By Dr. Frank-Oliver Nitsche, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University The Amundsen Sea continental shelf is one of the remotest areas of coastal Antarctica, and was relatively unexplored until the late 1980s. Over the last two decades, increased oceanographic and geological interest has led to several cruises that resulted in sufficient bathymetric data to compile a fairly detailed regional map of the Amundsen continental shelf. We have combined available multibeam and singlebeam bathymetry data from various sources and created a new regional bathymetry of the Amundsen Sea continental shelf and margin. Deep trough systems that dominate the inner shelf are aligned with present glaciers and separated by shallower ridges. Shaped by paleo-ice streams, these featur...

On October 22, science students from around Chile congregated in Punta Arenas for the start of the the IV Feria Antártica Escolar (Antarctic Students' Fair), which this year focuses on the effects of climate change on the wildlife of Antarctica. FAE was inaugurated by Dr. Juan Carlos Castilla, who spoke about "Climate Change in Chile: how can we adapt and help mitigate its impact". Castilla is professor at the Catholic University of Chile, a specialist in experimental marine ecology and marine conservation. Castilla is a member of the Chilean Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences (US). In this FAE, six experimental works and 18 bibliographical ones will be presented by students, with topics covering places like Eastern Island and Puert...

Janneke de Vries writes: The Forum on Biological Prospecting has been established and a call for submissions has been posted on the forum. Thanks to the colleagues who responded already to take part in the ICG. The work will be conducted in accordance with the following time table: 30 November 2007: Deadline for submissions on the web forum; 31 December 2007: Circulation of draft report of the ICG to the participants in the ICG; 28 February 2008: Deadline for comments on the web forum on the draft report of the ICG; 31 March 2008: Submission of report of the ICG to the ...

EcoKids is Earth Day Canada’s program for kids who care about the planet. Our website has tons of fun and educational games and activities on a range of environmental topics. Our 2007 theme is ‘Exploring Canada’s North’. We have created a new informational section for this theme along with the following online features: Northern Seasons – A glimpse of the landscape through the four seasons in Canada’s north. Mush Rush – A game that puts you in the driver’s seat of a dogsled team. Canada’s North Quizzes – Three challenging quizzes about the environment, wildlife and people in the north. Eco-Field Guide Northern Organisms – Information about 24 different species of fl...

The Smithsonian Institution announces the release of the Proceedings of the 2007 International Polar Diving Workshop. With major support from the National Science Foundation, Smithsonian Institution, NERC Facility for Scientific Diving, and Diving Unlimited International an interdisciplinary, international polar scientific diving workshop took place at the Artctic Marine Laboratory in Ny-Alesund, Svalbard, March 15-21, 2007. Twenty-eight participants from around the world discussed scientific, physiological and operational considerations of working under ice using scuba in polar environments. Sixteen papers, edited discussion sessions and consensus recommendations are presented in this volume, an IPY contribution from the international polar scientific diving community....

By Sarah Wilson, Ocean Institute The Ocean Institute (OI) is celebrating its 30th year in providing excellent science and maritime programs to teachers and the community. To honor teachers, launch our new Teacher Club, and celebrate International Polar Year, OI held an Ice Gala on October 5th and welcomed over 500 teachers! The evening included hands-on stations examining the science of the Poles, viewing of southern Ocean invertebrate specimens, ice sculptures to chill the flowing champagne and the opportunity to experience the Antarctic and take a photo with Shackleton’s crew. Teachers won prizes ranging from flat screen TVs, Geek Squad assistance for a year, Wyland artwork, and a week vacation in Washington D.C. ...

A new listserv is being created to facilitate the exchange of information among graduate students conducting research on the circumpolar North in the social sciences and humanities. Those with interests in environmental history are particularly encouraged to participate. The listserv will provide the means for building professional relationships, communicating funding and conference news, sharing resources, and facilitating dialogue on the unique challenges of northern research among young scholars. Participation by researchers in all fields of the humanities and social sciences is welcome. If you are interested, please contact the coordinator Brad Martin. Brad Martin PhD Candidate Department...

France is commemorating the 50th anniversaries of International Geophysical Year (IGY) and the "conquest" of space by Sputnik with a special philatelic issuance. To commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of IGY, which was launched July 1st 1957, France has produced a special pre-stamped envelope with a special temporary cancellation that was in use July 1st, 2007. On October 4, 2007, a stamp will be issued in France to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the beginning of the "space conquest" by Sputnik. . The "space race" really started in October 1954, when the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) - the initiator of IGY - adopted a resolution calling for artificial satellites to be launched during the IGY to map the Ear...

Come October 1, the U.S. Postal Service will issue this pane of 20 41-cent stamps with two designs that feature photographs of the polar lights, often known as auroras. The polar lights are a luminous glow seen in the night sky at high latitudes surrounding the north and south magnetic poles. These auroras are the result of a magnetic storm - when Earth's magnetic field is unusually active due to a dynamic interaction with the sun. During magnetic storms, energetic electrons descend from space and collide with molecules in the upper atmosphere, leading to the emission of green and sometimes red light. Auroras come in different visual forms, including arcs, curtains and rays, and are a relatively common sight in Alaska, Canada and northern Europe. During particularly intens...

Submitted by Karl Torstein Hetland Project manager K12, IPY Norway "Thank you for some fantastic days at Svalbard" "The teacher workshop at Svalbard was very inspiring" "This was a fantastic workshop - I feel filled with energy and experience - wonderful colleagues (Danish participant)" This was some of the feedback we got from the teacher workshop at Svalbard, which 22 Norwegian and 5 Danish teachers attended for a week in August. There were not many hours to be alone during the week, but it was always daylight so it was not too busy. The workshop started in Oslo with polar history at the Fram museum and the ...