Antarctic Science Global Relevance

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Antarctic Science Global Relevance

• Dr Anna E Jones
• ATCM XXVI
• Madrid, June 2003

Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research
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Evolution of the Antarctic Continent
The Antarctic Ozone Hole
Genomics as a tool for biological investigation
Evolving global atmosphere and climate
Sun-Earth connections
Antarctica as indicator of climate change
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Evolution of the Antarctic continent
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180 Million years ago
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90 Million years ago
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Antarctic fossil record
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30 Million years ago
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30 Million years ago
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30 Million years ago
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Present day
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Take-Home Message

• The break-up of Gondwana ultimately led to the
  formation of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current
• This current allowed the first exchange of water
  between the major oceans
• The ocean currents as we know them today were
  established with the formation of Antarctica, 30
  million years ago

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Science Issue 1The Antarctic Ozone Hole
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The Ozone Layer
?
Ozone amount
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Curtesy of Centre for Atmospheric Science,
Cambridge University, UK
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Satellite image of Antarctic ozone hole in
September
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Ground truth from network of measurement
stations
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Antarctic ozone hole over populated areas

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Impact of the Montreal Protocol
part
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Take-Home Message

• First indisputable evidence that human activity
  can alter the Earth on a global scale
• Completely unexpected!
• Ozone loss developed very rapidly and could not
  be halted
• It will take at least 50 years before the hole
  disappears

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Science Issue 2 Evolving atmospheric chemistry
and climate
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Greenhouse gases Carbon dioxide (CO2)
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Greenhouse gases Carbon dioxide (CO2)
An A as
CO2 amount
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Greenhouse gases Carbon dioxide (CO2)
CO2 amount
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Greenhouse gases Carbon dioxide (CO2)
CO2 amount
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Greenhouse gases Carbon dioxide (CO2)
CO2 amount
300,000
200,000
100,000
400,000
400,00
400,00
400,00
400,00
0
Years before present
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Past and future CO2 atmospheric concentrations
Projections
Ice core data
Air measurements
Year (AD)
Adapted from IPCC Climate Change 2001 Synthesis
Report
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Greenhouse gases Methane (CH4)
methane amount
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Temperature

• We know CO2 has increased through time
• Wide discussion over potential for enhanced CO2
  to alter global climate
• What can we learn of this association by looking
  at past climate..?

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Climate and greenhouse gases have been very
closely connected
Estimated T difference from today /oC
an
Methane amount
A
CO2 amount
400,000
300,000
200,000
100,000
0
Years before present
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Take Home Message

• Ice core data shows us that
• CO2 concentrations are currently 30 greater
  than in the previous 400,000 years
• Methane is more than 2 times greater than in the
  previous 400,000 years
• Clear association between changes in Greenhouse
  gases and changes in global temperature

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Deep Antarctic Ice Cores
Dome Fuji
Vostok
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Dome C drilling project
Joint European project involving 10
countries Drilling started 1996, currently 100 m
above bedrock
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Dome C ice core

• Ice core now 3201m in length
• Oldest ice believed to be 900,000 years ie.
  twice as old as Vostok or Fuji

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Science Issue 3 Antarctica as indicator of
climate change
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Surface temperature change hotspots
Annual average temperature change (oC) from 1950
to 1998 was
0.4
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Warming on the Antarctic Peninsula
Faraday/Vernadsky
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Break-up of the Larsen A Ice Shelf
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Break-up of the Peninsula ice shelves
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Wordie Ice Shelf
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Take Home Message

• The Antarctic Peninsula is one of the fastest
  warming places on the Earth with 2.5oC rise in
  temperature over the past 50 years
• However this warming is not reflected over the
  whole of Antarctica
• Currently viewed as a signal of regional, rather
  than global warming but we must monitor it!

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Science Issue 4Sun Earth Connections
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Solar variability

• The sun is not static
• The number of solar storms has increased by
  roughly a factor 3 during the past 100 years
• Solar variability has an influence on the Earths
  atmosphere and climate
• Need to quantify this influence for realistic
  representation in numerical models of the
  atmosphere and climate

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What do we mean by Sun-Earth connection?
Include picture of magnetosphere
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Radars to study Aurora!
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Auroral Radar network
9 radars in the northern hemisphere
6 radars in the southern hemisphere
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The future of the Antarctic Auroral Radar Network

• Planned new radar
• New Zealand
• Zhongshan Station
• Dome Concordia
• South Pole Station

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Take Home Message

• Need to understand how solar energy is affecting
  the Earths atmosphere and climate
• Solar effects are focussed in polar regions
• Example of tremendous international collaboration
  to yield the maximum scientific potential

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Science Issue 5Genomics as a tool for
biological investigation
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Genomics a new scientific discipline

• Come about as a result of the Human Genome
  Project
• This project resulted in a range of new tools
  allowing study of genetic material - structure,
  function, and adaptations
• Information about genetic adaptation is providing
  exciting insights into biological evolution

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Antarctic marine organisms evolved in a very
extreme but very stable environment
They therefore provide very useful information
on how organisms adapt and respond to stresses
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Anti-freeze proteins in ice fish
Example of evolution in an extreme habitat but
what is the genetic basis for this adaptation..?
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Antarctica as model for ecosystems

• Antarctic ecosystem
• is very diverse
• very few layers in the
• food chain
• excellent model in which to study link between
  the gene and the environment

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Take Home Message

• Genomics is a new scientific discipline, arising
  from the Human Genome Project
• This new technology is already being applied to
  polar regions
• It is generating knowledge of evolution and
  biological adaptation of wide scientific and
  commercial interest

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Evolution of the Antarctic Continent
The Antarctic Ozone Hole
Genomics as a tool for biological investigation
Evolving global atmosphere and climate
Sun-Earth connections
Antarctica as indicator of climate change
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Big Questions for the Future

• What is the role of the Southern Ocean in CO2
  exchange?
• What has controlled large global climate changes
  of the past and what is the implication for the
  future?
• How will Antarctica affect global sea level?
• How do ecosystems respond to climate challenges?

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Overall conclusion!

• Scientific study in Antarctica is critical to
  understanding the Earth system

Antarctica Continent for peace and science