Atmospheric analysis

The region around the Balleny Islands is a known foraging area for humpback whales. Objective one of the Antarctica voyage aimed to determine why the Islands are such a popular spot for humpback whales.

NIWA scientists aboard RV Tangaroa have been trawling the central Ross Sea calculating the abundance of the prey species.

This week’s critter is the colonial ascidian, or more commonly known as seasquirt, Leptoclinides marmoreus Brewin, 1956.

It has been another amazing week here on the Tangaroa. On Saturday we saw Antarctica which was an absolutely breath-taking experience that I’ll remember for the rest of my life!

Today marks the halfway point in our journey and we have started the demersal trawling part of the voyage. Each day has been full-on with excitement and new things to learn and see. The highlight of the last few days was holding one of the biggest fish in the Southern Ocean in my arms - an Antarctic toothfish.

Favourable weather has provided excellent photographic conditions for NIWA's photographer Dave Allen, who has accompanied the 6 week voyage.

Weekly update to help media assess likelihood of extremely dry weather preceding a drought. Regions experiencing severely to extremely drier than normal soils conditions are deemed “hotspots”.

Through the cloud a large dark shadow appears in the distance. I look at Blake and ask him, “Could that be it?” We both wait with anticipation, fizzing with excitement, and eyes fixed on the horizon.

Scientists from the Australian Antarctic Division explain the blue whale research they are leading onboard the New Zealand-Australia Antarctic Ecosystems Voyage 2015.

Antarctic blue whales were severely depleted during the industrial whaling era, when the population declined to only a few hundred individuals. Scientists believe the Antarctic blue whale population has been recovering, albeit very slowly, since the 1960s.

An international team of scientists has analysed 7000 years’ worth of lake-bottom mud from central Hawke’s Bay to work out how often the region might expect earthquakes.