ATSB Releases Preliminary Report on Nuyina Grounding
An ATSB preliminary investigation report details the circumstances leading up to the brief grounding of the Australian research vessel Nuyina off Heard Island, 4,000 km south-west of Perth, October 13 last year.The grounding occurred while Nuyina, the Australian Antarctic Division’s research and supply vessel, was conducting drone survey operations over the shore of Heard Island, close to an area of uncharted seafloor.On board the vessel were 37 marine crew and 85 expeditioners.“Nuyina had several scientific instruments installed on a retractable drop keel, which at the time of the incident
Antarctica Undergoing Abrupt Change
Antarctica and the Southern Ocean are experiencing abrupt changes due to human-caused climate change, according to research published in Nature on Thursday.The research review, led by Professor Nerilie Abram from the Australian National University (now Australian Antarctic Division Chief Scientist), shows that multiple rapid changes across the Antarctic environment are already underway, or imminent.These abrupt changes include a rapid decline in sea-ice coverage, weakening of ice sheet and ice shelf stability, and population declines in some marine and terrestrial species, due to habitat loss.“Hum
Rapid Loss of Antarctic Ice Might Signal Climate Tipping Point
that draw down vast quantities of carbon from the atmosphere, the study said."Antarctic sea ice may actually be one of those tipping points in the Earth's system," said Abram, a former professor at the Australian National University (ANU) and now chief scientist at the Australian Antarctic Division.Reining in global carbon dioxide emissions would reduce the risk of major changes in the Antarctic but still may not prevent them, the study said."Once we start losing Antarctic sea ice, we set in train this self-perpetuating process," Abram said. "Even if we stabilise
Australian Researchers Head to Heard Island
This year, the Australian Antarctic Division will lead expeditioners and scientists working with the Australian Antarctic Program on two voyages to Heard Island and McDonald Islands.Heard Island is a land of fire and ice, home to Australia’s only active volcano, with 12 major glaciers carving through the landscape and penguin and seal colonies dotting the coastline.With the nearby McDonald Islands, they are one of Australia’s most remote territories, located in the southern Indian Ocean, 4,000km south-west of the Australian mainland.The campaign, using Australia's icebreaker, RSV Nuyina
Concern Raised for Major Shift in Antarctic Sea-Ice Coverage
stations. There could also be increased shipping pressures on the continent, including from alien species incursions, fuel spills and an increase in the number and movement of tourist vessels to and from new locations.Research co-author and sea-ice system expert, Dr Petra Heil, from the Australian Antarctic Division, said the paper highlighted the need for ongoing, year-round, field-based and satellite measurements of circumpolar sea-ice variables (especially thickness), and sub-surface ocean variables.This would allow integrated analyses of the Southern Ocean processes contributing to the recent
Australian Antarctic Program Appoints Chief Scientist
possibilities that we haven’t seen before,” she said.“The way that the Australian Antarctic science community has come together around major campaign-style research priorities offers a new way of tackling really big and important science problems.”The Head of the Australian Antarctic Division, Emma Campbell, said Professor Abram will be a welcome addition to the Science branch of the Division.“Professor Abram will be playing a key role in what will be a crucial time for Antarctic and Southern Ocean science,” she said. “We are planning the first environmental
Denman Glacier Has Already Lost Over 250 Billion Tons of Ice
can be controlled remotely by colleagues working in the United States.A key aim of the research being conducted onboard Nuyina is to quantify how much the glacier might contribute to rising sea levels in a warming climate in the centuries to come.The voyage is a collaboration between the Australian Antarctic Division, Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future (SAEF), the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS) and the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership (AAPP)
Dancing Krill
Chase, probe, embrace, flex, push. It’s probably too much information, but that is how krill mate.The behavior was recorded on a deepsea camera 500 meters below the surface of the Southern Ocean back in 2011 by Australian Antarctic Division researchers – who then made an animated illustration of this special “dance.”Krill can change from adults to juveniles, and they can survive over 200 days of starvation, reducing their size by using their own body proteins rather than molting their exoskeleton.They are known for being an important food source for whales, seals and penguins
Reseach Finds Fin Whale Songs Shed Light on Migration Patterns
being intrusive.“The Southern Hemisphere fin whale is a vulnerable sub-species and this method of tracking, whereby microphones are deployed in the deep sea, allows us to observe and map their movements with little disruption,” Professor Erbe said.“Acousticians from the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) were instrumental in helping us conduct this research, recording almost a million calls at frequencies of 20Hz, which is too low for humans to hear.“This collaboration and expertise allows researchers to listen in to where the whales are going and why, better informing us
February 2026
