Delivering 21st century Antarctic and Southern Ocean science

• Published in: Antarctic Science
• Main Authors: Kennicutt, M.C., Dañobeitia, Juan José, Yang, H.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Cambridge University Press 2016
• Subjects: Access; Future directions; Logistics; Technologies; Infrastructure; Antarctic; Southern Ocean; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctic Science; Antarctica; COMNAP; Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs; SCAR; Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/142954; https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102016000481

Kennicutt, M.C. et. al.-- 17 pages, 3 figures The Antarctic Roadmap Challenges (ARC) project identified critical requirements to deliver high priority Antarctic research in the 21st century. The ARC project addressed the challenges of enabling technologies, facilitating access, providing logistics and infrastructure, and capitalizing on international co-operation. Technological requirements include: i) innovative automated in situ observing systems, sensors and interoperable platforms (including power demands), ii) realistic and holistic numerical models, iii) enhanced remote sensing and sensors, iv) expanded sample collection and retrieval technologies, and v) greater cyber-infrastructure to process ‘big data’ collection, transmission and analyses while promoting data accessibility. These technologies must be widely available, performance and reliability must be improved and technologies used elsewhere must be applied to the Antarctic. Considerable Antarctic research is field-based, making access to vital geographical targets essential. Future research will require continent- and ocean-wide environmentally responsible access to coastal and interior Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. Year-round access is indispensable. The cost of future Antarctic science is great but there are opportunities for all to participate commensurate with national resources, expertise and interests. The scope of future Antarctic research will necessitate enhanced and inventive interdisciplinary and international collaborations. The full promise of Antarctic science will only be realized if nations act together The authors recognize the financial support that made the Scan and ARC possible. The Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP), the Tinker Foundation and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) provided the majority of the funding for this project including the costs of travel and participation of invited, non-COMNAP workshop attendees. In-kind support was provided by many COMNAP-Member ...