Ice Station Antarctica is an interactive travelling exhibition developed by in partnership with the British Antarctic Survey. The exhibition challenges visitors to see if they've got what it takes to live and work in Antarctica. Engaging young people with the science, mysteries and career opportunities in Antarctica. Launches May 2007 at NHM London and tours worldwide from May 08 to May 2013.

East Antarctica is the least explored part of the Antarctic continent. Its massive thickness of layered ice contains the Earth's oldest natural archive of past atmospheric composition and climate. Even subtle recent changes in climate over this large area will be significant for affecting sea level change. The TASTE-IDEA program will investigate present and past accumulation rate and climate variability, survey the inner and coastal unexplored part of the continent, obtain a chronological linkage between the ice core drilling sites in East Antarctica, and obtain geophysical and glaciological surveys required to identify the location of the longest coherent climate record in Antarctic ice and information about subglacial lakes. TASTE-IDEA is an inherently interdisciplinary endeavor, involving glaciology, atmospheric chemistry, meteorology, climate, paleoclimatology, geophysics, geology, remote sensing and a variety of other disciplines. The program provides the opportunity to explore unknown parts of our planet, to help in answering crucial questions related to sea level, present-past and future climate variability, and cryosphere-atmosphere interactions.

CASO aims to enhance understanding of the role of the Southern Ocean in past, present and future climate, including the overturning circulation of the Southern Ocean, water mass transformation, atmospheric variability, ocean-cryosphere interactions, physical-biogeochemical-ecological linkages, and teleconnections between polar and lower latitudes. CASO will deliver improved climate predictions, from models that incorporate a better understanding of southern polar processes; proof of concept of a viable, cost-effective, sustained observing system for the southern polar regions; and provide a baseline for the assessment of future change.

The extraordinarily rich and productive Southern Ocean has been commercially exploited for more than 200 years. As the region is increasingly affected by climate change, understanding the impact of these changes on marine ecosystems is vital if we are ensure that these waters are exploited sustainably. Drawing together fisheries scientists, oceanographers and acoustic engineers from 14 nations, this study will provide a detailed and integrated view of large marine ecosystems – the environment, food supply and main predators. It will deepen our understanding of the impact of human activity on Antarctic ecosystems, and help develop precise and effective management strategies.

Global Warming will have a large impact on glaciers in the Arctic region. Sea level will be affected, and substantial changes can be expected in sediment and fresh water supplies to embayments and fjords. In GLACIODYN we study the dynamics of Arctic glaciers by means of field observations, remote sensing from satellites, and computer modelling. This will deliver tools to make more accurate predictions about future changes.

Trace metals iron, zinc, copper, manganese, nickel and cobalt are essential for every living cell and organism of our planet. Recently we discovered that algae in the Southern Ocean, the basis of the entire Antarctic food-chain up to penguins and whales, suffer from a lack of dissolved iron for their growth and CO2 fixation. The role of the other metals in Arctic and Antarctic oceanic waters is virtually unknown. We will quantify distributions, role and fate of several trace metals. Combination with key natural isotopes allows the unraveling of sources and turnover rates of these Trace Elements and Isotopes in waters and ice of the polar oceans.

Some of the most dramatic weather events – including spring thaws, sea ice movements and the strong winds and high seas associated with severe winter cyclones – occur in the polar regions, and being able to forecast these events more accurately is crucial for mitigating their impact on local communities, fisheries, wildlife, energy production and transport. Using satellite data, this 15-nation project will help design the next generation of observing networks that are needed to improve our ability to forecast “high impact” weather events in polar regions.

The Greenland Ice Sheet is an outstanding archive of information about what the Earth’s climate was like in the past, and the water locked in its ice will have a major impact on sea level rise due to climate change. Because of this, understanding how Greenland will react to global warming is crucially important. By gathering seismic data, ice cores and using radar, laser ranging and echo sounders, this project will shed new light on the Greenland Ice Sheet and improve scientists’ ability to model how it will react to climate change.

Climate of the Arctic and its role for Europe/Arctic System Reanalysis The overall objective of IPY-CARE (International Polar Year - Climate of the Arctic and its Role for Europe) is to create, co-ordinate and prepare a Pan-European science and implementation plan for Arctic climate change and ecosystems research programme as contribution to the International Polar Year.

Dense water formation in Polar areas; Impact on global ocean circulation and climate This international team of oceanographers will embark on expeditions to the Polar Oceans with ice going vessels to measure ocean temperature, salinity and currents, ice formation and distribution. They will employ remote sensing as well as bottom anchored instrument moorings to feed global numerical models. The project will try to estimate the impact of dense water formation in the polar regions on the global ocean circulation and climate.