheric carbon sequestration. Currently, large uncertainties remain regarding the dynamics of seasonal iron cycling and longer-term interannual changes.
Dissolved iron (dFe) concentrations were measured from two basin scale voyages along the SR3 section (~140°E, autumn 2008 and summer 2018) between Tasmania and Antarctica to explore both seasonal dynamics in the upper water column, and interannual changes in deeper water masses. In surface waters (<500 m), seasonal dFe depletion over the growth season (summer to autumn) was clearly observed. In the deep ocean, dFe shows the hydrothermal signature increased over the 10-year period, suggesting more variable hydrothermal activity along this section of the Southeast Indian Ridge than previously thought. At intermediate depths, dFe was also greater in 2018. Here, we explore mechanisms for dFe supply from deep waters using Argo data to compare winter mixed layer depth to deep dFe reserves, and satellite data to quantify potential eddy-induced upwelling of deep dFe-rich waters. Results show eddies could be an important mechanism for upwelling deep hydrothermal dFe regionally.
Dissolved iron (dFe) concentrations were measured from two basin scale voyages along the SR3 section (~140°E, autumn 2008 and summer 2018) between Tasmania and Antarctica to explore both seasonal dynamics in the upper water column, and interannual changes in deeper water masses. In surface waters (<500 m), seasonal dFe depletion over the growth season (summer to autumn) was clearly observed. In the deep ocean, dFe shows the hydrothermal signature increased over the 10-year period, suggesting more variable hydrothermal activity along this section of the Southeast Indian Ridge than previously thought. At intermediate depths, dFe was also greater in 2018. Here, we explore mechanisms for dFe supply from deep waters using Argo data to compare winter mixed layer depth to deep dFe reserves, and satellite data to quantify potential eddy-induced upwelling of deep dFe-rich waters. Results show eddies could be an important mechanism for upwelling deep hydrothermal dFe regionally.
Biography
Trace metal biogeochemist. Studying sources, sinks and cycling of trace metals in the Southern Ocean and their impact on primary productivity. Postdoc with the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership based at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania.
Dr Matthew Jeromson
Scientist
ACEAS/University of Canberra
The Denman Region as a gateway for developing and applying beryllium-isotopes
Abstract Document
Beryllium isotopes – meteoric ¹⁰Be and stable ⁹Be – in marine and sub–ice shelf sediments are increasingly used as proxies for reconstructing past ice–ocean dynamics in polar regions. Recent studies reporting beryllium isotope distributions across Antarctica, spanning broad spatial and temporal scales, have demonstrated their utility for interpreting ice–ocean interactions from the Holocene to the Pliocene. Despite this progress, key uncertainties remain. These include fundamental questions regarding the geochemical pathways controlling beryllium incorporation into marine sediments, as well as the physical processes governing its transport between reservoirs across glacial–interglacial cycles. Ongoing work in the Denman Glacier–Shackleton Ice Shelf system aims to characterize the distribution of beryllium isotopes and apply these tracers to improve understanding of both modern and past regional oceanography. Recent sediment sampling from environments spanning the ice-shelf cavity, continental shelf, and adjacent abyssal plain provides a unique opportunity to address these questions across contemporary and past conditions. Here, we present the currently available beryllium isotope datasets from the Denman region, discuss the insights they provide into ice–ocean processes, and highlight some of the emerging questions for the application and interpretation of beryllium isotopes.
Biography
Matt Jeromson is a Post Doc at the University of Canberra who has an interest in both beryllium proxy development and in reconstructing past ocean conditions around Antarctica.
Miss Qiuhong Liao
PhD Student
ACEAS/University of New South Wales
Historical and future subsurface ocean warming in the South Atlantic shaped by Antarctic Intermediate Water
Abstract Document
The South Atlantic plays a key role in global ocean heat uptake as the only basin that transports heat equatorward, linking the Southern Ocean and the Atlantic interior, two major regions of global warming. However, CMIP6 models show large uncertainty in simulating subsurface ocean heat content (OHC) changes in this region. Here we show that the CMIP6 multi-model mean exhibits weaker subsurface warming than observations, with the largest differences occurring within the SAMW and AAIW layers. This difference is associated with a shallower and more extensive AAIW structure in the CMIP6 multi-model mean compared with observations. Across CMIP6 models, those with deeper AAIW core depths show water-mass structures more consistent with observations and exhibit stronger subsurface heat storage in the South Atlantic. These results highlight the importance of SAMW and AAIW formation and subduction in controlling subsurface heat uptake in the South Atlantic. The relationship between AAIW core depths and South Atlantic subsurface OHC trends persists under SSP5-8.5 forcing, suggesting that future subsurface warming in this region will continue to be influenced by intermediate-water structure.
Biography
I am a PhD student at Ocean University of China (OUC) and currently a visiting PhD student at UNSW. My research focuses on the variability of ocean heat content in the South Atlantic, with an emphasis on water-mass structure and heat uptake processes.
Mr Xinlong Liu
Phd Student
AAPP/University of Tasmania
Four Winters of Satellite-Derived Snow Thickness over Antarctic Sea Ice: A Robust Regional Contrast and Evidence for Incomplete Radar Penetration
Abstract Document
Snow depth across the Antarctic sea-ice zone remains poorly constrained, with few large-scale observational estimates available. This knowledge gap degrades sea-ice thickness retrievals from satellite altimetry, which rely on accurate snow loading to convert freeboard into ice thickness. The CRYO2ICE configuration, combining near-coincident CryoSat-2 radar and ICESat-2 laser altimetry, allows snow thickness to be retrieved directly from the dual-altimeter freeboard difference. Here, a four-winter CRYO2ICE snow thickness record is presented for Antarctic sea ice, spanning austral winters 2022-2025 across the Weddell and Ross seas. A clear regional contrast emerges: mean snow thickness in the Weddell Sea (0.26 m) systematically exceeds that in the Ross Sea (0.22 m), with the pattern persisting across all winter months, years, and tested snow densities. A formal uncertainty budget yields mean per-retrieval uncertainties of 0.04 m, ~80% of which is attributable to CryoSat-2 radar freeboard error. Empirical calibration against the hydrostatic expectation returns a mean effective Ku-band penetration factor (δ) of 0.58, well below the full-penetration assumption and consistent with emerging evidence of incomplete radar penetration into Antarctic snow. These findings provide the first multi-winter satellite constraint on Antarctic snow depth, establishing a benchmark for ESA's CRISTAL mission, due to launch in 2028.
Biography
PhD Candidate at Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania: Antarctic Sea-Ice Remote Sensing & Southern Ocean Dynamics
Mr Frank Mackenzie
PhD Student
Victoria University of Wellington
Earth system implications of reduced Antarctic ice sheet extent
Abstract Document
Despite evidence that Antarctic ice sheets were reduced in extent during the last interglacial period (LIG; c. 130 - 115 ka), many Earth system model simulations employ present day Antarctic ice sheet configurations in model simulations of the LIG. This neglects a key feature of the LIG and may contribute to poor model skill in representing the LIG Southern Ocean. As contemporary ice sheet mass loss accelerates, it is important to understand the Earth system dynamics associated with reduced Antarctic ice sheet extent. In this work, three modified ice sheet configurations are employed in steady state experiments with an Earth system model of intermediate complexity. The ice sheet configurations represent plausible retreat scenarios for the LIG, with mass loss ranging from 4 to 10m in equivalent sea level contribution. The results of these experiments show that the impact of reduced ice sheet extent is highly sensitive to the specific ice sheet geometry, and that modifications to the ice sheets have far-reaching consequences for ocean circulation and interhemispheric heat transport.
Biography
Frank Mackenzie is a PhD student at Victoria University of Wellington and Earth Sciences New Zealand, investigating the implications of a reduced Antarctic ice sheet extent using Earth system modelling.
Ms Thanippuli Arachchige Nilusha Tharangani Perera
Student
AAPP/University of Tasmania
Opposing Rainfall Responses to Pacific Decadal Variability in Tasmania and Sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island
Abstract Document
Understanding how tropical Pacific climate variability interacts with Southern Ocean processes remains a key challenge for predicting hydroclimatic change across the Southern Hemisphere. This study investigates long-term rainfall variability in Tasmania and sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island using instrumental rainfall records spanning 1900–2024 (1948 - 2024 for Macquarie Island). Principal component analysis, hierarchical clustering, trend analysis, and Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO) phase composites were used to identify dominant modes of variability and regional climate responses. Across Tasmania, a dominant rainfall mode explained 53.2% of total variance, with several northern and eastern stations receiving 10–30% more rainfall during negative IPO phases than during positive phases. In contrast, Macquarie Island exhibited a fundamentally different hydroclimatic response. Rainfall increased significantly by 4.32 mm yr⁻¹ (p < 0.001), representing a 33% increase since 1948, while negative IPO phases were associated with lower rainfall than positive phases, opposite to the response observed across Tasmania and mainland southeastern Australia. These opposing rainfall trends and IPO relationships suggest that Macquarie Island may represent a transition zone between Pacific-dominated climate variability and Southern Ocean storm track processes. The results highlight the importance of sub-Antarctic observations for understanding tropical - polar climate linkages and ongoing hydroclimatic change across the Southern Hemisphere.
Keywords: Climate teleconnections; Hydroclimatic variability; Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO); Macquarie Island; Rainfall trends; Southern Ocean climate variability.
Keywords: Climate teleconnections; Hydroclimatic variability; Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO); Macquarie Island; Rainfall trends; Southern Ocean climate variability.
Biography
Nilusha Perera is a PhD candidate at the University of Tasmania, Australia. Her research focuses on hydroclimatic variability in southeastern Australia, with particular emphasis on long-term rainfall variability, climate drivers, and the integration of instrumental and palaeoclimate records to improve understanding of climate risks and water resource management. Her work investigates the influence of large-scale climate modes, including the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation, on regional hydroclimatic variability across Tasmania and the Southern Hemisphere.
Mr Uzoma Nworgu
Phd Researcher
AAPP/University of Tasmania
Antarctic Climate Extremes: Characterising Dry Events
Abstract Document
Proposed Topic: Climate system & Change
Abstract:
Antarctica is renowned for its climate extremes, yet while recent research has highlighted the increasing occurrence of heatwaves and extreme precipitation, much less is known about the opposite phenomenon: unusually prolonged dry and cold events. These events have important implications for surface mass balance and ice–atmosphere interactions, but their occurrence, drivers, and variability remain poorly understood. Presented here is the initial progress from an ongoing PhD project that seeks to define and investigate extreme dry and cold events across Antarctica. Focusing on dry extremes and using high-resolution precipitation fields from the MAR regional climate model (1979–2023), we apply a novel statistical method – multi-temporal rarity curves - to identify the rarest dry periods across multiple timescales. Here dry conditions are defined in an accumulated sense as sustained deficits in precipitation, while capturing the temporal dynamics of dry periods. Early results highlight important regional differences in the duration and frequency of dry extremes across Antarctica. The next steps include examining the connections with circulation anomalies and large-scale climate drivers. By advancing a systematic definition of Antarctic dry extremes, this work aims to contribute to a holistic understanding of Antarctic climate extremes in a rapidly changing world.
Abstract:
Antarctica is renowned for its climate extremes, yet while recent research has highlighted the increasing occurrence of heatwaves and extreme precipitation, much less is known about the opposite phenomenon: unusually prolonged dry and cold events. These events have important implications for surface mass balance and ice–atmosphere interactions, but their occurrence, drivers, and variability remain poorly understood. Presented here is the initial progress from an ongoing PhD project that seeks to define and investigate extreme dry and cold events across Antarctica. Focusing on dry extremes and using high-resolution precipitation fields from the MAR regional climate model (1979–2023), we apply a novel statistical method – multi-temporal rarity curves - to identify the rarest dry periods across multiple timescales. Here dry conditions are defined in an accumulated sense as sustained deficits in precipitation, while capturing the temporal dynamics of dry periods. Early results highlight important regional differences in the duration and frequency of dry extremes across Antarctica. The next steps include examining the connections with circulation anomalies and large-scale climate drivers. By advancing a systematic definition of Antarctic dry extremes, this work aims to contribute to a holistic understanding of Antarctic climate extremes in a rapidly changing world.
Biography
Uzoma C. Nworgu is a Marie Sk lodowska-Curie PhD fellow within the AUFRANDE program, jointly enrolled at Université Grenoble Alpes (France) and the University of Tasmania (Australia). His research focuses on Antarctic climate extremes, particularly cold and dry events, and their links to large-scale circulation and tropical–polar teleconnections. He holds a Master’s degree in Climate Change and Marine Sciences (WASCAL, Cabo Verde) and a First-Class Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries (University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria). He has published on Atlantic climate variability and actively participates in international climate science networks.
Dr Inwoo Park
Postdoctoral Researcher
AAPP/University of Tasmania
Application of coupling ice dynamics and subglacial hydrology model at Thwaites Glacier, West Antarcticaposy
Abstract Document
A thick ice sheet in Antarctica exerts substantial overburden pressure at the glacier bed, allowing basal meltwater to persist at the ice-bed interface despite low temperatures. Geothermal heat flux and frictional heating associated with ice motion constitute the primary sources of subglacial water. Hydraulic gradients drive water flow beneath the ice sheet. Variations in subglacial water flow, including drainage and recharge events within subglacial lakes, have been observed through both satellite remote sensing and in situ measurements. To improve understanding of these processes, subglacial hydrology models have been developed to simulate the spatial and temporal evolution of subglacial hydrological systems. The influence of subglacial hydrology on effective pressure, basal sliding, and ice-sheet dynamics has attracted increasing attention because of its potential implications for future global mean sea-level (GMSL) rise. To investigate the role of subglacial hydrology in controlling ice dynamics, we first conduct sensitivity experiments on key parameters within a subglacial hydrology model for Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica. We then incorporate model-derived changes in effective pressure into an ice dynamics model to evaluate their impact on century-scale projections. Within the 30 years of the simulations, the coupled ice dynamics–subglacial hydrology framework projects a smaller contribution to GMSL rise than a conventional approach that does not include the subglacial hydrology model and instead assumes a fully ocean-connected subglacial drainage system. However, the long-term response is strongly dependent on the formulation and parameterization of the subglacial hydrology model. For some model configurations, projected GMSL contributions converge toward values comparable to those obtained using the conventional approach. These findings highlight the substantial uncertainties associated with subglacial hydrology parameterizations and their propagation into projections of ice-sheet evolution.
Biography
Mr Worawin Premrasmi
Student
ACEAS/University of Tasmania
The Role of Benthic Sources in Controlling the Dissolved Trace Metals Along the Adelie Land Margin in East Antarctica
Abstract Document
Benthic sources are increasingly recognised as a major control on dissolved trace-metal budgets, yet their role on Antarctic continental shelves remains poorly constrained. East Antarctic waters offshore Adelie Land reveal an enrichment in dissolved Mn, particularly in shelf and dense bottom waters attributed to inputs from sediments and possibly glacial discharge. Benthic sources of trace metals have been proposed to explain the distribution of trace metals beyond water column cycling alone, particularly for elements that are strongly scavenged by Mn oxides. In this study, we present new dissolved rare earth element data from the Adelie Land margin to test whether sediment dissolution and benthic exchange contribute significantly to the dissolved trace-metal budget, and specifically how sedimentary processes regulate the availability and export of bioactive metals from Antarctic shelves to the Southern Ocean.
Biography
Dr Will Scott
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
ACEAS/Australian National University
Inversion of GNSS data for solid-Earth structure beneath the Antarctic Peninsula
Abstract Document
The last three decades have seen several major ice-shelf disintegration events along the Antarctic Peninsula, leading to enhanced glacial flow and rapid solid Earth deformation that has been captured by a network of GNSS stations. Surface rebound is modulated by underlying solid Earth properties, such as lithospheric thickness and mantle viscosity, but the observations are also contaminated by other signals arising from post-seismic relaxation, plate motions, residual GIA signals from the last glacial maximum, and inter-annual variability in surface-mass balance. Unravelling these competing phenomena is at present limited by the lack of a self-consistent framework for modelling such diverse processes, rendering attempts to separate them and infer solid Earth properties inconclusive.
Here, we use the G-ADOPT framework to invert the history of horizontal and vertical motions recorded by GNSS stations for mantle structure. These simulations represent the first time that these disparate processes have all been included within the same model and, taking advantage of G-ADOPT's adjoint capabilities, we are able to formally compute sensitivity to lateral Earth structure and transient rheologies in an efficient manner. Our results place robust bounds on the family of possible Earth structures, which can then be used to place tighter constraints on past ice-sheet behaviour in the peninsula and reduce uncertainties in future sea-level scenarios.
Biography
I have a broad interest and background in Polar science, numerical modelling, oceanography and geophysics. I develop finite element models for simulating icy processes using Firedrake (https://www.firedrakeproject.org/).
Ms. Xueying Wang
Phd Student
University Of New South Wales (unsw); Ocean University Of China (ouc)
Warming in the Western Boundary Currents and Southern Ocean Driven by Strengthened Tropical Winds
Abstract Document
Southern Ocean is a critical ventilation zone that plays a vital role in the global redistribution of heat and carbon. While local factors are known to strongly influence Southern Ocean warming, the mechanisms driving tropical teleconnections remain poorly understood. Using idealized wind-intensification experiments in the Australian Community Climate and Earth System Simulator Ocean Model version 2 (ACCESS-OM2), we demonstrate that enhanced tropical trade winds strengthen subtropical gyres and their associated western boundary currents (WBCs). These intensified WBCs transport greater amounts of low-latitude heat into their extension regions, driving a substantial increase in ocean heat content within the upper 1500 meters of the Southern Ocean. Furthermore, this anomalous warming alters the formation and variability of Subantarctic Mode Water and Antarctic Intermediate Water, ultimately modulating global ocean heat storage. Notably, the heat contributions from the Agulhas and Brazil currents are more significant than that of the East Australian Current. Theses results highlight the crucial role of tropical oceanic teleconnections in modulating Southern Ocean warming, providing essential insights for improving future projections of global climate change.
Biography
Xueying Wang is a PhD student in Physical Oceanography, currently conducting a visiting research practicum at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Centre for Marine Science and Innovation under the supervision of Prof. Matthew England. Their research focuses on large-scale ocean dynamics and mode water variability. Following a recent first-author publication in Ocean Modelling investigating the South Pacific Western Subtropical Mode Water, Xueying is currently analyzing the oceanic teleconnections between the tropics and the Southern Ocean to better understand global ocean heat redistribution.
Ms Sarah Jessop
Student
ACEAS/University of Tasmania
The Living Seafloor of the Ross Sea: Predictive Models of Benthic Communities
Abstract Document
As the world’s largest marine protected area (MPA) and a recognised biodiversity hotspot, the Ross Sea MPA aims to safeguard ecosystem processes and protect biodiversity. To achieve these aims, effective biodiversity monitoring of the region is critical. This is particularly true for benthic communities which comprise much of the biodiversity in the region. These communities are influenced by factors such as primary productivity and seafloor characteristics. While Antarctic benthic biodiversity has been explored regionally and modelled across the continent, the fine-scale structure of these communities remains poorly resolved. Given the significant regional heterogeneity, understanding these fine-scale patterns is critical for detecting ecological change. To address these issues, we use available seafloor imagery combined with fine scale environmental data including seafloor currents, and bathymetric derivatives, to predict fine scale shifts in benthic communities. We use joint species distribution modelling which is a powerful tool for predicting community assemblages by modelling multiple species in one framework. By predicting where species and communities occur, and their response to environmental gradients, we reveal the drivers shaping Ross Sea benthic biodiversity. These insights provide a foundation for effective monitoring and management today, and for anticipating how seafloor communities may respond to future change.
Biography
Ms Laura Phillips
Research Officer
SAEF/Monash University
DNA barcoding reveals hidden species across glacially separated ice-free areas
Abstract Document
The terrestrial environments of Antarctica harbour considerable biodiversity, much of which likely remains undiscovered. Collembola are among the most ecologically significant and species-rich arthropod groups in the region’s ice-free areas, yet their true diversity remains unresolved. Recent empirical and synthesis-based studies suggest that many morphologically cryptic lineages, distinguishable through phylogeographic or genomic approaches, remain undetected across Antarctica. Here, we investigated cryptic species diversity in Antarctic Collembola by sampling two biogeographic regions, Northern Victoria Land and Dronning Maud Land, using COI barcoding to test whether glacially separated populations harbour undescribed lineages. In Northern Victoria Land, specimens from the Morozumi Range showed a mean COI divergence of 12.0% (range 11.0–13.0%) relative to coastal Kaylathalia klovstadi populations. In Dronning Maud Land, specimens from central Dronning Maud Land showed a mean genetic divergence of 10.1% (range 9.0–11.1%) relative to Cryptopygus sverdrupi populations in the Sør Rondane Mountains. Both values exceed previously suggested thresholds for intraspecific variation in Antarctic Collembola. These findings were further supported by model-based species delimitation methods, which consistently recovered two distinct potential cryptic species. We discuss the possible role of glacial barriers as drivers of cryptic speciation in Antarctic Collembola. Information on the prevalence and geography of cryptic species provides a foundation for assessing whether current policies adequately protect the full breadth of the region’s biodiversity.
Biography
Laura is a biologist and research officer at Monash University in Melbourne. Her current research investigates the physiology of terrestrial arthropods, looking at how they have adapted to the unique environmental conditions in Antarctica and how they might respond to climate change. Laura also has a deep interest in conservation and uses science to inform conservation-based policy and management decisions in the Antarctic space.
Mr Leo Rolland
Phd Student
AAPP/University of Tasmania
East Antarctic polynyas are growing and greening
Abstract Document
Coastal Antarctic polynyas are critical physical and biological hotspots, driving dense shelf water formation, sustaining early-season phytoplankton blooms, and supporting highly productive marine ecosystems. Yet, their seasonal and inter-annual variability remains poorly constrained because of sparse observations. Here, we present a 23-year assessment (2003–2025) of nine major East Antarctic coastal polynyas. We combined satellite observations of chlorophyll-a from the Ocean Colour Climate Change Initiative (OC-CCI), sea-ice concentration from AMSR-E/2, wind speed from the Cross-Calibrated Multi-Platform (CCMP) product, and photosynthetically available radiation from GlobColour. These datasets were used to quantify long-term trends in biological production and to investigate the roles of wind, light, and sea-ice variability in driving these trends. Chlorophyll-a concentrations increased significantly across all nine polynyas over the study period. These biological changes coincide with substantial shifts in polynya physical characteristics: all polynyas decreased in extent before 2016 but have expanded since, consistent with the recent Antarctic sea-ice regime transition. The strong correspondence between changing polynya area, sea-ice conditions, and chlorophyll-a highlights the sensitivity of coastal Antarctic productivity to large-scale climate variability. By integrating multiple long-term satellite records, this work provides new insight into the mechanisms regulating Antarctic biological production and advances our understanding of Southern Ocean ecosystem responses to climate change.
Biography
Mr Sive Xokashe
HDR Candidate
AAPP
Dust and Bushfire Emissions Drive Seasonal Variability in Atmospheric Trace Metal Concentrations and solubilities in Western Australia
Abstract Document
Iron and other trace metals are essential micronutrients that support primary productivity in the ocean. However, their scarcity and low bioavailability often limit marine biogeochemical processes. Atmospheric deposition of iron-bearing particles from mineral dust, bushfires, and anthropogenic emissions is a key mechanism for alleviating this nutrient limitation, particularly in remote oceanic regions such as the Southern Ocean. Despite this importance, our understanding is hindered by a paucity of trace metal solubility measurements, uncertainties in the processes that constrain solubility, and the poorly constrained impact of different aerosol sources on ocean biogeochemistry.
Here we present a two-year continuous time-series (2023–2024) characterizing the concentration, solubility, and origin of atmospheric trace elements at Gingin, Western Australia. This site is strategically positioned along the dominant north-west transport pathway for mineral dust originating from the Australian arid interior. Our findings highlight the significant seasonal dynamics of trace metals associated with aerosols originating from the Australian continent. Furthermore, by utilizing elemental signatures and biomass burning tracers, we characterize these diverse emission sources, demonstrating their relative importance.
Regional continuous time-series such as this provide much-needed data to constrain Southern Hemisphere models simulating the atmospheric deposition and solubility of trace metals from diverse aerosol sources.
Here we present a two-year continuous time-series (2023–2024) characterizing the concentration, solubility, and origin of atmospheric trace elements at Gingin, Western Australia. This site is strategically positioned along the dominant north-west transport pathway for mineral dust originating from the Australian arid interior. Our findings highlight the significant seasonal dynamics of trace metals associated with aerosols originating from the Australian continent. Furthermore, by utilizing elemental signatures and biomass burning tracers, we characterize these diverse emission sources, demonstrating their relative importance.
Regional continuous time-series such as this provide much-needed data to constrain Southern Hemisphere models simulating the atmospheric deposition and solubility of trace metals from diverse aerosol sources.
Biography
Miss Bridie Aulich
Student
ACEAS/University of Tasmania
Submarine Volcanism in the Australian-Antarctic Basin
Abstract Document
Countless volcanic remnants have been identified beneath the Antarctic ice sheets, but we know little about their age, origin and interaction with the ice sheet. Even the thick continental crust of East Antarctica shows volcanic edifices, some of which were active only 50 ka, such as the Gaussberg volcano in the Australian Antarctic territory. Volcanism close to the Antarctic continent has the potential to warm the ice sheet from below. This additional heat source contributes to current and future ice sheet instability and retreat. Volcanic activity is not constrained to the continent itself and can be observed in geophysical datasets from the Southern Ocean. We use geophysical datasets such as bathymetric measurements, satellite data, and legacy seismic-reflection data to map volcanic activity in the Southern Ocean offshore the Australian Antarctic sector. While some remnants of volcanic activity display clearly as a seamount on the seafloor, other volcanic activity did not surface and are only traceable in seismic-reflection data. Pre-established sedimentary age grids allow us to roughly date the submarine volcanic activity detected and potentially relate it to known volcanism onshore, such as the Gaussberg eruption (50ka) or passing mantle plumes such as the Kerguelen hotspot.
Biography
Miss Lana Barone
Student
ACEAS/University of Tasmania
Beneath the ice: Uncovering Gondwanan orogenesis in East Antarctica
Abstract Document
The amalgamation of Gondwana (~600-500 Ma) produced major mountain belts at continental collision zones, known as orogens. The Kuunga Orogen, formed from the collision of parts of Africa, India, Australia, and Antarctica, remains one of the least understood. Much of the Kuunga-containing geological record is now obscured – buried beneath Bengal fan sediments, reworked during the India-Asia collision, or hidden far beneath the ice of East Antarctica. A recent model, based on the analogous Himalaya, proposes that the Kuunga Orogen in East Antarctica involved large-scale gravitational spreading of hot mid-crust and lateral ‘channel flow’ from the thickened core of the orogen, covering distances of 100-1000 km ~580 million years ago (Daczko & Halpin, 2025). New geological data from the Denman Terrestrial Campaign (DTC 2023-2024) provide an opportunity to test this heterogeneous channel flow model. This study will characterise deformation kinematics from field- to thin section-scale observations, derive pressure-temperature conditions by chemical analysis and phase equilibria thermodynamic modelling, and constrain timing by U-Pb dating of monazite in high-grade gneisses and zircon in late cross-cutting dykes. The results are expected to clarify the crustal architecture and tectonic evolution of the Kuunga Orogen and critically evaluate the role of mid-crustal channel flow in East Antarctica during Gondwana assembly.
Biography
Dr Yuhao Dai
Research Fellow
ACEAS/Australian National University
Marine Si cycling in the Shackleton Ice Shelf region
Abstract Document
Silicic acid [Si(OH)4], a key nutrient for diatoms, is typically abundant in the Antarctic coastal region and becomes depleted at lower latitudes in the surface Southern Ocean. The elevated Si(OH)4 in the Antarctic coastal region has been attributed to several mechanisms including upwelling of Si(OH)4-rich deep waters, incomplete biological uptake by diatoms, Si regeneration in the water column, and potentially dissolution of diatom frustules in the sediments. It is currently unclear how these processes together regulate Si cycling in the Antarctic coastal region, thereby setting Si(OH)4 concentrations in the Antarctic Winter Water that could be exported to the subsurface of lower latitudes through the formation of Antarctic Intermediate Water. Here, we present Si(OH)4 concentrations and isotopic compositions in dissolved and particulate phases in the water column, and in pore waters in the Shackleton Ice Shelf region. We evaluate the contributions of physical, biological, and diagenetic processes to Si cycling in the Antarctic coastal region and their influence on Si(OH)4 concentrations and isotopic compositions of the Antarctic Winter Water.
Biography
Dr Julian Galvez
Research Engineer
SAEF/Queensland University of Technology
Multi-sensor UAV remote sensing and ship-based hyperspectral characterisation of vascular plants at Heard Island: towards scalable detection of Poa annua
Abstract Document
Poa annua is the only known introduced vascular plant in Antarctica. Its ongoing establishment at Heard Island poses a significant and growing biosecurity risk, yet fine-scale mapping of its distribution and spread remains limited. During the 2025–26 HIMI field campaign, we deployed a multi-sensor UAV platform across two sites: Skua Beach (16 flights, 4 sensors, 2 km², 1.2 cm/px) and Paddick Valley (multispectral, 0.3 km², 2.3 cm/px), acquiring multispectral, hyperspectral, and LiDAR data (~2.3 TB), supported by vegetation quadrats and Poa annua transects as ground truth. Concurrently, we established a controlled shipboard VNIR spectral laboratory, scanning freshly collected specimens to characterise over 80% of the island's 12 known vascular plant species, including Poa annua, yielding a rare in situ hyperspectral reference library capturing both native and introduced flora.
Together, these datasets underpin a classification workflow to detect and map Poa annua at UAV resolution, with the longer-term aim of scaling detection models to satellite platforms such as Sentinel-2 and WorldView for island-wide monitoring. Preliminary spectral signatures and early classification results will be presented. We invite collaboration from ecologists and remote sensing specialists, and welcome the opportunity to connect with researchers interested in joint analysis.
Together, these datasets underpin a classification workflow to detect and map Poa annua at UAV resolution, with the longer-term aim of scaling detection models to satellite platforms such as Sentinel-2 and WorldView for island-wide monitoring. Preliminary spectral signatures and early classification results will be presented. We invite collaboration from ecologists and remote sensing specialists, and welcome the opportunity to connect with researchers interested in joint analysis.
Biography
Dr. Julian is a research engineer with extensive experience in mechatronics engineering and a Master of Engineering degree specialising in robotic astronomical instruments and remote sensing. He recently completed his doctorate in robotics and autonomous systems at The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and is now a seasoned specialist in UAV mission planning for planetary exploration. Dr. Julian's expertise lies in operating advanced drone systems in challenging environments, particularly in his search for ancient life signatures and vegetation in remote areas like Western Australia and Antarctica. His passion for exploration extends to space and remote sensing, where he has showcased his leadership skills in prestigious events such as RoboRave International, The Global Space Balloon Challenge, and The OpenCV AI competition. Currently, Julian works with the RPAS division of the QUT Research Engineering Facilities (REF) team, where he assists researchers and organisations in harnessing emerging drone, AI, 3D mapping and remote sensing technology. His role involves problem understanding, mission preparation, data collection, and post-processing and visualisation of data.
A/Prof Jacqueline Halpin
Geologist
ACEAS/University of Tasmania
Decoding past ice sheet behaviour in the Denman region of East Antarctica
Abstract Document
The Denman Glacier is currently one of the fastest retreating glacial systems in East Antarctica, holding an ice mass equivalent to ~1.5m of sea-level rise within the Knox Subglacial Basin. Drainage of the Denman Glacier-Knox Basin connects to the vast marine-based Aurora Subglacial Basin, making it particularly vulnerable in a warming climate. During the 2023–24 Denman Terrestrial Campaign, we conducted deep-field geological investigations. New samples and observations, combined with legacy collections and geophysical datasets, provide insight into the region’s 3-billion-year tectonic history.
This study focuses on isotopic “fingerprints” of basement provinces to constrain sediment provenance in offshore glaciomarine deposits. We compare onshore isotopic signatures with multi-proxy provenance data from DSDP Leg 28 Site 268, an underutilised archive of ice–ocean dynamics since the early Miocene. Detrital minerals are used to track changes in sediment sources and link them to specific geological provinces.
A range of isotopic systems (U–Pb, Lu–Hf, Pb–Pb, Rb–Sr) and minerals (zircon, monazite, apatite, garnet, feldspar) captures the full thermal and compositional spectrum of source rocks and identifies sediment recycling. Integrating bedrock and sediment signatures helps reconstruct past ice-sheet margins and improves understanding of East Antarctic ice-sheet evolution.
This study focuses on isotopic “fingerprints” of basement provinces to constrain sediment provenance in offshore glaciomarine deposits. We compare onshore isotopic signatures with multi-proxy provenance data from DSDP Leg 28 Site 268, an underutilised archive of ice–ocean dynamics since the early Miocene. Detrital minerals are used to track changes in sediment sources and link them to specific geological provinces.
A range of isotopic systems (U–Pb, Lu–Hf, Pb–Pb, Rb–Sr) and minerals (zircon, monazite, apatite, garnet, feldspar) captures the full thermal and compositional spectrum of source rocks and identifies sediment recycling. Integrating bedrock and sediment signatures helps reconstruct past ice-sheet margins and improves understanding of East Antarctic ice-sheet evolution.
Biography
Jacqueline is a geologist at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, with an interest in the deep-time tectonic evolution of Antarctica, how the ice sheet and underlying continent interact, and how geology records past ice-ocean-climate signals.
Dr Rebecca McWatters
Environmental Remediation Engineer
Australian Antarctic Division
Drones Overhead: Using RPAS to monitor camp establishment, use and rehabilitation at Edgeworth David Base during the Denman Terrestrial Campaign.
Abstract Document
The Australian Antarctic Program (AAP) undertook the Denman Terrestrial Science Field Campaign (DTC) over three Antarctic field seasons (2022-23 to 2024-25). It was a condition of authorisation that the AAP undertake rehabilitation of camp activities including ground disturbance (e.g., establishment of tent and hut sites, improvements to existing tent sites, removal of rocks for helipads, paths, and temporary laydown areas, and minor drainage diversion works).
We demonstrate the use of drone/remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) structure-from-motion derived surface models and orthomosaics to monitor the establishment, use, and rehabilitation of the DTC campsite at Edgeworth David Base across seven different timepoints.
The datasets deliver a highly detailed, comprehensive and spatially accurate timeseries depicting landscape conditions associated with camp establishment and rehabilitation. We found that only minor landscape disturbance took place and was mostly associated with establishing tent-sites and the further consolidation of walking tracks between the camp areas.
Beyond confirming the limited physical impact and benefits of the mitigation and remediation actions, RPAS mapping is a powerful monitoring tool for ongoing site stewardship. The high-resolution, spatially precise site models enable rigorous quantitative analyses of change, enhancing the capacity to monitor, measure, and minimise future site impacts. They are a high-quality record of the location and impacts of activities, consistent with the requirements under Annex III of the Antarctic Protocol.
We demonstrate the use of drone/remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) structure-from-motion derived surface models and orthomosaics to monitor the establishment, use, and rehabilitation of the DTC campsite at Edgeworth David Base across seven different timepoints.
The datasets deliver a highly detailed, comprehensive and spatially accurate timeseries depicting landscape conditions associated with camp establishment and rehabilitation. We found that only minor landscape disturbance took place and was mostly associated with establishing tent-sites and the further consolidation of walking tracks between the camp areas.
Beyond confirming the limited physical impact and benefits of the mitigation and remediation actions, RPAS mapping is a powerful monitoring tool for ongoing site stewardship. The high-resolution, spatially precise site models enable rigorous quantitative analyses of change, enhancing the capacity to monitor, measure, and minimise future site impacts. They are a high-quality record of the location and impacts of activities, consistent with the requirements under Annex III of the Antarctic Protocol.
Biography
Mr Noah Menner
Phd Student
AAPP/University of Tasmania
Characterising the sedimentary source of iron and manganese on the Denman-Shackleton Continental Shelf, East Antarctica
Abstract Document
In the majority of the surface waters of the Southern Ocean, photosynthesis is limited in phytoplankton by a depletion of iron. Some areas are co-limited by depletions in iron and manganese. One important, yet poorly constrained source of iron and manganese to the Southern Ocean is the sediment source. Four studies have quantified the flux of dissolved iron into the water column in West Antarctica. These results have been extrapolated to the entire area of the Antarctic continental shelf for modelling purposes.
We collected eight multicores to measure the benthic flux of dissolved iron and manganese into the water column of the Denman Glacier region of East Antarctica. The iron fluxes measured were up to two orders of magnitude less than those previously reported for West Antarctica. The low flux can be explained by deep redox boundaries in the sediments, leading to deep accumulation of dissolved manganese and iron and limited amounts diffusing to the surface sediments. The low flux of dissolved iron in the Denman Glacier region contradicts the extrapolations of West Antarctic measurements from previous literature. This has important implications for modelling which attempt to constrain iron and manganese sources to the Southern Ocean.
We collected eight multicores to measure the benthic flux of dissolved iron and manganese into the water column of the Denman Glacier region of East Antarctica. The iron fluxes measured were up to two orders of magnitude less than those previously reported for West Antarctica. The low flux can be explained by deep redox boundaries in the sediments, leading to deep accumulation of dissolved manganese and iron and limited amounts diffusing to the surface sediments. The low flux of dissolved iron in the Denman Glacier region contradicts the extrapolations of West Antarctic measurements from previous literature. This has important implications for modelling which attempt to constrain iron and manganese sources to the Southern Ocean.
Biography
Dr Leonie Suter
Senior Research Scientist
Australian Antarctic Division
Validation of ship-based autonomous eDNA Sampling Platforms for Southern Ocean Biodiversity Monitoring
Abstract Document
Environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring of the surface open ocean is a powerful approach for characterising biodiversity patterns. Existing research vessel expeditions offer access to surface water, enabling cost effective and rapid sample acquisition without dedicated ship time. Autonomous samplers could reduce the burden on ship personnel to filter seawater and provide a scalable solution; however, their comparability with manual shipboard sampling remains unclear, particularly on extended voyages.
Here, we compared manual sampling with two autonomous eDNA samplers, the ESP and the FIDO sampler, with capacities of 60 and 144 samples, respectively, during a 64-day voyage to the Denman Glacier region, Antarctica. Manual and autonomous sampling was conducted twice daily in parallel. In total, 114 manual, 115 FIDO, and 50 ESP samples were collected. Manual samples were frozen at −80 °C, whereas autonomous platforms preserved and stored filters in RNAlater at room temperature; the FIDO sampler additionally purged RNAlater using nitrogen gas.
All samples were analysed using four mitochondrial metabarcoding markers: COI for animal taxa and three 16S assays targeting krill, mammals, and fishes. Sampling approaches were compared using species richness and diversity metrics. Preliminary results indicate autonomous samplers generate comparable biodiversity data to manual collection during extended polar voyages and could support long-term biodiversity monitoring efforts, particularly on voyages with limited scientific personnel and constrained onboard sampling capacity.
Here, we compared manual sampling with two autonomous eDNA samplers, the ESP and the FIDO sampler, with capacities of 60 and 144 samples, respectively, during a 64-day voyage to the Denman Glacier region, Antarctica. Manual and autonomous sampling was conducted twice daily in parallel. In total, 114 manual, 115 FIDO, and 50 ESP samples were collected. Manual samples were frozen at −80 °C, whereas autonomous platforms preserved and stored filters in RNAlater at room temperature; the FIDO sampler additionally purged RNAlater using nitrogen gas.
All samples were analysed using four mitochondrial metabarcoding markers: COI for animal taxa and three 16S assays targeting krill, mammals, and fishes. Sampling approaches were compared using species richness and diversity metrics. Preliminary results indicate autonomous samplers generate comparable biodiversity data to manual collection during extended polar voyages and could support long-term biodiversity monitoring efforts, particularly on voyages with limited scientific personnel and constrained onboard sampling capacity.
Biography
Miss Eloise Birchall
Earth Observation Scientist
Geoscience Australia
Unlocking Sentinel-1 SAR Data for the Antarctic Region using REMA annual digital elevation models
Abstract Document
The Digital Earth Antarctica Program is developing continental-scale Earth observation products to improve access to and analysis of satellite data across Antarctica. A key focus is unlocking the Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) archive through production of Analysis Ready Data (ARD), enabling consistent cloud-free long-term monitoring of the Antarctic ice sheet, coast, and sea-ice environment.
The program has developed Antarctic processing pipelines for SAR Normalised Radar Backscatter (NRB) from Sentinel-1 SAR data. Producing high-quality SAR ARD requires accurate orbital, atmospheric, geometric, and radiometric corrections. A digital elevation model (DEM) is used to correct for terrain effects, but this is particularly challenging in rapidly changing areas of Antarctica where the surface can vary by tens of metres per year. Conventional approaches using a static DEM can therefore introduce geometric and radiometric errors due to mismatches between the surface observed by the sensor and the reference terrain model.
To address this, the project supports the development and application of multi-temporal DEM mosaics developed by the Polar Geospatial Ceanter. By considering elevation change through time using annual DEMs developed with spatiotemporal modelling, these products better represent surface conditions at the time of satellite acquisition, improving terrain corrections through time. Combined with static ancillary layers, used for radiometric normalisation and conversion between backscatter conventions, this approach supports more accurate and flexible Antarctic SAR products and time-series analyses.
The program has developed Antarctic processing pipelines for SAR Normalised Radar Backscatter (NRB) from Sentinel-1 SAR data. Producing high-quality SAR ARD requires accurate orbital, atmospheric, geometric, and radiometric corrections. A digital elevation model (DEM) is used to correct for terrain effects, but this is particularly challenging in rapidly changing areas of Antarctica where the surface can vary by tens of metres per year. Conventional approaches using a static DEM can therefore introduce geometric and radiometric errors due to mismatches between the surface observed by the sensor and the reference terrain model.
To address this, the project supports the development and application of multi-temporal DEM mosaics developed by the Polar Geospatial Ceanter. By considering elevation change through time using annual DEMs developed with spatiotemporal modelling, these products better represent surface conditions at the time of satellite acquisition, improving terrain corrections through time. Combined with static ancillary layers, used for radiometric normalisation and conversion between backscatter conventions, this approach supports more accurate and flexible Antarctic SAR products and time-series analyses.
Biography
Miss Solita Callaghan
Student
IMAS/University of Tasmania
Optimisation and implementation of a continuous flow analysis system to measure methane in ice cores
Abstract Document
Continuous Flow Analysis (CFA) systems produce accurate, high-resolution methane records faster than discrete methods. In preparation for the Million Year Ice Core (MYIC) Project, the IMAS ice core laboratory is implementing a CFA methane system. There are two main aspects to consider when characterizing the performance of the new system: (1) the degree of smoothing caused by mixing of air bubbles within the system, and (2) solubility of gases in melt water. Additionally, the relative novelty of these systems means there are not optimized, off-the-shelf parts available. Degassers are an integral part of gas CFA but few commercial modules are designed to prioritize gas flow. When setting up the system we assessed 6 different degassing modules using a bubble/water stream designed to mimic the flow of melt water from ice cores. Step-tests – performed by switching from one standard gas to another – assessed the smoothing each module contributed to the methane record. Comparison of the 6 modules found the 362 µL Darwin Bubble Trap had high precision (σ = 1.5e-03 ppm), low solubility ~10% ± 0.2% and a response time of 37 s. Work on the CFA system is ongoing and will include trials using Law Dome DSS0506 ice.
Biography
Miss Lucy Dowdell
PhD Student
SAEF/Queensland University of Technology
Faster modelling to predict impact of invasive species on Antarctic ecosystem networks
Abstract Document
Antarctica’s biodiversity is unique compared to the rest of the world, due to its isolation and the harsh conditions on the continent. It is also imperative to protect and mathematical and statistical modelling is a useful tool for protecting ecosystems, able to make predictions and inferences about ecosystems to help drive management decisions. The lack of information and data for Antarctic ecosystems makes quantitative modelling and parameterisation difficult for the region. Ensemble ecosystem modelling (EEM) is a flexible method that can be used to make predictions and inferences about ecosystems with limited quantitative data on species interactions. This method was recently applied to a benthic Antarctic system to investigate the impacts of invasive species on the area. EEM randomly samples parameters of models and checks if they satisfy two key ecosystem assumptions; stability and feasibility. Because of the requirement to meet these two assumptions, EEM often has infeasibly high computation times as the size of the network increases to reflect realistic ecosystems. To address this limitation, this work introduces two novel alternative computational methods for generating ecosystem networks within an EEM framework, whilst simultaneously restricting the abundances of species in these networks to expert-elicited ranges. We demonstrate these advances on the aforementioned benthic Antarctic ecosystem to show immediate advances that can be used when predicting the impact of invasive species on Antarctic ecosystems.
Biography
Mr Kaihong Jiao
Student Researcher
IMAS/University of Tasmania
Grounded icebergs around Antarctica: A high-resolution dataset derived from deep learning and Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar
Abstract Document
Grounded icebergs act as critical boundary conditions for the Antarctic coastal environment. They stabilise landfast sea ice via a "picket fence effect" and influence local ecosystems, yet their pan-Antarctic spatial distribution remains poorly constrained. Here, we present the first continental-scale dataset of Antarctic grounded icebergs. We developed an automated framework combining a deep learning model (ResUNet) with a multi-temporal tracking algorithm, applied to Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) time-series imagery. This approach successfully isolates stationary grounded icebergs from drifting ice and dynamic sea clutter.
Our dataset reveals that grounded icebergs are widely distributed along 56.5% of the Antarctic coastline, covering a combined area of 13,435 km². Crucially, we highlight that typically overlooked tiny icebergs ≤1 km² account for 53.9% of this total grounded area. These densely clustered micro-anchors are the primary drivers of the picket fence effect in specific regional hotspots. This comprehensive inventory provides a vital quantitative baseline for monitoring coastal cryosphere changes. It serves as essential input for modelling fast ice stability and mapping benthic habitats, ultimately enhancing our capacity to detect structural shifts in the Antarctic margin under a warming climate.
Our dataset reveals that grounded icebergs are widely distributed along 56.5% of the Antarctic coastline, covering a combined area of 13,435 km². Crucially, we highlight that typically overlooked tiny icebergs ≤1 km² account for 53.9% of this total grounded area. These densely clustered micro-anchors are the primary drivers of the picket fence effect in specific regional hotspots. This comprehensive inventory provides a vital quantitative baseline for monitoring coastal cryosphere changes. It serves as essential input for modelling fast ice stability and mapping benthic habitats, ultimately enhancing our capacity to detect structural shifts in the Antarctic margin under a warming climate.
Biography
Ms. Megan Kerr
PhD Candidate
University of Texas
Toward a crustal framework for geothermal heat flow variability in the South Pole Basin, East Antarctica
Abstract Document
The basal thermal regime of the Antarctic Ice Sheet is strongly influenced by geothermal heat flow (GHF), yet the geological controls on GHF heterogeneity remain poorly constrained beneath the thick ice cover of East Antarctica. Recent radar specularity analyses in the South Pole Basin (SPB) indicate a pronounced regional gradient in basal thermal conditions, suggesting strong spatial variability in GHF not captured by existing continental-scale models. The origin of this variability is likely linked to crustal and lithospheric processes, including tectonic structure, variations in heat-producing elements, and sedimentary basin development, but these processes have not yet been evaluated within a unified crustal-scale framework for the South Pole Basin.
We investigate crustal-scale controls on GHF heterogeneity in the SPB through the integration of airborne gravity and magnetic observations acquired during recent NSF COLDEX Antarctic surveys. These datasets provide new opportunities to characterize subglacial crustal structure across a region with sparse direct geological constraints. We are developing a workflow to jointly interpret gravity and magnetic data to infer Curie depth, Moho depth, sediment thickness, and major structural features including fault systems and tectonic boundaries, constrained by new seismic data.
By linking geophysical imaging of the subglacial crust to previously identified patterns in basal thermal state, this study improves understanding of the geological controls on GHF variability and their implications for basal conditions and subglacial hydrology.
We investigate crustal-scale controls on GHF heterogeneity in the SPB through the integration of airborne gravity and magnetic observations acquired during recent NSF COLDEX Antarctic surveys. These datasets provide new opportunities to characterize subglacial crustal structure across a region with sparse direct geological constraints. We are developing a workflow to jointly interpret gravity and magnetic data to infer Curie depth, Moho depth, sediment thickness, and major structural features including fault systems and tectonic boundaries, constrained by new seismic data.
By linking geophysical imaging of the subglacial crust to previously identified patterns in basal thermal state, this study improves understanding of the geological controls on GHF variability and their implications for basal conditions and subglacial hydrology.
Biography
Megan Kerr is a PhD candidate at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics in Austin, Texas, where she studies controls on geothermal heat flow in central East Antarctica. Prior to UT Austin, she completed a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Ms Shyla Kupis
Phd Candidate
ACEAS/University of Tasmania
Critical appraisal of climate-driven firn models informed by rapid on-ground seismic surveys
Abstract Document
Firn, the intermediate layer between snow and dense glacial ice, holds a historical record of local climate and ice flow conditions. Firn characterisation is critical for accurately estimating ice sheet mass balance from satellite altimetry observations. Yet on-ground firn studies remain sparse across East Antarctica, where some of the most dynamic and vulnerable glaciers are located, including Denman. Ice coring provides detailed, point-based measurements of firn and ice layers but is logistically intensive and expensive, thereby limiting its spatial coverage. Seismic surveying offers a practical and noninvasive alternative by enabling firn and ice investigations over wider areas without the demands of ice drilling campaigns.
The Denman Terrestrial Campaign (DTC, 2023/24) supported seismic reconnaissance at two sites with contrasting climate regimes in Denman-Shackleton glacier system. Hammer-source seismic surveys were co-located alongside Rapid Access Ice Drill (RAID) campaigns using the fast deployment of lightweight node-type sensors at a cold, dry interior plateau site and a temperate coastal ice dome. Seismic-derived firn density-depth profiles provide direct comparison against simulated density-depth profiles using atmospheric climate forcings. Discrepancies between seismic-derived and modelled estimates suggest that firn densification models may not accurately capture firn and ice structures across contrasting East Antarctic regimes. These findings highlight the value of rapid on-ground seismic surveys as a constraint on firn model outputs in under-sampled regions, with implications for ice sheet mass balance estimates.
The Denman Terrestrial Campaign (DTC, 2023/24) supported seismic reconnaissance at two sites with contrasting climate regimes in Denman-Shackleton glacier system. Hammer-source seismic surveys were co-located alongside Rapid Access Ice Drill (RAID) campaigns using the fast deployment of lightweight node-type sensors at a cold, dry interior plateau site and a temperate coastal ice dome. Seismic-derived firn density-depth profiles provide direct comparison against simulated density-depth profiles using atmospheric climate forcings. Discrepancies between seismic-derived and modelled estimates suggest that firn densification models may not accurately capture firn and ice structures across contrasting East Antarctic regimes. These findings highlight the value of rapid on-ground seismic surveys as a constraint on firn model outputs in under-sampled regions, with implications for ice sheet mass balance estimates.
Biography
Shyla Kupis is a PhD candidate in Physics and part of the Compute Antarctic research group at the University of Tasmania. She specialises in seismic data acquisition, processing, and analysis for shallow ice sheet and glacier studies. Her research applies computational approaches to characterise firn and shallow ice structures and better constrain ice mass estimates using seismic data collected in East Antarctica. Her field experience includes on-ground geophysics fieldwork in East Antarctica, as part of the Denman Terrestrial Campaign (2023/24) and in Svalbard, Norway (2023). Her research integrates her computational methodologies and field experience to provide practical guidelines on optimal active-source seismic survey design.
Prior to her PhD, she worked as a Post Master’s Research Associate for a research project on long-term carbon sequestration storage and design at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and as an applied mathematician at the climate energy startup Project Canary. She achieved a Master’s degree in Mathematics (2021) and Environmental Engineering (2018) at Clemson University, USA, along with a Bachelor's degree (2015) in Mathematics with a Hydrology emphasis at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, USA.
Ms Carolyn Lober
Phd Student
SAEF/Queensland University of Technology
Multi-sensor satellite remote sensing of vegetation change on Macquarie and other sub-Antarctic islands
Abstract Document
The sub-Antarctic islands are some of the most remote landmasses on Earth. Despite their isolation, they have experienced environmental change from invasive species and climate change. Earth-observing satellites can provide valuable information about these islands, where access is limited and logistically challenging; however, there are challenges in processing and interpretation, particularly in areas where detailed ground-truth data over time are sparse. I will take a multi-sensor approach (optical and SAR) to quantifying whole-island vegetation change in the sub-Antarctic. I will focus on robustly assessing how and where remote sensing is useful, and its associated uncertainties. My first case study will examine Macquarie Island’s vegetation which has experienced decades of rabbit grazing, subsequent rabbit eradication, plant invasions, and climate change. Denudation (grazing) and regrowth (eradication) of Poa foliosa tussock grasses and dieback (climate change) of endemic cushion-plant Azorella macquariensis, among other impacts, have been documented on the ground at small spatial scales. I will use satellite datasets stretching back to the 1990s to quantify how and what large scale change can be detected over time on Macquarie Island. This will contribute to developing methods that can be applied across the sub-Antarctic region.
Biography
Carolyn is a PhD student at Queensland University of Technology with a background in remote sensing, ecology, and hydrology. She has a degree in Geology-Biology from Brown University and has previously worked on a range of projects including satellite remote sensing of precipitation in Canada and Alaska, vegetation sensitivity to climate change across the continental United States, and ecological monitoring of a Montana watershed.
Mr Mark Milnes
Oceanographic Systems Manager
Australian Antarctic Division
Oceanographic Systems – Hydrographic Mapping and Other Acoustics Capabilities
Abstract Document
Hydrographic mapping in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica is a key activity delivered by the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) and a critical part of the Australian Antarctic Science Decadal Strategy. The novel bathymetric, bioacoustic and hydroacoustic data that supports dedicated major marine science operations (e.g., Denman Marine Voyage, HIMI Voyages 1 and 2) and Australia’s national interests in Antarctica will be presented. It is a challenge to both plan and capture quality multibeam data across the diverse environments and conditions encountered in our areas of operation.
Near-term priorities will be highlighted: (i) determining mapping needs, and associated acoustics requirements in support of key activities (ii) developing workflows for bathymetric data from RSV Nuyina that balances rapid communication of scientific exploration with development of authoritative quality-controlled products (iii) finding opportunities for strategic mapping using RSV Nuyina’s Science Tender (SCT) Aurora during station resupply. Utilising the SCT significantly improves our ability to capture high resolution bathymetry in shallow water while freeing up the RSV Nuyina for other critical operations. Coastal bathymetric mapping assists in station operations, field campaigns and management of protected areas.
Calibration of bio-acoustic sensors on the RSV Nuyina was performed for the first time in polar waters near Casey Station during HIMI Voyage 2. The techniques and results will be presented here.
Near-term priorities will be highlighted: (i) determining mapping needs, and associated acoustics requirements in support of key activities (ii) developing workflows for bathymetric data from RSV Nuyina that balances rapid communication of scientific exploration with development of authoritative quality-controlled products (iii) finding opportunities for strategic mapping using RSV Nuyina’s Science Tender (SCT) Aurora during station resupply. Utilising the SCT significantly improves our ability to capture high resolution bathymetry in shallow water while freeing up the RSV Nuyina for other critical operations. Coastal bathymetric mapping assists in station operations, field campaigns and management of protected areas.
Calibration of bio-acoustic sensors on the RSV Nuyina was performed for the first time in polar waters near Casey Station during HIMI Voyage 2. The techniques and results will be presented here.
Biography
Mark is the manager of the Oceanographic Systems Team at the Australian Antarctic Division. His professional and dedicated team manage data collection for the majority of acoustic instruments aboard RSV Nuyina.
Professor Brett Paull
Professor
University Of Tasmania
Exploring alternative passive and active sampler technologies for routine Antarctic water and air sampling, transport and analysis
Abstract Document
The transport of both sampling materials and samples themselves to and from Antarctica involves significant logistically and practical considerations, limitations and costs. This is particularly so for water samples, and for samples where sample on-site extraction and concentration is required, including air samples. For samples wherein the measurands are trace organic analytes, these sampling and extraction processes also typically involve organic solvents, adding further considerations when dealing with such remote sampling locations. For trace metal ions, strong mineral acid solutions are also required, again a serious practical limitation. However, alternative approaches are now being explored and have been recently tested for their applicability to chemical monitoring purposes in Antarctica, thereby avoiding transportation of significant volumes of solvents, acids or liquid samples themselves. Two new sorbent materials have been investigated. Firstly, a series of surface functioned monolithic silica-based micro-sorbents (MonoSpin) for on-site extraction and concentration of analytes from natural waters (inorganic anions, cations, transition metals and small organic molecules), extracted on-site using a field portable battery powered centrifuge. The second a series of 3D-printed PDMS-based sorbent discs for passive air sampling. These sorbent discs, held within a 3D-printed discs holders, were deployed across selected sites, and evaluated for their ability to concentrate trace volatile organic chemicals. This presentation will present the analytical results from these innovative approaches to sampling in such challenging remote locations.
Biography
Professor Brett Paull is a University of Plymouth (UK) B.Sc. (Hons), Ph.D. and D.Sc. graduate, Professor of Analytical Chemistry in the School of Natural Sciences at the University of Tasmania, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC). Brett took up his first lectureship at the University of Tasmania from 1995 to 1997, before moving to Dublin City University (DCU), Ireland, as Lecturer (1998-2003), Senior Lecturer (2003-2006) and Associate Professor (2006-2011). In 2011 Brett rejoined the University of Tasmania as a Professor of Analytical Chemistry under the University's New Stars program. From 2014 to 2019 Brett was Director of the Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science (ACROSS), and from 2015-2020 the Director of the ARC Training Centre for Portable Analytical Separation technologies (ASTech). Brett is currently Director of the ARC Training Centre for Hyphenated Analytical Separation Technologies (HyTECH), and Director of Graduate Studies for the Centre of Sustainable Resource and Product Solutions (CSRPS) within the Australia Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI) initiative.
Mr William Rigby
Design Engineer
Australian Antarctic Division
ARTEMIS: A Robotic Platform for Long-Term Environmental Monitoring and Ecological Observation
Abstract Document
The Antarctic Remote Terrestrial and Environmental Monitoring Integrated System (ARTEMIS) is a modular, autonomous observation platform engineered for long-term scientific monitoring in remote Antarctic and sub-Antarctic environments.
ARTEMIS integrates three panoramic cameras and two high-zoom pan–tilt–zoom (PTZ) cameras, providing continuous 360° situational awareness and the ability to interrogate specific features of interest in fine detail. This imaging capability is paired with a comprehensive meteorological station, delivering high-resolution environmental data such as temperature, precipitation and wind conditions.
These systems are underpinned by a robust control and power architecture designed for true unattended operation, sustaining functionality through extended periods of darkness and reliably transmitting data across thousands of kilometers from the nearest infrastructure.
Three ARTEMIS units are currently deployed by the Australian Antarctic Division at Heard Island, Law Base, and Davis Station. In these environments, the systems have endured winds exceeding 160 km/h and temperatures below −25 °C while maintaining continuous scientific data return.
By combining resilient hardware, autonomous operation, and integrated sensing, ARTEMIS is a model for remote science infrastructure. It reduces dependence on field campaigns while enabling persistent, long-duration data collection, effectively transforming isolated field sites into robotic year-round scientific outposts.
ARTEMIS integrates three panoramic cameras and two high-zoom pan–tilt–zoom (PTZ) cameras, providing continuous 360° situational awareness and the ability to interrogate specific features of interest in fine detail. This imaging capability is paired with a comprehensive meteorological station, delivering high-resolution environmental data such as temperature, precipitation and wind conditions.
These systems are underpinned by a robust control and power architecture designed for true unattended operation, sustaining functionality through extended periods of darkness and reliably transmitting data across thousands of kilometers from the nearest infrastructure.
Three ARTEMIS units are currently deployed by the Australian Antarctic Division at Heard Island, Law Base, and Davis Station. In these environments, the systems have endured winds exceeding 160 km/h and temperatures below −25 °C while maintaining continuous scientific data return.
By combining resilient hardware, autonomous operation, and integrated sensing, ARTEMIS is a model for remote science infrastructure. It reduces dependence on field campaigns while enabling persistent, long-duration data collection, effectively transforming isolated field sites into robotic year-round scientific outposts.
Biography
Will is a mechatronics design engineer with the Australian Antarctic Division. Will has contributed to the design and operation of several of the RSV Nuyina's marine science systems, and the ARTEMIS monitoring systems deployed to the continent and Heard Island.
Dr Juan Sandino
Research Fellow
SAEF/Queensland University of Technology
Scalable Antarctic Vegetation Mapping using Drone Imagery and Cross-Sensor Knowledge Transfer
Abstract Document
Antarctic mosses and lichens are sensitive indicators of climate change, yet mapping them across ice-free terrain is constrained by a sensor trade-off. Uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) hyperspectral imaging (HSI) resolves the fine spectral differences separating moss health states and lichen genera, but is costly and limited to small transects. Multispectral imaging (MSI) scales cheaply to whole landscapes, yet its few broad bands cannot reliably distinguish these classes alone.
This work presents a knowledge cascade that transfers classification skill from data-rich hyperspectral models to scalable multispectral sensors. Hyperspectral classifiers trained on labelled scans from Antarctic Specially Protected Area 135 and Robinson Ridge generate confidence-calibrated predictions, converted into per-class pseudo-labels using class-specific thresholds that reject low-confidence pixels. Spectral response functions resample hyperspectral cubes into simulated MicaSense Altum-PT bands, aligning both sensors so a multispectral classifier trains directly on the cascaded labels without further manual annotation. Confidence and per-class probability layers are exported as mappable products.
Hyperspectral source models are expected to retain near-ceiling ground-scan accuracy and supply high-purity moss labels, enabling the multispectral classifier to recover the expected moss-health ordering and substrate separation across the full survey footprint. Cross-site transfer to Bunger Hills remains the binding constraint, which the exported confidence layers flag explicitly. The framework offers a reproducible, open-source route to map Antarctic vegetation at landscape scale from inexpensive sensors, supporting conservation and long-term monitoring.
This work presents a knowledge cascade that transfers classification skill from data-rich hyperspectral models to scalable multispectral sensors. Hyperspectral classifiers trained on labelled scans from Antarctic Specially Protected Area 135 and Robinson Ridge generate confidence-calibrated predictions, converted into per-class pseudo-labels using class-specific thresholds that reject low-confidence pixels. Spectral response functions resample hyperspectral cubes into simulated MicaSense Altum-PT bands, aligning both sensors so a multispectral classifier trains directly on the cascaded labels without further manual annotation. Confidence and per-class probability layers are exported as mappable products.
Hyperspectral source models are expected to retain near-ceiling ground-scan accuracy and supply high-purity moss labels, enabling the multispectral classifier to recover the expected moss-health ordering and substrate separation across the full survey footprint. Cross-site transfer to Bunger Hills remains the binding constraint, which the exported confidence layers flag explicitly. The framework offers a reproducible, open-source route to map Antarctic vegetation at landscape scale from inexpensive sensors, supporting conservation and long-term monitoring.
Biography
Dr Sandino is a research engineer with a passion for developing drone-based remote sensing solutions to address some of the biggest Australia's environmental and surveillance needs, especially in precision agriculture, biosecurity, Australia's and Antarctica's environmental monitoring, and automated systems for search and rescue. His primary interests comprise autonomous small UAV decision-making, machine learning and computer vision for UAV remote sensing, with a focus on hyperspectral and high-resolution image processing. Dr Sandino has over five years of experience in projects involving hyperspectral and high‑resolution image processing from airborne UAV data in areas such as biosecurity and environment monitoring. He has worked for research projects in biosecurity, environment monitoring and time-critical applications such as land SAR to find lost people in collapsed buildings and bushlands.
Dr Doug Thost
Assistant Director, Rpas Operations & Development
Australian Antarctic Division
Twenty years of change at Brown Glacier, Heard Island: preliminary assessment of glacier retreat using a ship-based drone survey
Abstract Document
Brown Glacier on Heard Island has undergone significant change over recent decades, with earlier field surveys (2003–2004) documenting terminus retreat and surface lowering. Monitoring remains challenging due to limited access, harsh conditions, and crevassed terrain.
We present preliminary results from a ship-based drone survey conducted in January 2026 during RSV Nuyina V2 HIMI operations, integrated with historical measurements and satellite observations. Satellite imagery robustly captures long-term terminus change, indicating retreat of up to ~430 m between 2007 and 2026 (~19–21 m/yr), but cannot resolve spatial variability in surface elevation.
A single 29.5-minute BVLOS RPAS flight acquired 229 images, flying ~18.7 km (including ~6 km transit each way), enabling generation of a high-resolution digital elevation model extending from below the terminus to ~320 m elevation. Comparison with legacy sites indicates widespread thinning exceeding 30 m across much of the survey area, with maximum loss of ~51.7 m and complete ice loss at lower elevations.
The dataset was acquired within a short operational window, contrasting with earlier multi-day field surveys in hazardous terrain. These results demonstrate how RPAS enhances existing methods, enabling rapid, spatially continuous measurement and reducing the impact of practical constraints on glacier monitoring in remote environments, while pointing to the potential for more extensive and systematically repeatable surveys given better access and deployment conditions.
We present preliminary results from a ship-based drone survey conducted in January 2026 during RSV Nuyina V2 HIMI operations, integrated with historical measurements and satellite observations. Satellite imagery robustly captures long-term terminus change, indicating retreat of up to ~430 m between 2007 and 2026 (~19–21 m/yr), but cannot resolve spatial variability in surface elevation.
A single 29.5-minute BVLOS RPAS flight acquired 229 images, flying ~18.7 km (including ~6 km transit each way), enabling generation of a high-resolution digital elevation model extending from below the terminus to ~320 m elevation. Comparison with legacy sites indicates widespread thinning exceeding 30 m across much of the survey area, with maximum loss of ~51.7 m and complete ice loss at lower elevations.
The dataset was acquired within a short operational window, contrasting with earlier multi-day field surveys in hazardous terrain. These results demonstrate how RPAS enhances existing methods, enabling rapid, spatially continuous measurement and reducing the impact of practical constraints on glacier monitoring in remote environments, while pointing to the potential for more extensive and systematically repeatable surveys given better access and deployment conditions.
Biography
Dr Pat Wongpan
Senior Acoustics Officer
Australian Antarctic Division
Iceberg Freeboards and Seal Dive Depths Provide Bathymetric Insights Seaward of the Cook, Ninnis, and Mertz Glaciers
Abstract Document
Accurate coastal bathymetry is essential for understanding the circulation of ocean waters that drive ice shelf basal melt and ice sheet instability, yet large portions of the Antarctic continental shelf remain unsurveyed by ships. By measuring freeboards of icebergs that have run aground on the continental shelf and utilising seal dive depths, we can provide estimates of water depth in data-sparse areas. This study utilises a grounded iceberg location dataset identified via deep learning and high-resolution Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar to locate grounded icebergs seaward of the Cook, Ninnis, and Mertz glaciers for March 2024. These icebergs act as natural depth sounders, where persistent grounding reveals shallow underwater banks or hidden ridges on the seafloor. We estimated firn air content (FAC) where water depths are well-constrained by high-resolution multibeam data from the International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean (IBCSO) v2 and freeboards derived from Maxar WorldView satellites. The median value of FAC was then applied to estimate iceberg drafts in unsurveyed regions. In addition, the estimated drafts of mobile icebergs establish lower-bound constraints on bathymetry, as their continued motion confirms that local water depths exceed these drafts. By integrating iceberg-based depths with seal dive depth records, we enhance seafloor mapping in iceberg-congested regions where traditional multibeam surveys are often impossible.
Biography
Dr Pat Wongpan is a Senior Acoustics Officer at the Polar Technology, Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Before joining AAD, he was a Research Associate - Coastal Antarctic Mapping at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania. He is also an adjunct researcher at Australian Antarctic Program Partnership. He has won the global 2023 Early Career Scientist Award from the International Glaciological Society (IGS). Since joining the AAD in August 2025, he participated in the Voyage 2 to Heard Island and McDonald Islands. He has expanded his outreach activities to the next generation of polar scientists by serving as the founder and coordinator of the Frontiers for Young Minds’ Antarctica and the Southern Ocean Collection which has more than 350,000 views to date. This collection aims to digest cutting-edge science for young readers to increase their understanding of Antarctica and its central role as a global climate driver.
Dr Kathryn Brown
Research Scientist
Australian Antarctic Division
Contaminated site risk assessment in Antarctica: Application of toxicity tests with native terrestrial microinvertebrates
Abstract Document
Human activities in Antarctica have introduced chemical contaminants to the environment that pose risks to endemic biological communities. Contaminants are often present in complex mixtures, including at fuel-spill sites, legacy waste sites and abandoned stations. As a signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, Australia is committed to assessing and managing our contamination issues in Antarctica. Direct toxicity assessments (DTAs) are used in site-specific risk assessments to test the ecological impacts of field collected contaminated material. They provide a direct measure of bioavailability and toxicity of complex mixtures in soils, sediments, waters and leachates. The Australian Antarctic Division has developed DTAs applicable to Antarctica’s unique ecological communities. We present a case study of the use of DTAs with indigenous microinvertebrate species to evaluate toxicity of biopile soils containing hydrocarbons at different levels of degradation. This study quantified the responses (including survival and reproduction) to treated and untreated soils providing ecotoxicological data as a line of evidence in site-specific ecological risk assessment, informing management decisions for remediated soils. This framework offers a replicable approach for integration into risk assessment to inform policy and environmental decision making across the Antarctic region, enhancing protection of terrestrial ecosystems in the face of ongoing human presence.
Biography
Dr Maria Kleshnina
Senior Lecturer
Qut
When Policy Shapes Selection: Anticipating Evolutionary Feedbacks in Conservation
Abstract Document
Applied ecology and conservation increasingly operate in systems where ecological and evolutionary processes are tightly coupled and can unfold on management-relevant timescales, yet most policy still treats populations as evolutionarily static. As a result, interventions often generate unintended outcomes, from resistance evolution and harvest-induced trait shifts to hidden losses of adaptive capacity under apparently stable management. We argue that conservation should be reframed as an evolutionary decision problem and propose Stackelberg evolutionary games (SEGs) as a framework for doing so. In SEGs, managers act as leaders who shape selective environments through policy, while populations and stakeholders respond as adaptive followers through ecological, behavioral, and evolutionary change. This framing makes explicit that conservation is not simply ecological control, but a strategic interaction with evolving systems. Through simple examples, we demonstrate how evolutionary rescue, evolutionary suicide, or hidden eco-evolutionary tipping points may arise depending on how interventions reshape fitness landscapes and how conservation objectives are formulated. Policies that stabilize population size in the short term may erode evolutionary stability and adaptability, whereas objectives that explicitly account for traits and their diversity can steer systems toward more robust long-term outcomes. SEGs provide a tractable framework for anticipating evolutionary feedbacks and designing conservation policy that works with, rather than against, evolution.
Biography
I am a game theorist studying the evolution of social behavior. My research focuses on understanding how inequality and other mechanisms—such as information dynamics and decision-making policies—shape social interactions. Additionally, I explore how insights from behavioral and evolutionary sciences can inform better environmental decision-making. Currently, I am a Senior Lecturer at the School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, an ARC DECRA fellow, Chief Investigator of the Applied Mathematical Ecology Group (AMEG) , the Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future (SAEF) initiative and for the Center for Environment and Society. Previously, I was a research fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse in France, a Marie-Sklodowska-Curie fellow at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria, and a visiting researcher at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Vienna in the group for Behavioral Economics "Insight Austria". I obtained my PhD from the School of Mathematics and Physics at the University of Queensland in April 2019.
Mr Tim Spedding
Program Leader - Environmental Stewardship & Human Impacts
Australian Antarctic Division
Closing the loop: From Research Outputs to Environmental Action
Abstract Document
Antarctica: valued, protected and understood. The Australian Antarctic Program’s vision recognises that while science advances understanding of Antarctica, effective environmental protection relies on translating that science into practical management.
This presentation uses recent AAP examples to show the link between science and environmental stewardship, highlighting opportunities to communicate Australia’s experience supporting international efforts to address shared challenges through development and revision of best practice approaches to environmental protection. Examples include contaminated site remediation research using risk based frameworks for soil reuse and informing the Committee for Environmental Protection’s (CEP) Antarctic Clean Up Manual. Advances in drone-based mapping are improving baseline data, impact assessments and restoration monitoring. In the marine environment, integrating eDNA with hull inspections is improving vessel biofouling management, which, coupled with structured biofouling risk tools, supports a CEP priority to monitor effectiveness of biosecurity measures and assess non-native species introduction pathways.
These examples highlight the impact of science aligned with management needs. They highlight the researcher’s role in improving environmental outcomes by co-designing studies and communicating results in ways that support practical implementation. Within National Antarctic Program’s, new findings can be readily incorporated into operations, creating a strong feedback loop between science and management. This ensures environmental protection measures remain effective, and adaptive, while amplifying science’s contribution to addressing challenges shared by all National Antarctic Programs to value, protect and understand Antarctica.
This presentation uses recent AAP examples to show the link between science and environmental stewardship, highlighting opportunities to communicate Australia’s experience supporting international efforts to address shared challenges through development and revision of best practice approaches to environmental protection. Examples include contaminated site remediation research using risk based frameworks for soil reuse and informing the Committee for Environmental Protection’s (CEP) Antarctic Clean Up Manual. Advances in drone-based mapping are improving baseline data, impact assessments and restoration monitoring. In the marine environment, integrating eDNA with hull inspections is improving vessel biofouling management, which, coupled with structured biofouling risk tools, supports a CEP priority to monitor effectiveness of biosecurity measures and assess non-native species introduction pathways.
These examples highlight the impact of science aligned with management needs. They highlight the researcher’s role in improving environmental outcomes by co-designing studies and communicating results in ways that support practical implementation. Within National Antarctic Program’s, new findings can be readily incorporated into operations, creating a strong feedback loop between science and management. This ensures environmental protection measures remain effective, and adaptive, while amplifying science’s contribution to addressing challenges shared by all National Antarctic Programs to value, protect and understand Antarctica.
Biography
Tim Spedding is Program Leader of the AAD's Environmental Stewardship and Human Impacts Program, leading a team of scientists and managers researching, managing and mitigating human impacts in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic.
