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The site progettosmilla.it has an aim of explaining to the Italian students (with a target of 14 years old) and teachers, the ANDRILL project and the basic geographic features of Antarctica. In the various sections of the site, users can find detailed descriptions (made by a teacher of the educational project of ANDRILL with the supervision from ANDRILL scientists) of all the phases of the research viz. objectives, methods, instruments and results. The idea is to involve as many as possible students and teachers in the scientific process and adventure of the ANDRILL research. In order to support this, the site further contains: multimedia material (1450 photos, 20 videos and 10 audio), blogs, interactive a...

The October 2007 issue of the WMO Bulletin focussed on the International Polar Year 2007-2008. The issue contained an IPY overview and six articles covering polar weather, stratospheric ozone, polar atmospheric chemistry, polar oceans, cryosphere connections to hydrological cycles in the Arctic, and future space observations of polar regions. As part of its sponsorship of IPY, WMO makes the IPY articles (in English) available for free download on its website, see: http://www.wmo.ch/pages/publications/bulletin/october_2007.html These articles provide fresh reviews of many aspects of polar science. The I...

A number of Discussion Groups have developed during IPY that are useful ways for members of the IPY Community to interact, discuss, and share information. To sign up, please visit the following links. Open discussion space and announcements, especially regarding outreach and education. IPY Teachers Discussion Group IPY Data and Information Services Discussion Forum ...

Two eighth-grade students at James Monroe Middle School in Albuquerque, New Mexico are collaborating with staff at several Antarctic stations including; the Amundsen-Scott South Pole and Palmer Stations to measure shadows. By comparing the length of shadow the sun casts from a one-meter stick at solar noon measured at locations experiencing either winter or austral summer these students are testing the "longer shadows in the winter and shorter shadows in the summer" understanding. Students have also arranged for several snapshot winter readings to be taken across the continental United States on solstice. Measurements h...

My name is Stephanie, and I am a graduate student with Ohio State University. My research focuses on using GPS to study crustal deformation in Antarctica, and this blog is meant to document my experiences in Antarctica, or “the ice” as it is affectionately known by many. This is my third time down to the ice, but only my second season. By season, I mean summer in Antarctica, from about October through February, when the sun is out for 24 hours a day. In 2004/2005, I was here putting out GPS equipment throughout the Transantarctic Mountains as part of the TAMDEF project (Transantarctic Mountain Deformation Project). Now I am here continuing that work as part of a project called POLENET (Polar Earth Ob...

The Shamrock Glacier in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska, USA, has receded about 2 miles from its 1928 position near its terminal moraine. Some newly exposed morainal surfaces are now vegetated. 1928 photograph by Stephen R. Capps. 2004 repeat photography by M. Torre Jorgenson. The Southwest Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network (SWAN) is an office of the National Park Service dedicated to providing the scientific foundation for effective, long-term protection and management of natural resources in five units of the national park system. Collectively these units comprise approximately 9.4 million acres, 11.6 percent of the land managed by the National Park Service, or 2 percent of the Alaska landmass, and include a diversity of geologic features, eco...

Climate Change ‘Magic’: Disappearing Lakes and Reappearing Artifacts In the summer of 1999, artist Hamish Fulton took a hike through the icefields of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (WRST). One highlight of his journey was a traverse near Iceberg Lake on the Bagley Icefield. Imagine his surprise when he crested a low pass expecting to see the lake, but all that remained was a small creek emerging from the melting terminus of a small alpine glacier. Icerberg Lake had disappeared. While in another area of WRST, scientists were discovering rare archeological materials melting from ancient glaciers. How and why these events happened is covered in the latest issue of Alaska Park Science. The tenth issue of Alaska Park Science, entitled “S...

Over the past month, there has been an unusual abundance of negative environmental news coming from Antarctica. First, at the end of November, a well-tested, ice-strengthened Antarctic cruise ship sank near the Antarctic Peninsula. The 154 people onboard were all safely rescued. The ship sank to the bottom of the ocean, with all the fuel, machinery and furniture that was onboard. The environmental impacts are being closely monitored. However, with today’s technology, there is precious little that one can do to a ship (spilling...

On 23 November, 2007, the M/S Explorer, a well-tested, ice-strengthened Antarctic cruise ship sank in Bransfield Strait near the Antarctic Peninsula. The 154 people onboard were all safely evacuated and rescued. The ship sank in waters 1100 – 1500 m deep, bringing down with it approximately 185000 L of diesel, 24000 L of lubricants, 1200 L of gasoline and all the machinery, equipment and furniture that was onboard. Its environmental impacts are still unknown and are being closely monitored. There are not many options available to clean up oil spills in icy seas. Some of them, such as burning or using chem...