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LOGISTICS REPORT
K049: NZ ITASE
Antarctica New Zealand 2009/10
EVENT PURPOSE & SUMMARY:
Unprecedented changes are occurring in the Earth's climate. The current decade was the warmest on record since 1880 AD. The global average surface temperature has increased, especially since about 1950 with 100-year trend (1906–2005) of 0.74°C ± 0.18°C (IPCC, 2007). Although the scientific evidence of global warming is now widely regarded as unequivocal (IPCC, 2007), predicting regional impacts still poses challenges. Especially, conclusions of the Southern Hemisphere record are limited by the sparseness of available proxy data at present (Mann & Jones, 2003).
While meteorological records from instrumental and remote sensing data display the large intercontinental climate variability, the series are insufficient to infer trends or to understand the forcing, which renders prediction difficult (Jones et al., 1999; Mann & Jones, 2003). The long ice core records from the Antarctic interior and Greenland revolutionised our understanding of global climate and showed for the first time the occurrence of RCE (Rapid Climate Change Events, for review e.g. Mayweski and White (2002)). To understand the drivers and consequences of climate change on timescales important to humans, a new focus of ice core work is now moving towards the acquisition of 'local' ice cores that overlap with and extend the instrumental records of the last 40 years back over the last several thousand years (Mayewski et al., 2005).
This has been a key motivation behind the US-led International Transantarctic Scientific Expedition (ITASE) of which New Zealand is a member (Mayewski et al. 2005). The NZ ITASE objective is to recover a series of ice cores from glaciers along a 14 degree latitudinal transect of the climatically sensitive Victoria Land coastline to establish the drivers and feedback mechanism of the Ross Sea climate variability (Bertler et al., 2004a; Bertler et al., 2004b; Bertler & 54 others, 2005; Bertler et al., 2005a; Bertler et al., 2005b; Bertler et al. 2006, Patterson et al., 2005, Rhodes et al. 2009).
Due to logistical constraints by Antarctica New Zealand, the field deployment planned for 2009/10 was cancelled and a substantially reduced programme was carried out. The objectives below refer to the revised programme.
OBJECTIVES
| Priority | Objective | Outcome achieved | % completed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance of AWS - EPG | Ye | 100 | |
| Pullout of AWS – Skinner Saddle | Yes | 100 | |
| Retrieval of AWS data | Yes | 100 | |
| Measurement of Mass Balance | Yes | 100 | |
| Collection of aolian samples | Yes | 100 |
SUPPORT DAYS
We are interested in working out how productive your time was in Antarctica. How much time was spent preparing for your research versus doing your research. This is just as applicable if your work was based out of Scott Base, rather than in the field.
| Planned # of person days on ice | 360 |
| Actual person days on ice | 38 |
| Person days spent at SB preparing to go to field (if applicable) | NA |
| Person days spent in the field | NA |
| Person days packing up at Scott Base | NA |
| Person days of delay | 2 |
DELAYS
Please indicate the cause of any delays to your event. (for any reason)
We were delayed twice due to weather conditions and once due to communication delays with staff in Christchurch
EVENT MANAGEMENT PHASES
For each event management phase please provide feedback on any aspect that would allow us to add more value to your support, increase efficiency and sustainability, and provide additional safety.
PHASE 1: INITIATION
- Proposal process
- Science Selection and logistics review / Non- science selection and logistics review
- Environmental Impact Assessment (PEE, IEE, CEE)
What worked well?
N.A. - I was not required to participate this year's proposal submission
What needs to be improved?
PHASE 2: PLANNING
- Event Planning process
- Development of your logistical support package (i.e. MA, RA, field, engineering, etc.)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Permitting
- Environmental advice
- Safety & Risk Assessment
What worked well?
Information and execution of environmental and MFAT permitting, as well as risk assessment process
What needs to be improved?
Long term planning capability, early indication of constraints and changes, communication
PHASE 3: PRE-DEPLOYMENT
- Medical
- Cargo
- Deployment information
What worked well?
Pre-deployment information was received in a timely matter, shipment of cargo to and from Antarctica was conducted excellently
What needs to be improved?
Status quo is excellent
PHASE 4: OPERATIONS
- Intercontinental flights
- Scott Base operations & support
- Engineering support (staff support, vehicles, equipment, etc.)
- Services (Staff support, communications, food, etc.)
- Facilities (Scott Base & Huts)
- Field operations & support (staff support, food, equipment, etc.)
- Training at Scott Base (Arrival briefing, Antarctic Field Training, Vehicle, engineering, etc.)
- Intra-continental flights (Helicopter, Fixed Wing)
What needs to be improved?
The support could be improved by increased authority of decision making by staff based at Scott Base.
How well did the planning match your final operations in Antarctica?
Poorly
PHASE 5: REDEPLOYMENT
- Return to NZ
- Support for returning
- Intercontinental
What worked well?
Redeployment was organized excellently
What needs to be improved?
Status quo is excellent
PHASE 6: REVIEW
How can this report and Scott Base debrief be improved?
The current format works well
How can we make our planning and operations more sustainable and efficient (Thinking from an environmental, financial, and social perspective?
Please refer to substantial documentation provided by Mr. Alex Pyne to AntNZ staff.
Health and Safety Reporting
Incidents, accidents, hazards and near misses from your event and how you addressed these issues!
(Please report any incidents, accidents, hazards, and near misses that you have not filed an HSE form during your visit. It is very important to Ant NZ and your team's safety for us to have all incidents, accidents, and especially near misses/hazards reported so we can learn and improve the safety of all personnel in Antarctica
None
How can we make working in Antarctica safer and help ensure Zero Harm to all?
There is value in experience.
Environmental Impact Reporting
Information from this section helps us to assess the environmental (including cumulative) impacts and overall environmental performance of New Zealand's activities each year. This reporting is a requirement of the Antarctica (Environmental Protection) Act, which implements the internationally agreed Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty in New Zealand. The report also forms the basis for annual input into Antarctica New Zealand's environmental database, an electronic record of all New Zealand activities in the Ross Sea region since 1957.
Please be as specific as possible. For locations occupied, provide the site or protected area name, and GPS coordinates or map references where appropriate. GPS coordinates should be given in degrees, minutes and decimal minutes (e.g. 78° 20.835′S 166° 33.541′E). Note that the geodetic reference used should be WGS84.
Three sub-sections are compulsory (*) as they are relevant to all events. Sub-sections without asterisks need only be completed if relevant. Unnecessary sections should be deleted. Comments on any area of environmental management are welcome and can be added beneath the relevant table.
Note that all event leaders who hold permits for entry to an ASPA, and have done so, need to complete a Visit Report for each ASPA entered. This is a requirement under the Antarctic Treaty system as well as domestic law. Please download this form from our 'Returning to New Zealand' web page or contact Renee Burns, the Environmental Officer.
page 4
*Sites Visited (please complete a table for each site visited)
| Site name | Evans Piedmont Glacier |
| Site coordinates | 76°43.534′S, 162°35.294′E |
| Is this site in an ASMA or ASPA? If so, which one? | McMurdo Dry Valleys |
| Dates occupied (from – to) | 05 December 2009 |
| Total time (days/hours) at site | 8 hr |
| Maximum number of people at site (your event) | 3 |
| Total person-days (or person-hours) at site | 24 |
| Main activity undertaken | Maintenance and data retrieval |
| Cumulative impacts observed | None |
| Helo landing site coordinates if not established AND marked | |
| General Weather | Fair |
| If this is a refuge hut provide general observations and areas of required improvement |
| Site name | Victoria Lower Glacier |
| Site coordinates | 77°19′48.31″S, 162°31′55.29″E |
| Is this site in an ASMA or ASPA? If so, which one? | McMurdo Dry Valleys |
| Dates occupied (from – to) | 05 December 2009 |
| Total time (days/hours) at site | 1 hr |
| Maximum number of people at site (your event) | 3 |
| Total person-days (or person-hours) at site | 3 |
| Main activity undertaken | Mass balance measurement |
| Cumulative impacts observed | None |
| Helo landing site coordinates if not established AND marked | |
| General Weather | Fair |
| If this is a refuge hut provide general observations and areas of required improvement |
| Site name | Skinner Saddle |
| Site coordinates | 80°55.886′ S, 159°30.135′ E |
| Is this site in an ASMA or ASPA? If so, which one? | no |
| Dates occupied (from – to) | 08 December 2009 |
| Total time (days/hours) at site | 8 hr |
| Maximum number of people at site (your event) | 5 |
| Total person-days (or person-hours) at site | 40 |
| Main activity undertaken | Retrieval of data and AWS |
| Cumulative impacts observed | None |
| Helo landing site coordinates if not established AND marked | |
| General Weather | Fair |
| If this is a refuge hut provide general observations and areas of required improvement |
Geological Material
| Location | Specimen type | Quantity (kg) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site name | Coordinates | ||
| Haskell Straight * (taken as part of K131 field activities) | Various - see Map 1 | Snow samples | 200 lb |
| Skinner Saddle | 80°55.886′ S, 159°30.135′ E Map 2 | 3 m firn core | 20 lb |
Equipment installed/left in field
| Type of equipment/marker installed | Season of installation | Location (name and coordinates) | Number of items left in field | Dimension (in metres: H, W, L) | Removal status* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AWS | 2004/05 | Evans Piedmont Glacier 76°43.534′S, 162°35.294′E | 1 | 3m, 4m, 4m | Ongoing use |
| AWS | 2007/08 | Skinner Saddle 80°55.886′ S, 159°30.135′ E | 1 | removed | |
| Mass balance device | 2004 | Evans Piedmont Glacier 76°43.534′ S, 162°35.294′E | 2 | 20cm (~12m below surface) × 3cm × 3cm | Ongoing Use |
| Mass balance device | 1999 | Victoria Lower Glacier 77°19′48.31″S, 162°31′55.29″ E | 2 | 0.5m (~12m below surface) × 3cm × 3cm | Ongoing Use |
| If equipment has been left in the field please provide a justification and insert or append a photograph of the installation(s): | |||||
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Automatic Weather Station: The meteorological data will be used to establish transfer functions between ice core proxies and atmospheric parameters. The AWS records temperature, wind direction and speed, humidity, snow accumulation, snow temperature, pressure, and solar radiation. Both sites have identical weather stations. The figure shows the set-up at Skinner Saddle |
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Mass Balance Device: The mass balance data are used to establish the longer term mass balance of coastal ice masses in Antarctica. We measure the net loss or gain via submergence velocity measurements. We will remove as much of the device as possible once the base is buried too far below the surface to continue the measurements. Both sites have similar mass balance set-ups. The figure shows the set-up at Victoria Lower Glacier |
*Removal status categories are: 'Ongoing Use' (provide date of removal); 'Remaining' (provide date of removal); 'Removal Intended' (provide date of removal); 'Removed'; 'Unknown'; 'Unlikely'; 'Unrecoverable'.
*Bioprospecting activities
New Zealand is collecting data for discussions on bioprospecting in Antarctica at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings. Here, we define bioprospecting as 'The search for chemical compounds and genetic materials from plants, animals and micro-organisms; the extraction and testing of those compounds and materials; and the research and commercial development of those that show activity.'
To your knowledge, does your science involve any bioprospecting activity?
No
*Differences from original Preliminary Environmental Evaluation (PEE)
If the activities described above differ from the environmental impact assessment (usually a Preliminary Environmental Evaluation (PEE)) completed for this event (and any approved changes), or from the Environmental Authorisation issued to it, explain how and why they differed. If there were no differences, please specify 'None'.
None
ANTARCTIC SPECIALLY PROTECTED AND MANAGED AREAS
ASPAs may be designated under the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty where management is required to protect areas of outstanding scientific, environmental, aesthetic or wilderness values, or any combination of these values. In addition, Antarctic Specially Managed Areas (ASMAs) can be designated where increased coordination and/or cooperation is required to minimise environmental impacts. Please identify in this section any sites you believe should be considered for ASPA or ASMA designation and explain why.
- New ASPA or ASMA designation to be considered:
- New Special Features within the McMurdo Dry Valleys ASMA to be considered:
DESCRIPTION OF REMOTE, RARELY USED FIELD SITES
- Weather
- Campsite suitability
- Helicopter and/or fixed wing landing site suitability
- Travel (e.g. crevasse problems, ruggedness of terrain, used/potential routes)
- Sea ice activity and suitability for travel
- Overall description of the area
- Availability of freshwater
- Suggestions for any of the above for future use of the site/area
- Any other comments you wish to provide.
Antarctic Place Names
If you are interested in naming a geographic feature please contact Antarctica NZ for details.
Other Comments and Observations
Provide any information or supporting documents that may be helpful in future planning and operations.
The lack of a handbook this year was sadly observed. In my opinion the handbook is a valuable resource to connect research groups and provides an overview of the science supported by New Zealand.
ATTACHMENTS (TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT)
- Maps
- Photos of camp site situations, and equipment installed in the field
- Other information of historical value for future planning use
- Photos of Sites of past activity (e.g. food cache, equipment, camp)
ATTACHMENTS (TO BE ATTACHED BY ANT NZ IN PDF)
- Final Movements Annex
- Final Resource Allocation
- Final Risk Assessment
- Associated event SOP's (if developed) or other documentation
- Scott Base Event Debrief form
Appendix one. FIELD EVENT HEALTH, SAFETY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SELF AUDIT (FOR FIELD EVENTS ONLY)
Please complete the self audit form before returning to NZ, preferably during your work in Antarctica. Your leadership as a PI in ensuring the highest level of Health, Safety, and Environmental care in the field is core to us all achieving our goal of 'Zero Harm' and being a leader in environmental stewardship in Antarctica. The self audit is key to promoting your leadership and accountability as a PI working in Antarctica. Ant NZ will conduct audits of up to 10% of events with the core objective of working with PIs to help develop their capability and provide learning for both Ant NZ and the event.
| Compliance with approved PEE/IEE (EIA) and code of conduct (where there any)
Yes |
| Explain the waste management processes: officer assigned, waste correctly handled and streamed, use of prohibited items, amount of food scraps, cooking efficiency to reduce waste?
No field camp deployment – all waste was returned to Scott Base |
| Biosecurity – what measures are taken to prevent the spread of exotic organisms, are deliberate introductions controlled as authorised?
All equipment and personal clothing was cleaned and inspected before shipment to Antarctica |
| Awareness of protected areas/ managed areas/ historic sites and use of management plans? Were permits issued to work in protected areas?
Yes – McMurdo Dry Valleys |
| Use of chemicals (incl. Explosives) as authorised in approval/permit? Quantities and Procedures taken to prevent release to the environment. Procedures for waste chemicals?
Not applicable |
| Interference with animals, sampling as authorised in approval/permit?
Not applicable |
| Other impacts (trampling, camping, dust, noise etc) as authorised, efforts made to minimise?
Not applicable |
| Field Fuel use, procedures and fuel prevention and response equipment?
Not applicable |
| Avoiding disturbance to wildlife?
Not applicable |
| Explain the event's Safe camp set up?
Not applicablepage 9  |
| Procedures to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning?
Not applicable |
| Health and Safety of the field party
All health and safety regulations were observed |
| Procedures for safe travel away from camp?
Not applicable |
| Other comments, ideas or concerns: |
Attachment:
Maps:
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Map 1: Satellite image of McMurdo Sound showing snow sampling for aeolian material in November 2009. Red dotes: Sampling sites. Blue dote: Base camp. North of the yellow line dark areas denote first year sea ice, while lighter areas denote multi-year ice. Yellow outline marks the continental and sea ice edge.
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Map 2: Overview map of the locations of satellite images A and C in the Ross Sea. A) Satellite image of Victoria Lower and Evans Piedmont Glaciers in the Dry Valleys Antarctic Specially Managed Area. C) Satellite image of Skinner Saddle