Rip Currents Pose Greater Risk To Swimmers Than To Shoreline, Study Suggests Oct 15, 2009
(May 30, 2007) A novel analysis of water flow in the Southern Ocean surrounding the Antarctic is revealing previously hidden structures that are crucial in controlling the transport of drifting plants and animals. (Jan. (Science Daily)
The next shrimp on the barbie might be from the farm Oct 15, 2009
Ships now venture to the Southern Ocean to catch the tiny krill that have sustained penguins and seals there for millenniums, and slender poles strung with farmed oysters and seaweed jut out of Japan's once pristine Matsushima Bay. Chinese freshwater fish farms are replacing traditional agricultural plots there, says Karen Seto, of the Yale school of forestry and environmental studies. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Science: Videocam tracks albatross Oct 8, 2009
Here, a parent protects a chick on Bird Island, South Georgia, in the Southern Ocean. n January, the research team attached miniature digital cameras, each about the size of a large lipstick and weighing about 3 ounces (82 grams), to the backs of four black-browed albatross breeding at colonies on Bird Island, South Georgia, in the Southern Ocean. (MSNBC -- Environment)
Albatross Camera Reveals Fascinating Feeding Interaction With Killer Whale Oct 8, 2009
A miniature digital camera was attached to the backs of four black-browed albatrosses (Thalassarche melanophrys) breeding at colonies on Bird Island, South Georgia in the Southern Ocean ... Sakamoto KQ, Takahashi A, Iwata T, Trathan PN. From the Eye of the Albatrosses: A Bird-Borne Camera Shows an Association between Albatrosses and a Killer Whale in the Southern Ocean. (Science Daily)
Ozone Layer Depletion Leveling Off, Satellite Data Show Sep 23, 2009
9, 2009) The Southern Ocean plays an important role in mitigating climate change because it acts as a sink of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Most current models predict that the strength of the Southern Ocean. (Science Daily)
Andrew Darby Sep 22, 2009
His focus is on Australia's interests south of 40 Degrees South - Tasmania, the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. He is the author of the internationally published Harpoon: Into the Heart of Whaling. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Learning true facts about planet makes my head spin Sep 21, 2009
Some said they had heard of a Southern Ocean, but I think they must have seen the musical South Pacific. That brought up the possibility of breaking oceans in two, giving us a South Pacific and North Pacific, South Atlantic and North Atlantic. (The Augusta Chronicle)
Pa. man dies in NJ swimming accident Sep 20, 2009
Letven, who wasnt breathing, was taken to Southern Ocean County Hospital and died there a short time later. An autopsy was conducted Saturday, but the results were not immediately disclosed. (Carlisle Sentinel, PA)
Arctic sea ice levels third-lowest on record Sep 19, 2009
Scientists think that ozone depletion and increased evaporation and snowfall in the Southern Ocean might explain the abundance of ice around Antarctica. . (Scientific American)
Observing the oceans: information meeting for the media in Venice, Italy, on 21 September Sep 15, 2009
They brainstormed methods of, for the first time, systematically monitoring changes in temperature and salinity in the Southern Ocean and the South Atlantic. They also drew up a plan for deploying a global array of temperature and salinity floats that would profile the water column down to a depth of 2000m in real time. (Scientific American)
Thousands still awaiting power in wild weather Sep 12, 2009
"It's typical of spring because conditions are warming up over (the) interior but the southern ocean is still quite cold," he said. "We won't see temperatures quite this high though for the rest of the week.". (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Schoolgirl skipper, 16, sets sail in global quest Sep 8, 2009
" A mission statement posted on Jessica's website acknowledges the dangers of the journey. "In her quest, to reach what is considered the absolute pinnacle of sailing, Jessica will pit herself against mother nature and all she can deliver including the notorious Southern Ocean as well as the physical and psychological demands of eight months alone at sea," the statement reads. "In doing so, Jessica wants to show that even the most gentle among us can achieve great things and with determination... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Consider the cost of doing nothing Sep 3, 2009
There have been cases of ''intrepid'' navigators being pulled from the Southern Ocean, involving the Australian Navy. There have been misfortunes on the Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race, rescues from the Kokoda Track and even the recent air disaster in Papua New Guinea. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Teen sailor's solo record Sep 2, 2009
In Southern Ocean Perham battled 50ft waves and 57 mph winds ... Bad weather in the Southern Ocean -- between Australia and Antarctica -- forced Mike to battle 50ft waves and 57 mph winds. (CNN -- International)
Eco-pirates of the Antarctic Sep 1, 2009
They've put their lives and freedom at risk in rust-bucket pirate ships in the vastness of the Southern Ocean. They've survived fear and icebergs and violent seasickness and saved the lives of hundreds of whales. (Salon)
Taiji Fishermen to Resume Annual Dolphin Hunt Amid International Criticism Sep 1, 2009
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a U.S.-based group that regularly sends protest ships to the Southern Ocean near Antarctica to try to stop Japans government-sponsored whaling fleet from hunting minke and fin whales there, said in an e-mail statement its aware of Taijis plans to cull dolphins. We have an ongoing campaign to defend the dolphins, and we intend to continue putting pressure on Japan to end this atrocity, Amy Baird, a spokeswoman for the group, said in the message. (Bloomberg -- Japan)
* UK teen completes record-breaking voyage Aug 29, 2009
Horrendous weather in the Southern Ocean saw 15m waves in 50-knot winds and necessitated mast repairs after two knockdowns. Another drama found him cutting ropes tangled on the rudder by diving under the boat in 30-second dives for 40 minutes in the Pacific. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Business)
Five Reasons to Visit Hobart Aug 25, 2009
Heading out into the estuary of the Derwent River can be hair-raising when the Southern Ocean is choppy, but it's bearable on a large, luxury, high-speed catamaran ... Antarctica In winter, the icy blast of wind coming off the Southern Ocean reminds you that southward, the next stop is Antarctica. (Time.com)
Young sailor aims to circle globe Aug 20, 2009
A good bit of her trip will be through the Roaring Forties and the Southern Ocean, one of the most desolate and inhospitable places on the planet ... She ll sail around Cape Horn at the bottom of South America, through the Roaring Forties and Southern Ocean, dip below Australia and New Zealand, and head up through the Pacific Ocean to Marina del Rey ... While Zac sailed a 36-foot Islander that was built in 1972, Abby will sail an Open 40 that was designed for fast cruising and safety on the... (Coos Bay-North Bend The World, OR)
AGU journal highlights -- Aug. 6, 2009 Aug 7, 2009
The Southern Ocean plays an important role in mitigating climate change because it acts as a sink of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Most current models predict that the strength of the Southern Ocean carbon dioxide sink should increase as atmospheric carbon dioxide rises, but observations show that this has not been the case ... They compare coupled carbon-climate models with and without ozone depletion and find that including ozone depletion produced a significant reduction in Southern Ocean... (EurekAlert!)
The Great Ocean Road Aug 5, 2009
These 20 million year old limestone towers rise dramatically out of the sea but after being pounded for centuries by the raging Southern Ocean there are now only eight standing. These photogenic rock stars are huddled together and can easily be viewed from one of the many platforms along the cliff tops. (iAfrica.com)
Iron Isotopes As A Tool In Oceanography Aug 4, 2009
William Homoky, who is a research student at the University of Southampton s School of Ocean and Earth Sciences based at NOCS, and his colleagues have helped fill this gap be measuring iron isotopes in pore fluids from both the Eel River shelf on the northern California margin (120 m water depth), and deep-sea sediments from the Southern Ocean around the Crozet Island Plateau (3000 4000 m water depth), about 1400 miles southeast of South Africa. "We are excited by our findings not only because... (Science Daily)
NOAA Bans Commercial Harvesting Of Krill Jul 31, 2009
4, 2004) Antarctic whales, seals and penguins could be threatened by food shortages in the Southern Ocean ... 6, 2006) New research on Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), a shrimp-like animal at the heart of the Southern Ocean food chain, reveals behaviour that shows that they absorb and transfer more carbon from. (Science Daily)
Jellyfish And Other Small Sea Creatures Linked To Large-scale Ocean Mixing Jul 30, 2009
10, 2008) New studies of the Southern Ocean are revealing previously unknown features of giant spinning eddies that are profoundly influencing marine life and the world's climate ... As a result, the Southern Ocean can no. (Science Daily)
Oceanography: Low Summer Iron Availability Limits Biological Production In The High-latitude North Atlantic Jul 27, 2009
Classical HNLC regions, which account for about a third of the world's oceans, include the Southern Ocean and the subpolar North Pacific ... Nielsdottir, a research student at the University of Southampton's School of Ocean and Earth Science based at the National Oceanography Centre, said: "In effect, the high-latitude North Atlantic is a seasonal HNLC region, whereas classic, HNLC regions such as the Southern Ocean remain in this condition throughout the year." ... "This is important," says... (Science Daily)
Massive glacier in sub-Antarctic island shrinks by a fifth Jul 23, 2009
This is also a period when man-made carbon emissions started to soar and the Southern Ocean that girdles Antarctica showed perceptible warming. Other studies in Patagonia, South Georgia and Heard Island have also suggested that warmer seas are leading to "strong and accelerated wastage" of glaciers on the fringes of Antarctica, the paper says. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
All-USA track Jul 22, 2009
Southern Ocean (Manahawkin, N.J.). 2:04. (USA Today -- Sports)
Arctic Climate Under Greenhouse Conditions In The Late Cretaceous Jul 18, 2009
The sheer number of diatoms found in the Late Cretaceous sediment cores indicates exceptional abundances equalling modern values for the most productive areas of the Southern Ocean. "This Cretaceous production, dominated by diatoms adapted to stratified conditions of the polar summer may also be a pointer to future trends in the modern ocean," say the researchers: "With increasing CO2 levels and global warming giving rise to increased ocean stratification, this style of (marine biological)... (Science Daily)
Seals Quickly Respond To Gain And Loss Of Habitat Under Climate Change Jul 13, 2009
ScienceDaily (July 12, 2009) Southern Elephant seals responded rapidly to climate and habitat change and established a new breeding site thousands of kilometres from existing breeding grounds, according to new research. An international research team, including post-doctorate Dr Mark de Bruyn and collaborators from the US, South Africa and Italy, led by Professor Rus Hoelzel from the School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Durham University, found that when the Antarctic ice sheets of the... (Science Daily)
Historic ship to become diver's wreck Jul 3, 2009
The crew of the HMAS Adelaide rescued solo yachtsmen Tony Bullimore and Thierry Dubois, whose yachts both capsized in the Southern Ocean during a round-the-world race in 1997. In 2001, the crew of HMAS Adelaide intercepted a boat carrying asylum seekers near Christmas Island, rescuing all on board when it sank. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Australia's wildlife paradise Jul 2, 2009
At the other end of the scale, Southern Ocean Lodge is the most luxurious accommodation on the Island, with a small number of exclusive cliff-top suites overlooking the sea. Although it has only been open a short time, it has already scored a place on both the US and UK Conde Nast Traveller magazines list of the worlds best hotels. (iAfrica.com)
Victor T. Neal Jul 2, 2009
He was instrumental in developing international cooperation in research programs involving U.S. scientists from several institutions; the largest of these programs was the International Southern Ocean Studies program. In addition to administrative duties at OSU, he was involved in research, teaching and advising students. (Corvallis Gazette Times, OR)
Exclusion zone for special whale Jul 1, 2009
Aside from curiosity seekers, the other big threat to Migaloo and other humpbacks is the potential resumption of hunting by Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean, Prof Harrison said. Bookmark with. (BBC News -- Science)
Underappreciated Australian Wines Jun 28, 2009
com Posted: 27 June 2009 1607 hrs. " onclick="Next();" src="/images/butt_next. (Channelnewsasia.com)
Smart switching could solve communication tangle Jun 27, 2009
The Southern Ocean has lost its appetite for carbon dioxide, and now it appears that ozone levels could be partly to blame ... The Southern Ocean has lost its appetite for carbon dioxide, and now it appears that ozone levels could be partly to blame. (Yahoo News -- Instant Messaging)
Whale chief mulls ending hunt ban Jun 26, 2009
"It is time to give it up. Economically it makes no sense, it's not necessary for food security, it's time to leave the Southern Ocean [whale] sanctuary as a sanctuary - and I hope politically Japan will understand that." ... There was also appreciation for Australia's initiation of a new research partnership in the Southern Ocean that will use exclusively non-lethal methods. (BBC News -- Asia-Pacific)
Ozone Hole Reduces Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Uptake In Southern Ocean Jun 25, 2009
Yes, according to researchers from three laboratories(1) attached to INSU-CNRS (2), UPMC, CEA, IRD, MNHN and UVSQ. Using original simulations, they have demonstrated that the hole in the ozone layer reduces atmospheric carbon uptake in the Southern Ocean and contributes to the increase in ocean acidity ... By absorbing almost 15% of anthropogenic carbon released every year, the Southern Ocean is one of the main sinks for atmospheric CO2 ... Until now, the saturation of the carbon sink in the... (Science Daily)
Dolphins' plight being ignored: WWF Jun 24, 2009
"Although great whale species of the world are by no means secure ... the situation is just as critical for these smaller, seemingly forgotten species," WWF Antarctic and Southern Ocean spokesman Rob Nicoll said. A WWF report, Small cetaceans: The Forgotten Whales, found smaller species suffer from a lack of data on their numbers and habitats, compared to great whales. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Now for the reckoning on whale hunts Jun 22, 2009
the catcher ship Yushin Maru takes a whale in the Southern Ocean in 2006 ... "I convinced them not to take humpbacks from the Southern Ocean because I felt like if they [did], that this whole process would fall by the wayside, and they did agree for two years." ... "Hollway stated Rudd's desire to find a way forward that (1) reduced the total take of whales in the Southern Ocean; and (2) helped prevent a 'blow-up' in the IWC negotiations. "We believe Australia's proposal reflects a major... (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Whaler watching Jun 22, 2009
In 1987, the Japanese government launched its first "scientific whaling" programme, targeting 300 minke whales in the Southern Ocean ... Currently two programmes are conducted: in the North Pacific and the Southern Ocean, with a ceiling of roughly 1,400 whales of five different species ... Countries in the southern hemisphere that demand an end to whaling in the Southern Ocean, an area declared a sanctuary for whales by the IWC in 1994, could be satisfied that whales there would not be hunted,... (BBC News -- Science)
The secret life of penguins revealed May 14, 2009
The rest of the time was spent farther south, closer to the fringes of the Southern Ocean. They did not cross this limit, though, nor did they forage in pack ice. (Yahoo News)
Penguins' secret ocean food stash found May 14, 2009
"When penguins forage or travel at sea, you can just sometimes see the heads of the birds outside the sea surface, and they are very difficult to count, especially in the rough sea of the Southern Ocean," lead author Charles-Andre Bost told Discovery News. Bost, a CNRS Chize Center of Biological Studies scientist, and his team affixed sensors onto 21 adult Macaroni penguins at Kerguelen, a South Indian Ocean Subantarctic island, during autumn. (MSNBC -- Technology)
Swimming with the fishes May 12, 2009
Longrain's Martin Boetz offers to go without a snorkel and subsequently swallows litres of the southern ocean, bobbing with the speeding fish. Vue du Monde's Shannon Bennett, with snorkel, cruises among the fish and their wranglers. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Global Warming: Ocean Iron Disappoints May 7, 2009
ScienceDaily (May 6, 2009) Oceanographers Jim Bishop and Todd Wood of the U.S. Department of Energy s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have measured the fate of carbon particles originating in plankton blooms in the Southern Ocean, using data that deep-diving Carbon Explorer floats collected around the clock for well over a year ... The Southern Ocean is one of the most important such regions ... The Carbon Explorers involved in the study were launched in January, 2002, as part of the... (Science Daily)
May 2009 Geology media highlights May 5, 2009
The formation, preservation, and delivery of nanoparticles of schwertmannite (and iron oxides) into the Southern Ocean may partially relieve iron-limited photosynthesis and assist in the removal of manmade carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Formation of cristobalite nanofibers during explosive volcanic eruptions Martin Reich et al., Departamento de Geologia, Universidad de Chile, Plaza Ercilla 803, Santiago, Chile. (EurekAlert!)
Global Warming Induced Changes in t... Apr 15, 2009
The Annual Review 2008, published by the World Wildlife Fund in February 2009 states, Scientific readings show that the Western Antarctic Peninsula has warmed four times faster than the average rate for the Earth as a whole over the last 50 years and that water temperatures in the Southern Ocean are increasing to depths of over 3,000 metres ... "Global Effects of Changing Antarctic Environment The major global effect of a changing Antarctic Environment will be a rise in sea levels. George Ochoa,... (Suite101.com)
Well, blow me! A home-made whale of an idea Apr 14, 2009
For humpback whales that feed on krill near Antarctica, collecting their faeces would require chasing them through the freezing waters of the Southern Ocean. Dr Hogg said the huge amount of air that baleen whales blow out when they surface contains some mucus and lung cells. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Japan Whalers Fall Short of Target for Second Year, Kill 679 Minke, 1 Fin Apr 14, 2009
The fleet of seven ships, including an 8,044 metric ton factory boat, killed 679 minke whales and 1 fin in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica, according to Japans Institute of Cetacean Research, which oversees the program. The expedition was hampered by dangerous obstruction from the Sea Shepherd environmental group, the ICR said. (Bloomberg -- Japan)
Japan kills 680 Antarctic whales, below target Apr 13, 2009
REUTERS/Australian Customs/Handout. TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's whaling catch in its latest Antarctic hunt fell far short of its target after disruptions by anti-whaling activists, the Fisheries Agency said on Monday. (Scientific American)
Seals, robotic subs monitor Antarctic Apr 11, 2009
Other evidence of climate change came from IPY research vessels that found warming waters in the Southern Ocean and an increase in melting ice that is creating fresher bottom water around the coast of Antarctica. Among efforts to study the effects of climate change on Antarctica, was a project to study marine mammals. (CNN -- Tech)
The water is freezing, come on in - or not Apr 10, 2009
Rob Nicoll, the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Initiative Manager with the World Wide Fund for Nature, said the area is not appropriate for mass tourism and he would like to see enforceable rules for tourism operators enacted. "The concern with these larger passenger vessels is if anything untoward happened, the threat to human life and also the threat to the pristine Antarctic environment would be absolutely huge . . . you could be looking at [a scale of disaster along the lines of] another... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Interactive photo gallery Apr 10, 2009
Other evidence for global warming comes from IPY research vessels that found above-global-average warming in the Southern Ocean, and an increase in melting ice that is creating fresher bottom water around the coast of Antarctica. Among efforts to study the effects of climate change on Antarctica, was a led project to study marine mammals. (CNN -- International)
Antarctic Marine Biodiversity Data Now Online Apr 9, 2009
This partnership provided the mechanism to incorporate data generated by 18 CAML-flagged expeditions during IPY, but also laid the foundation for new synergies, which are serving to increase knowledge and understanding of marine life in the Southern Ocean ... This is an amphipod (Eusirus giganteus) collected during a Census of Marine Life deep-sea expedition in the Southern Ocean in 2005 ... 13, 2008) Many of the world's deep-sea octopuses evolved from species that lived in the Southern Ocean,... (Science Daily)
Polar ice bridge set to collapse Apr 6, 2009
Ted Scambos, of the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre in Colorado, said the Southern Ocean was warming in the region and melting the floating ice sheet from below. Until now the narrow ice bridge between Charcot and Latady islands has held in place. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Ice bridge ruptures in Antarctic Apr 5, 2009
They say the Antarctic Peninsula, which juts out into the Southern Ocean towards the tip of South America, has experienced unprecedented warming over the last 50 years. Several ice shelves have retreated in the past 30 years - six of them collapsing completely. (BBC News -- Science)
Crossing the icy unknown Apr 1, 2009
The first leg was a two-month journey to the South Pole in the Southern Hemisphere summer of 2007-2008 from this Norwegian outpost in East Antarctica, 150 miles (235 kilometers) inland from the southern ocean. This summer, the 12-member crew, half veterans of the first leg, left the U.S. South Pole station on Dec. 23 for the return trip, following a more westerly route back north, creeping along, in their cherry-red snow tractors, at the speed of a lawn mower. (Helena Independent Record)
Scientists follow the dusty trails Mar 28, 2009
In Victoria, northerly winds often drive that state's dust into the Southern Ocean and thunderstorms around the country blow dust in all directions. An American study published yesterday in the journal Science showed that recent warming of the Atlantic Ocean was largely due to reductions in airborne dust and volcanic emissions during the past 30 years. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Sea, ice and war Mar 28, 2009
Even when the waves got up as high as my house when we entered the southern ocean on our way to Cape Horn in our 48-foot boat. Even when I sat in our tent out in the Arctic wastes of northern Canada and realised that I'd got a nasty case of frostbite. (BBC News)
Ocean seeding fails on carbon but claims a plus for plankton Mar 27, 2009
one the most abundant predators in the plankton in the Southern Ocean, Themisto gaudichaudii ... The result surprised chief scientists, who admitted that it sank only a "modest" amount of CO2 - dampening their hopes that the Southern Ocean could artificially cool a warming Earth ... The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition said this claim was spurious. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Lohafex provides new insights on plankton ecology Mar 25, 2009
But it has dampened hopes on the potential of the Southern Ocean to sequester significant amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and thus mitigate global warming ... Since the silicic acid content in the northern half of the Southern Ocean is low, iron fertilization in this vast region will not result in removal of significant amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere ... The dominant species Themisto gaudichaudii plays an important role in the food web of the Southern Ocean. (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
Setback for climate technical fix Mar 24, 2009
But scientists on the Lohafex project, which put six tonnes of iron into the Southern Ocean, said little extra carbon dioxide was taken up ... The Southern Ocean cannot sequester the amount of carbon dioxide that one had hoped ... "What it means is the Southern Ocean cannot sequester the amount of carbon dioxide that one had hoped," concluded Professor Smetacek. (BBC News -- Asia-Pacific)
Ocean experiments to stop climate change Mar 24, 2009
An international team of scientists has returned from the southern ocean after conducting the biggest experiment into geo-engineering. But environmental groups say meddling with the oceans to try to counteract the effects of global warming could easily backfire. (BBC News -- Science)
Blue Whales May Get Lifeline From `Fertilizing' Antarctic Ocean With Iron Mar 24, 2009
Japan conducts an annual hunt in the northern Pacific and Southern Ocean using a loophole in a 1986 global whaling moratorium that allows lethal research on whales ... Smetaceks team of 48 scientists from Germany, India and other countries dumped six tons of dissolved iron sulfate in a 300 square-kilometer (116 square-mile) area of the Southern Ocean in the experiment, spurring rapid growth of algae. (Bloomberg -- Germany)
International scientists meet to discuss whales Mar 23, 2009
According to Garrett, the data on whale populations in pack ice of the Southern Ocean, which has collected by Australian Marine Mammal Center and CSIRO scientists would be the focus of Monday's meeting ... The inaugural Southern Ocean Research Partnership was announced at the end of last year in an attempt to debunk Japan's controversial lethal whaling research methods in the southern oceans. (Xinhuanet, China)
Airborne whale-cam hot on the minke trail Mar 22, 2009
It will be outlined today as part of the first meeting of the multi-national Southern Ocean Research Partnership in Sydney ... Ship-based surveys in the Southern Ocean over the past 20 years have found evidence of a decline in minke numbers. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
