Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿
@polargirlnz.bsky.social
🇦🇶 Antarctic Oceanography + SciComm
Born @337 ppm and very concerned about Climate Change; director of NZ's Antarctic Science Platform. Christian while also Earth Scientist; Wife to 1; Mother to 3. I play cello 🎻 whenever I find a spare moment.
Born @337 ppm and very concerned about Climate Change; director of NZ's Antarctic Science Platform. Christian while also Earth Scientist; Wife to 1; Mother to 3. I play cello 🎻 whenever I find a spare moment.
Tours of McMurdo on Monday, including an ice core between 100,000 & 400,000 years old in Crary Lab.
Then Armistice Day service yesterday with military personnel from Scott Base and McMurdo.
Then Armistice Day service yesterday with military personnel from Scott Base and McMurdo.
November 12, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Tours of McMurdo on Monday, including an ice core between 100,000 & 400,000 years old in Crary Lab.
Then Armistice Day service yesterday with military personnel from Scott Base and McMurdo.
Then Armistice Day service yesterday with military personnel from Scott Base and McMurdo.
Two blessing ceremonies yesterday - one to send the traverse team safely out on their 2 week journey across the Ross Ice Shelf, and a second to bless the site of the Scott Base Redevelopment. Both very well received and attended.
November 9, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Two blessing ceremonies yesterday - one to send the traverse team safely out on their 2 week journey across the Ross Ice Shelf, and a second to bless the site of the Scott Base Redevelopment. Both very well received and attended.
Stunning day to train to drive a Hägglunds.
For those that know... that's open water viewed from Castle Rock, looking across to the Royal Society Range of the TransAntarctic Mountains. I've been doing Oceanography in this area (McMurdo Sound/Ross Sea) for 23 years and I've never seen it like this.
For those that know... that's open water viewed from Castle Rock, looking across to the Royal Society Range of the TransAntarctic Mountains. I've been doing Oceanography in this area (McMurdo Sound/Ross Sea) for 23 years and I've never seen it like this.
November 6, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Stunning day to train to drive a Hägglunds.
For those that know... that's open water viewed from Castle Rock, looking across to the Royal Society Range of the TransAntarctic Mountains. I've been doing Oceanography in this area (McMurdo Sound/Ross Sea) for 23 years and I've never seen it like this.
For those that know... that's open water viewed from Castle Rock, looking across to the Royal Society Range of the TransAntarctic Mountains. I've been doing Oceanography in this area (McMurdo Sound/Ross Sea) for 23 years and I've never seen it like this.
Open water is so close this year (highly unusual) that seeing groups of Emperor Penguins out front of Scott Base is becoming a regular occurrence. Fun experience for people on base, but a stark and sobering reminder that change is here and is affecting more than humans.
Viewed thru SB telescope
Viewed thru SB telescope
November 4, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Open water is so close this year (highly unusual) that seeing groups of Emperor Penguins out front of Scott Base is becoming a regular occurrence. Fun experience for people on base, but a stark and sobering reminder that change is here and is affecting more than humans.
Viewed thru SB telescope
Viewed thru SB telescope
Completed Antarctic Field Training, which means we're ready for all the adventures. Lots of deep reflections on what comprises a Sense of Place and how to connect with a place that doesn't support human habitation.
November 4, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Completed Antarctic Field Training, which means we're ready for all the adventures. Lots of deep reflections on what comprises a Sense of Place and how to connect with a place that doesn't support human habitation.
Today we were fortunate to tour the laboratory at Arrival Heights with Gordon [NIWA] - where globally-significant atmospheric measurements are made. Yes, that is *open water* in the mid-ground. An extremely unusual sight at the location at this time of year.
November 2, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Today we were fortunate to tour the laboratory at Arrival Heights with Gordon [NIWA] - where globally-significant atmospheric measurements are made. Yes, that is *open water* in the mid-ground. An extremely unusual sight at the location at this time of year.
We have arrived to a spectacular day in Antarctica!
November 1, 2025 at 4:45 AM
We have arrived to a spectacular day in Antarctica!
Ngā mihi to the Antarctic Science Platform and Antarctica New Zealand for supporting our kaupapa. These three experts will be viewing Antarctic science and operations through tikanga & Mātauranga lenses so we can understand how to do things better. Now it's time to fly!
October 31, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Ngā mihi to the Antarctic Science Platform and Antarctica New Zealand for supporting our kaupapa. These three experts will be viewing Antarctic science and operations through tikanga & Mātauranga lenses so we can understand how to do things better. Now it's time to fly!
The sub-ice platelet layer is a unique marine habitat, harbouring the highest concentrations of primary productivity of any oceanic ice. This provides nutrition for the rest of the marine ecosystem. The chains in this video are 5m apart.
📽 Leigh Tait | NIWA & Boxfish
💲 Antarctic Science Platform
📽 Leigh Tait | NIWA & Boxfish
💲 Antarctic Science Platform
January 10, 2025 at 6:36 PM
The sub-ice platelet layer is a unique marine habitat, harbouring the highest concentrations of primary productivity of any oceanic ice. This provides nutrition for the rest of the marine ecosystem. The chains in this video are 5m apart.
📽 Leigh Tait | NIWA & Boxfish
💲 Antarctic Science Platform
📽 Leigh Tait | NIWA & Boxfish
💲 Antarctic Science Platform
Here's what the platelet layer looks like from underneath: untold billions of individual ice crystals float up from the water column to accumulate against the base of the sea ice above them. The crystals deposit like grains of sand, creating ripple & billow structures.
📽 Leigh Tait | NIWA & Boxfish
📽 Leigh Tait | NIWA & Boxfish
January 9, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Here's what the platelet layer looks like from underneath: untold billions of individual ice crystals float up from the water column to accumulate against the base of the sea ice above them. The crystals deposit like grains of sand, creating ripple & billow structures.
📽 Leigh Tait | NIWA & Boxfish
📽 Leigh Tait | NIWA & Boxfish
Here's what we were in Antarctica for...
I study the 'sub-ice platelet layer' - a fragile accumulation of individual ice crystals that form in supercooled ocean water and float up to land against the base of the sea ice. The ocean is supercooled b/c of the addition of newly-melted ice shelf water.
I study the 'sub-ice platelet layer' - a fragile accumulation of individual ice crystals that form in supercooled ocean water and float up to land against the base of the sea ice. The ocean is supercooled b/c of the addition of newly-melted ice shelf water.
December 18, 2024 at 6:01 PM
Here's what we were in Antarctica for...
I study the 'sub-ice platelet layer' - a fragile accumulation of individual ice crystals that form in supercooled ocean water and float up to land against the base of the sea ice. The ocean is supercooled b/c of the addition of newly-melted ice shelf water.
I study the 'sub-ice platelet layer' - a fragile accumulation of individual ice crystals that form in supercooled ocean water and float up to land against the base of the sea ice. The ocean is supercooled b/c of the addition of newly-melted ice shelf water.
This year's sea ice growth season was marked frequent southerly storms which vastly reduced the area of ice we could safely work on (almost identical to 2022), and created lots of ridged/rafted sea ice features. Here's how it ended up directly over our mooring site - very challenging for acoustics.
December 17, 2024 at 8:12 PM
This year's sea ice growth season was marked frequent southerly storms which vastly reduced the area of ice we could safely work on (almost identical to 2022), and created lots of ridged/rafted sea ice features. Here's how it ended up directly over our mooring site - very challenging for acoustics.
The sea ice in front of 🇳🇿Scott Base gets pushed up against the land to form 'pressure ridges'. Each year, a safe route is flagged, allowing people to walk through and around them. It's a chance to see lots of Weddell Seals and their newborn pups (as well as beautiful & fantastical ice structures).
December 15, 2024 at 6:01 PM
The sea ice in front of 🇳🇿Scott Base gets pushed up against the land to form 'pressure ridges'. Each year, a safe route is flagged, allowing people to walk through and around them. It's a chance to see lots of Weddell Seals and their newborn pups (as well as beautiful & fantastical ice structures).
... and from our perspective inside the container. This seal was clearly comfortable in our presence as it returned several times every day to check out what we were up to.
December 14, 2024 at 5:10 PM
... and from our perspective inside the container. This seal was clearly comfortable in our presence as it returned several times every day to check out what we were up to.
A curious Weddel Seal uses the hole in the floor of our hydrolab shipping container to take a break and breathe some *warm* air (only ~4° C, but considerably warmer than they're used to). Video from below captured on GoPro by Doug Walker.
December 14, 2024 at 5:07 PM
A curious Weddel Seal uses the hole in the floor of our hydrolab shipping container to take a break and breathe some *warm* air (only ~4° C, but considerably warmer than they're used to). Video from below captured on GoPro by Doug Walker.
Inside one of our Hydrolabs (converted shipping container with a lift out floor) at part of our Antarctic field camp.
We can carry on observing the ocean for weeks at a time (i.e. without our sea ice hole freezing over), whatever the weather.
Occasionally, we have to share...
We can carry on observing the ocean for weeks at a time (i.e. without our sea ice hole freezing over), whatever the weather.
Occasionally, we have to share...
December 14, 2024 at 5:04 PM
Inside one of our Hydrolabs (converted shipping container with a lift out floor) at part of our Antarctic field camp.
We can carry on observing the ocean for weeks at a time (i.e. without our sea ice hole freezing over), whatever the weather.
Occasionally, we have to share...
We can carry on observing the ocean for weeks at a time (i.e. without our sea ice hole freezing over), whatever the weather.
Occasionally, we have to share...
Here's what the camp looks like once it's set up. Two of the containers have lift-up sections of floor. This means we can melt down through the sea ice and access the ocean for weeks at a time, all from inside a warm shelter. I'll show you that next time...
December 10, 2024 at 4:44 PM
Here's what the camp looks like once it's set up. Two of the containers have lift-up sections of floor. This means we can melt down through the sea ice and access the ocean for weeks at a time, all from inside a warm shelter. I'll show you that next time...
Our Antarctic field camp is made up of a series of converted shipping containers which are pulled out to site by bulldozers. We have generator, kitchen, freezer (!), sleeping, dry lab and wet lab spaces. 12 containers in all. And the last on the line is the toilet cubicle.
December 9, 2024 at 5:00 PM
Our Antarctic field camp is made up of a series of converted shipping containers which are pulled out to site by bulldozers. We have generator, kitchen, freezer (!), sleeping, dry lab and wet lab spaces. 12 containers in all. And the last on the line is the toilet cubicle.
Antarctica is a great place for seeing unusual light phenomena. Here's a couple of sun halos / sun dogs from early (left) and late in the season. Occurs when sunlight passes through a layer of ice crystals in the atmosphere. I happened to be up at 4am to capture the second one 😊
December 7, 2024 at 6:01 PM
Antarctica is a great place for seeing unusual light phenomena. Here's a couple of sun halos / sun dogs from early (left) and late in the season. Occurs when sunlight passes through a layer of ice crystals in the atmosphere. I happened to be up at 4am to capture the second one 😊
We had a big team this year (11 in total), so we traveled to Antarctica in 2 cohorts. Cohort #1 (Brett, Greg, Svenja, Me, Ollie) were the only kiwis on our flight and had the uncommon privilege of being collected from the airfield by a Hägglunds from Scott Base. Then it was straight into camp prep.
December 5, 2024 at 5:00 PM
We had a big team this year (11 in total), so we traveled to Antarctica in 2 cohorts. Cohort #1 (Brett, Greg, Svenja, Me, Ollie) were the only kiwis on our flight and had the uncommon privilege of being collected from the airfield by a Hägglunds from Scott Base. Then it was straight into camp prep.
Fortunate to be given a tour of the Scott Base windfarm while waiting for a plane to take me home. These 3x 330 kW are reaching the end of their design life, and will soon be replaced by 3x 1 Mw turbines.
December 4, 2024 at 4:47 AM
Fortunate to be given a tour of the Scott Base windfarm while waiting for a plane to take me home. These 3x 330 kW are reaching the end of their design life, and will soon be replaced by 3x 1 Mw turbines.
I'm just back from the latest Antarctic field season and want to share some favourite moments. First up: the mighty Drygalski Ice Tongue south of Terra Nova Bay. 80 km long, 15 km wide, and with a fringe of streaky sea caused by the winds whipping straight down its axis.
December 2, 2024 at 4:53 PM
I'm just back from the latest Antarctic field season and want to share some favourite moments. First up: the mighty Drygalski Ice Tongue south of Terra Nova Bay. 80 km long, 15 km wide, and with a fringe of streaky sea caused by the winds whipping straight down its axis.
Drilling sea ice in New Harbour, Antarctica. Can't complain about the weather or location!
November 14, 2023 at 8:03 PM
Drilling sea ice in New Harbour, Antarctica. Can't complain about the weather or location!
We *did* get our ocean mooring back after 12 months collecting precious data beneath the sea ice of McMurdo Sound. Enormous thanks go to Leigh for his extraordinary ROV rescue! Cool, calm, and utterly focused in a challenging and stressful situation.
November 1, 2023 at 10:44 AM
We *did* get our ocean mooring back after 12 months collecting precious data beneath the sea ice of McMurdo Sound. Enormous thanks go to Leigh for his extraordinary ROV rescue! Cool, calm, and utterly focused in a challenging and stressful situation.