RESEARCHERS who have spent months plunging to the depths of Antarctic waters in a world-first study have arrived back on Tasmanian soil. Project leader Jonny Stark said an enormous amount of research material was collected from the study, which was conducted for the first ever time in polar waters. Dr Stark explained research teams manipulated deep sea water acidity levels to map the impacts of carbon levels. He said Antarctic waters were tipped to be 2 times more acidic by the end of the century, which could potentially have serious implications for all marine life. ‘‘We’re looking to see who the winners and losers might be, potentially, in our future oceans in Antarctica,’’ Dr Stark said. ‘‘This has very profound flow-on effects as you move up the food chain and could effect the whole Antarctic future,’’ he said. Diver Ian Snape was among those braving the icy waters for the study, with his 15-member team conducting 200 dives over three months. Professor Snape said the project was many years — and many, many dives — in the making. ‘‘This was by far the most intricate underwater experiment in Antarctica ever undertaken,’’ Professor Snape said. ‘‘For every hour underwater there would be at least 10 times that in preparation just for the dive, and probably 10 times that again for the whole project, experiment, set up and logistics.’’ Operations manager Robb Clifton said planning for the next Antarctic exploration season was already well under way. ‘‘We’re still not fixed on exactly what we’ll be doing but we’re looking forward to another good summer of research in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica,’’ he said. The Aurora Australis will now head to Singapore, where it will be dry docked for maintenance, before heading back to Hobart to start again in September.
RESEARCHERS who have spent months plunging to the depths of Antarctic waters in a world-first study have arrived back on Tasmanian soil.
Project leader Jonny Stark said an enormous amount of research material was collected from the study, which was conducted for the first ever time in polar waters.
Dr Stark explained research teams manipulated deep sea water acidity levels to map the impacts of carbon levels.
He said Antarctic waters were tipped to be 2 times more acidic by the end of the century, which could potentially have serious implications for all marine life.
‘‘We’re looking to see who the winners and losers might be, potentially, in our future oceans in Antarctica,’’ Dr Stark said.
‘‘This has very profound flow-on effects as you move up the food chain and could effect the whole Antarctic future,’’ he said.
Diver Ian Snape was among those braving the icy waters for the study, with his 15-member team conducting 200 dives over three months.
Professor Snape said the project was many years — and many, many dives — in the making.
‘‘This was by far the most intricate underwater experiment in Antarctica ever undertaken,’’ Professor Snape said.
‘‘For every hour underwater there would be at least 10 times that in preparation just for the dive, and probably 10 times that again for the whole project, experiment, set up and logistics.’’
Operations manager Robb Clifton said planning for the next Antarctic exploration season was already well under way.
‘‘We’re still not fixed on exactly what we’ll be doing but we’re looking forward to another good summer of research in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica,’’ he said.
The Aurora Australis will now head to Singapore, where it will be dry docked for maintenance, before heading back to Hobart to start again in September.
Diver Ian Snape, project leader Jonny Stark and operations manager Robb Clifton. Picture: DANIEL McCULLOCH
