Australian Antarctic Program Partnership
@antarctic.bsky.social
To protect Antarctica and the Southern Ocean is to protect our future on this planet. In this critical decade for action, our science explores the role of the Antarctic region in the global climate system. Led by @utas.edu.au.
🔗 aappartnership.org.au
🔗 aappartnership.org.au
🌊 Our December issue of 'Southern Signals' is out today.
Read it at createsend.com/t/j-B0184840...
And please sign up at aappartnership.org.au/contact-us/ to receive your own quarterly #Antarctic #science bulletin by email.
Our best wishes to you and yours for a safe and peaceful holiday season.
Read it at createsend.com/t/j-B0184840...
And please sign up at aappartnership.org.au/contact-us/ to receive your own quarterly #Antarctic #science bulletin by email.
Our best wishes to you and yours for a safe and peaceful holiday season.
December 19, 2025 at 4:23 AM
🌊 Our December issue of 'Southern Signals' is out today.
Read it at createsend.com/t/j-B0184840...
And please sign up at aappartnership.org.au/contact-us/ to receive your own quarterly #Antarctic #science bulletin by email.
Our best wishes to you and yours for a safe and peaceful holiday season.
Read it at createsend.com/t/j-B0184840...
And please sign up at aappartnership.org.au/contact-us/ to receive your own quarterly #Antarctic #science bulletin by email.
Our best wishes to you and yours for a safe and peaceful holiday season.
1/ The coldest densest water on the planet – Antarctic Bottom Water formed in just 4 places around Antarctica – drives global currents which influence Earth's climate. One of these areas is Cape Darnley. This animation shows melting beneath Amery Ice shelf and ocean temperatures around Cape Darnley.
December 19, 2025 at 3:56 AM
1/ The coldest densest water on the planet – Antarctic Bottom Water formed in just 4 places around Antarctica – drives global currents which influence Earth's climate. One of these areas is Cape Darnley. This animation shows melting beneath Amery Ice shelf and ocean temperatures around Cape Darnley.
🌊 Most of 64 floating Antarctic ice shelves are set to disappear if high emissions and ocean warming continue. Their disappearance would strongly accelerate sea level rise, as the grounded #Antarctic ice sheet would be less restrained from flowing into the ocean.
In @nature.com ▶️ rdcu.be/eULQI
In @nature.com ▶️ rdcu.be/eULQI
Ocean warming threatens the viability of 60% of Antarctic ice shelves
Nature - The viability of Antarctic ice shelves under low rates and high rates of global warming is modelled to estimate when it will become unfeasible for the ice shelves to maintain their...
rdcu.be
December 16, 2025 at 3:52 AM
🌊 Most of 64 floating Antarctic ice shelves are set to disappear if high emissions and ocean warming continue. Their disappearance would strongly accelerate sea level rise, as the grounded #Antarctic ice sheet would be less restrained from flowing into the ocean.
In @nature.com ▶️ rdcu.be/eULQI
In @nature.com ▶️ rdcu.be/eULQI
1/ The overturning circulation is a network of ocean currents transporting heat, carbon, oxygen and nutrients around the world. At the heart of this circulatory system is the global pumphouse of #Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.
Animation: NASA-SVS
Animation: NASA-SVS
December 11, 2025 at 3:38 AM
1/ The overturning circulation is a network of ocean currents transporting heat, carbon, oxygen and nutrients around the world. At the heart of this circulatory system is the global pumphouse of #Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.
Animation: NASA-SVS
Animation: NASA-SVS
🌊 1/ A robotic float has measured temperature and salinity from parts of the Southern Ocean never sampled before — underneath massive floating Denman and Shackleton ice shelves in East #Antarctica.
New in @science.org #ScienceAdvances: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
New in @science.org #ScienceAdvances: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
December 5, 2025 at 10:49 PM
🌊 1/ A robotic float has measured temperature and salinity from parts of the Southern Ocean never sampled before — underneath massive floating Denman and Shackleton ice shelves in East #Antarctica.
New in @science.org #ScienceAdvances: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
New in @science.org #ScienceAdvances: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
💦 "In effect, the Southern Ocean may be “sweating” more in response to climate change." — @aunz.theconversation.com
▶️ theconversation.com/storms-in-th...
▶️ theconversation.com/storms-in-th...
Storms in the Southern Ocean are producing more rain – and the consequences could be global
The Southern Ocean is the engine room of global heat and carbon uptake – and it’s changing faster and more dramatically than we thought.
theconversation.com
December 5, 2025 at 4:54 AM
💦 "In effect, the Southern Ocean may be “sweating” more in response to climate change." — @aunz.theconversation.com
▶️ theconversation.com/storms-in-th...
▶️ theconversation.com/storms-in-th...
🌊 1/ Meet SAM.
The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) is the Southern Hemisphere’s most influential #climate driver. When the SAM enters a positive phase, the westerly winds tighten and move towards #Antarctica. When it moves into a negative phase, these winds expand back towards Australia.
(figs: BoM)
The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) is the Southern Hemisphere’s most influential #climate driver. When the SAM enters a positive phase, the westerly winds tighten and move towards #Antarctica. When it moves into a negative phase, these winds expand back towards Australia.
(figs: BoM)
December 2, 2025 at 4:54 AM
🌊 1/ Meet SAM.
The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) is the Southern Hemisphere’s most influential #climate driver. When the SAM enters a positive phase, the westerly winds tighten and move towards #Antarctica. When it moves into a negative phase, these winds expand back towards Australia.
(figs: BoM)
The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) is the Southern Hemisphere’s most influential #climate driver. When the SAM enters a positive phase, the westerly winds tighten and move towards #Antarctica. When it moves into a negative phase, these winds expand back towards Australia.
(figs: BoM)
Happy Antarctica Day! 💙
1 December is the anniversary of the signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959.
Australia was one of 12 original signatories to the Treaty, which established #Antarctica as a "natural reserve, devoted to peace and science".
1 December is the anniversary of the signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959.
Australia was one of 12 original signatories to the Treaty, which established #Antarctica as a "natural reserve, devoted to peace and science".
December 1, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Happy Antarctica Day! 💙
1 December is the anniversary of the signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959.
Australia was one of 12 original signatories to the Treaty, which established #Antarctica as a "natural reserve, devoted to peace and science".
1 December is the anniversary of the signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959.
Australia was one of 12 original signatories to the Treaty, which established #Antarctica as a "natural reserve, devoted to peace and science".
The East Antarctic continental shelf is central to the #climate system yet remains one of the most poorly known regions of the global ocean.
So #Antarctic scientists in Japan and Australia have produced this ambitious forward-looking research plan.
▶️ aappartnership.org.au/wp-content/u...
So #Antarctic scientists in Japan and Australia have produced this ambitious forward-looking research plan.
▶️ aappartnership.org.au/wp-content/u...
November 28, 2025 at 5:32 AM
The East Antarctic continental shelf is central to the #climate system yet remains one of the most poorly known regions of the global ocean.
So #Antarctic scientists in Japan and Australia have produced this ambitious forward-looking research plan.
▶️ aappartnership.org.au/wp-content/u...
So #Antarctic scientists in Japan and Australia have produced this ambitious forward-looking research plan.
▶️ aappartnership.org.au/wp-content/u...
Thank you to the Parliamentary Friends of the Antarctic for hosting our information event at Parliament House this week, and particularly the co-chairs Senators Duniam, Whish-Wilson and Dowling of Tasmania for their tripartisan support of #Antarctic science.
November 26, 2025 at 5:48 AM
Thank you to the Parliamentary Friends of the Antarctic for hosting our information event at Parliament House this week, and particularly the co-chairs Senators Duniam, Whish-Wilson and Dowling of Tasmania for their tripartisan support of #Antarctic science.
🌊🧵 1/ Vanderford Glacier, holding more than half-a-metre of global sea level rise, is retreating faster than any other in East #Antarctica (18.6 km of grounding line retreat 1996-2020!) It’s one of a number of glaciers in Vincennes Bay melted by deep warm water getting underneath.
📸 P. Harmsen/AAD
📸 P. Harmsen/AAD
November 21, 2025 at 4:22 AM
🌊🧵 1/ Vanderford Glacier, holding more than half-a-metre of global sea level rise, is retreating faster than any other in East #Antarctica (18.6 km of grounding line retreat 1996-2020!) It’s one of a number of glaciers in Vincennes Bay melted by deep warm water getting underneath.
📸 P. Harmsen/AAD
📸 P. Harmsen/AAD
The next issue of our quarterly science bulletin 'Southern Signals' comes out in December. Please sign up at aappartnership.org.au/contact-us/ to receive yours by email.
You can read the October edition at createsend.com/t/j-B016AC5A...
You can read the October edition at createsend.com/t/j-B016AC5A...
November 21, 2025 at 12:11 AM
The next issue of our quarterly science bulletin 'Southern Signals' comes out in December. Please sign up at aappartnership.org.au/contact-us/ to receive yours by email.
You can read the October edition at createsend.com/t/j-B016AC5A...
You can read the October edition at createsend.com/t/j-B016AC5A...
The amount of ice flowing from Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica has doubled in the span of three decades. These satellite images from 2001 and 2019 show the fracture and retreat of the glacier ice tongue floating on the Amundsen Sea, as it's melted from below.
🛰️ NASA
🛰️ NASA
November 19, 2025 at 3:48 AM
The amount of ice flowing from Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica has doubled in the span of three decades. These satellite images from 2001 and 2019 show the fracture and retreat of the glacier ice tongue floating on the Amundsen Sea, as it's melted from below.
🛰️ NASA
🛰️ NASA
Reposted by Australian Antarctic Program Partnership
Antarctic science at COP30 🌍❄️
A panel of Australian scientists, including ACEAS Deputy Director @profmattengland.bsky.social (UNSW), today shared insights about abrupt changes unfolding across the #Antarctic environment at the #COP30 Cryosphere Pavilion.
Watch now: www.youtube.com/live/YjYkKvw...
A panel of Australian scientists, including ACEAS Deputy Director @profmattengland.bsky.social (UNSW), today shared insights about abrupt changes unfolding across the #Antarctic environment at the #COP30 Cryosphere Pavilion.
Watch now: www.youtube.com/live/YjYkKvw...
Policy Briefing: Emerging Evidence of Abrupt Changes in the Antarctic Environment
YouTube video by International Cryosphere Climate Initiative
www.youtube.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Antarctic science at COP30 🌍❄️
A panel of Australian scientists, including ACEAS Deputy Director @profmattengland.bsky.social (UNSW), today shared insights about abrupt changes unfolding across the #Antarctic environment at the #COP30 Cryosphere Pavilion.
Watch now: www.youtube.com/live/YjYkKvw...
A panel of Australian scientists, including ACEAS Deputy Director @profmattengland.bsky.social (UNSW), today shared insights about abrupt changes unfolding across the #Antarctic environment at the #COP30 Cryosphere Pavilion.
Watch now: www.youtube.com/live/YjYkKvw...
🧵
BY 2030: "The remaining carbon budget to limit global warming to 1.5°C is virtually exhausted and is equivalent to only four years of current emissions." — @pfriedling.bsky.social and @hausfath.bsky.social on the 2025 Global Carbon Budget in @carbonbrief.org
▶️ www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-fos...
BY 2030: "The remaining carbon budget to limit global warming to 1.5°C is virtually exhausted and is equivalent to only four years of current emissions." — @pfriedling.bsky.social and @hausfath.bsky.social on the 2025 Global Carbon Budget in @carbonbrief.org
▶️ www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-fos...
November 17, 2025 at 2:11 AM
🧵
BY 2030: "The remaining carbon budget to limit global warming to 1.5°C is virtually exhausted and is equivalent to only four years of current emissions." — @pfriedling.bsky.social and @hausfath.bsky.social on the 2025 Global Carbon Budget in @carbonbrief.org
▶️ www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-fos...
BY 2030: "The remaining carbon budget to limit global warming to 1.5°C is virtually exhausted and is equivalent to only four years of current emissions." — @pfriedling.bsky.social and @hausfath.bsky.social on the 2025 Global Carbon Budget in @carbonbrief.org
▶️ www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-fos...
Reposted by Australian Antarctic Program Partnership
👏 Congratulations to a team of ACEAS researchers who have been awarded an ARC Discovery Project grant to investigate East Antarctica’s Aurora Subglacial Basin – a region posing one of the greatest risks for multi-metre sea level rise this century.
Read more: antarctic.org.au/aceas-resear...
Read more: antarctic.org.au/aceas-resear...
ACEAS researchers awarded ARC Discovery Project grant to unlock East Antarctica’s secrets - ACEAS
A team from the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS) has received a prestigious Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project grant to investigate East Antarctica’s Auro...
antarctic.org.au
November 14, 2025 at 1:16 AM
👏 Congratulations to a team of ACEAS researchers who have been awarded an ARC Discovery Project grant to investigate East Antarctica’s Aurora Subglacial Basin – a region posing one of the greatest risks for multi-metre sea level rise this century.
Read more: antarctic.org.au/aceas-resear...
Read more: antarctic.org.au/aceas-resear...
1/ More than 600km above 🌏, NASA's PACE (standing for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ecosystem) satellite is in a polar orbit. Covering the globe in about two days, it gathers data on ocean colour, aerosols, and clouds enabling the study of climate change and ocean ecosystems.
November 11, 2025 at 3:15 AM
1/ More than 600km above 🌏, NASA's PACE (standing for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ecosystem) satellite is in a polar orbit. Covering the globe in about two days, it gathers data on ocean colour, aerosols, and clouds enabling the study of climate change and ocean ecosystems.
🌊⚠️ "Understanding and predicting marine-terminating glacier instability presents one of the greatest challenges to forecasting future sea level rise" — case of the Hektoria Glacier in #Antarctica, which retreated ~25 km from Jan 2022 to March 2023.
Research briefing @nature.com ▶️ rdcu.be/eN9DL
Research briefing @nature.com ▶️ rdcu.be/eN9DL
November 4, 2025 at 5:12 AM
🌊⚠️ "Understanding and predicting marine-terminating glacier instability presents one of the greatest challenges to forecasting future sea level rise" — case of the Hektoria Glacier in #Antarctica, which retreated ~25 km from Jan 2022 to March 2023.
Research briefing @nature.com ▶️ rdcu.be/eN9DL
Research briefing @nature.com ▶️ rdcu.be/eN9DL
1/ Crabeater seals are the most abundant top predator in the Southern Ocean and probably the most numerous large wild mammals on earth. Because they live almost their entire lives amongst floating sea ice around #Antarctica, it’s difficult to count them – total population is an estimated 15 million.
October 31, 2025 at 5:28 AM
1/ Crabeater seals are the most abundant top predator in the Southern Ocean and probably the most numerous large wild mammals on earth. Because they live almost their entire lives amongst floating sea ice around #Antarctica, it’s difficult to count them – total population is an estimated 15 million.
🌊 We work to turn our research @utas.edu.au into real-world impact, to inform decision-making that recognises the centrality of #Antarctica and the Southern Ocean to the global climate system.
A special report (best viewed on a large screen or laptop) ▶️ aapp.shorthandstories.com/research-and...
A special report (best viewed on a large screen or laptop) ▶️ aapp.shorthandstories.com/research-and...
October 31, 2025 at 2:56 AM
🌊 We work to turn our research @utas.edu.au into real-world impact, to inform decision-making that recognises the centrality of #Antarctica and the Southern Ocean to the global climate system.
A special report (best viewed on a large screen or laptop) ▶️ aapp.shorthandstories.com/research-and...
A special report (best viewed on a large screen or laptop) ▶️ aapp.shorthandstories.com/research-and...
🦠🧪 Congratulations to our biogeochemistry team on winning an Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project grant to iron out wrinkles in climate models.
▶️https://aappartnership.org.au/unlocking-how-iron-shapes-ocean-life-and-climate/
▶️https://aappartnership.org.au/unlocking-how-iron-shapes-ocean-life-and-climate/
October 30, 2025 at 5:46 AM
🦠🧪 Congratulations to our biogeochemistry team on winning an Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project grant to iron out wrinkles in climate models.
▶️https://aappartnership.org.au/unlocking-how-iron-shapes-ocean-life-and-climate/
▶️https://aappartnership.org.au/unlocking-how-iron-shapes-ocean-life-and-climate/
Reposted by Australian Antarctic Program Partnership
Antarctic Geopolitics: Russia’s arrest of Ukrainian Antarctic Scientist directly linked to its ambition to mine in Antarctica. I’ve seen the prosecution document: it’s outrageous.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
Russia's interest in Antarctic oil exposed after scientist's arrest
A document linked to the arrest of a scientist has raised questions about whether Russia has long-term ambitions to exploit oil resources in Antarctica, where mining is banned indefinitely.
www.abc.net.au
October 27, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Antarctic Geopolitics: Russia’s arrest of Ukrainian Antarctic Scientist directly linked to its ambition to mine in Antarctica. I’ve seen the prosecution document: it’s outrageous.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
H5 strain of bird flu on Heard Island? Samples are yet to be tested. "The majority of mortalities were detected in elephant seal pups and in a small number of adults." — Dr Julie McInnes, wildlife ecologist with AAD and @imas-utas.bsky.social
▶️ www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
📸 Matt Curnock
▶️ www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
📸 Matt Curnock
October 24, 2025 at 5:06 AM
H5 strain of bird flu on Heard Island? Samples are yet to be tested. "The majority of mortalities were detected in elephant seal pups and in a small number of adults." — Dr Julie McInnes, wildlife ecologist with AAD and @imas-utas.bsky.social
▶️ www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
📸 Matt Curnock
▶️ www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
📸 Matt Curnock
🧗 "I always want to make sure that, as far as possible, we will always be able to access somebody in trouble." — Dr Will Hobbs, AAPP sea ice scientist @utas.edu.au
Congrats to Will and the Climbers Club of Tasmania Vertical Rescue Team for their national award
▶️ www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
Congrats to Will and the Climbers Club of Tasmania Vertical Rescue Team for their national award
▶️ www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
October 16, 2025 at 11:18 PM
🧗 "I always want to make sure that, as far as possible, we will always be able to access somebody in trouble." — Dr Will Hobbs, AAPP sea ice scientist @utas.edu.au
Congrats to Will and the Climbers Club of Tasmania Vertical Rescue Team for their national award
▶️ www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
Congrats to Will and the Climbers Club of Tasmania Vertical Rescue Team for their national award
▶️ www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
In our annual workshop this week, a hundred or so enthusiastic AAPP-ers spent two great days discussing our research so far and where we need to take it, to fully explore the pivotal roles of #Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in the global #climate system.
▶️ aappartnership.org.au/2025-aapp-wo...
▶️ aappartnership.org.au/2025-aapp-wo...
October 16, 2025 at 4:20 AM
In our annual workshop this week, a hundred or so enthusiastic AAPP-ers spent two great days discussing our research so far and where we need to take it, to fully explore the pivotal roles of #Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in the global #climate system.
▶️ aappartnership.org.au/2025-aapp-wo...
▶️ aappartnership.org.au/2025-aapp-wo...