A roadmap for Antarctic and Southern Ocean science for the next two decades and beyond

• Published in: Antarctic Science
• Main Authors: Kennicutt, M.C., Chown, S.L., Cassano, J.J., Liggett, D., Peck, L.S., Massom, R., Rintoul, S.R., Storey, J., Vaughan, D.G., Wilson, T.J., Allison, I., Ayton, J., Badhe, R., Baeseman, J., Barrett, P.J., Bell, R.E., Bertler, N., Bo, S., Brandt, A., Bromwich, D., Cary, S.C., Clark, M.S., Convey, P., Costa, E.S., Cowan, D., Deconto, R., Dunbar, R., Elfring, C., Escutia, C., Francis, J., Fricker, H.A., Fukuchi, M., Gilbert, N., Gutt, J., Havermans, C., Hik, D., Hosie, G., Jones, C., Kim, Y.D., Le Maho, Y., Lee, S.H., Leppe, M., Leitchenkov, G., Li, Xiaojian, Lipenkov, V., Lochte, K., López-Martínez, J., Lüdecke, C., Lyons, W., Marenssi, S.
• Other Authors: Texas A&M University College Station, Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, Scott Polar Research Institute, Antarctic Research Centre, Victoria University Melbourne, State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing (CAS), Department of Biochemical Sciences "Rossi Fanelli", Institut Pasteur, Fondation Cenci Bolognetti - Istituto Pasteur Italia, Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur (RIIP)-Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur (RIIP)-Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza" = Sapienza University Rome, Ohio State University Columbus (OSU), Instituto de Ciências Mathemàticas e de Computação São Carlos (ICMC-USP), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Stanford University, National Institute of Polar Research Tokyo (NiPR), Department of Computer Science, Royal Holloway University of London (RHUL), Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI), Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), Department of Biological Sciences Edmonton, University of Alberta, Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), Australian Government, Department of the Environment and Energy, Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie (DEPE-IPHC), Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Dept. Mat. Sci. Engn. Shangaï, SHANGAI UNIVERSITY, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI), Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Roshydromet), Leibniz-Institut für Meereswissenschaften (IFM-GEOMAR), ARM, Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences (IGNS), Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Universiteit Leiden Leiden, INIA La Platina, Ministerio de Agricultura, ISDC Data Centre for Astrophysics, University of Geneva Switzerland, Antarctica New Zealand, Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical Sciences, Nucleo de Pesquisas Antarcticas e Climaticas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre (UFRGS), Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), Colorado State University Fort Collins (CSU)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2015
• Subjects: horizon scan; Scientific; future directions; research priorities; extraordinary logistics; geo; envir; Antarctic; Southern Ocean; Antarc*; Antarctic Science; Antarctica; Ice Sheet; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102014000674; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01076420

International audience Antarctic and Southern Ocean science is vital to understanding natural variability, the processesthat govern global change and the role of humans in the Earth and climate system. The potential for newknowledge to be gained from future Antarctic science is substantial. Therefore, the international Antarcticcommunity came together to ‘scan the horizon’ to identify the highest priority scientific questions thatresearchers should aspire to answer in the next two decades and beyond. Wide consultation was afundamental principle for the development of a collective, international view of the most important futuredirections in Antarctic science. From the many possibilities, the horizon scan identified 80 key scientificquestions through structured debate, discussion, revision and voting. Questions were clustered into seventopics: i)Antarctic atmosphere and global connections, ii) Southern Ocean and sea ice in a warming world,iii) ice sheet and sea level, iv) the dynamic Earth, v) life on the precipice, vi) near-Earth space and beyond,and vii) human presence in Antarctica. Answering the questions identified by the horizon scan will requireinnovative experimental designs, novel applications of technology, invention of next-generation field andlaboratory approaches, and expanded observing systems and networks. Unbiased, non-contaminatingprocedures will be required to retrieve the requisite air, biota, sediment, rock, ice and water samples.Sustained year-round access toAntarctica and the Southern Ocean will be essential to increase winter-timemeasurements. Improved models are needed that represent Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in theEarth System, and provide predictions at spatial and temporal resolutions useful for decision making.A co-ordinated portfolio of cross-disciplinary science, based on new models of international collaboration,will be essential as no scientist, programme or nation can realize these aspirations alone