Antarctica

Latest news

NIWA heads to Antarctica for critical climate, ocean research

8 January 2021

NIWA’s flagship research vessel Tangaroa leaves soon on a six-week voyage to Antarctica, making it one of the few full scientific expeditions to the continent since the global outbreak of COVID-19.

Nameless nodes get new look from NIWA

Media Release

29 July 2020

At the bottom of the Southern Ocean, near Cape Adare in East Antarctica, lies an undersea ridge which until this month was only known by its co-ordinates: -71.2132 latitude, 172.1649 longitude.

A cold day in the office

Feature story

28 July 2020

Five specialist NIWA divers were left ‘gasping’ during their recent plunge under the ice near Scott Base.

New ocean data from under the world’s biggest ice shelf

Media Release

30 June 2020

New measurements from the ocean under the centre of the Ross Ice Shelf have significantly improved our understanding of the complex processes that drive melting in Antarctica.

Our work

Southern Ocean seas and atmosphere

The Southern Ocean is under-sampled. Data collected continuously during the Antarctic Ecosystems Voyagehelped fill an important knowledge gap about oceanographic and atmospheric processes in this important region.

Antarctic fisheries research

NIWA’s Antarctic fisheries research is allowing us to investigate possible effects of the longline Antarctic toothfish fishery on the toothfish population and on the local ecosystem.

Climate Present and Past

Climate Present and Past is a core-funded project under NIWA's National Climate Centre. It aims to explore historical climate data and track past changes in climate through a range of approaches.

Plankton biodiversity in the Southern Ocean

NIWA is conducting a five–year study to map changes in the distribution of plankton species in surface waters between New Zealand and the Ross Sea.

Latest videos

2018 - Antarctic Voyage Update #3

2018 - Antarctic Voyage Update #1

TAN 1802 - Antarctic voyage leader Dave Bowden on the phone from the Southern Ocean.

Dolphins farewell RV Tangaroa - 9 February 2018

RV Tangaroa is farewelled by a pod of dolphins as it heads off on its 12th voyage to the white continent. Footage courtesy of Kareen Schnabelke.

Researching NIWA’s Antarctic sea ice

NIWA marine physics technician Brett Grant gives a tour of our Antarctic field camp and explains how we are conducting research into sea ice in the coldest place on the planet.

BLOG: Sir Peter Blake Trust Ambassador Zac Penman - acclimatising to life at sea

Blog

2 February 2015

It’s day three at sea and things are all humming along nicely. We’ve just passed 50 degrees south and any faint sighting of the mainland is long gone. The next time we will see land will probably be the Balleny Islands in a couple of days.

BLOG: Sir Peter Blake Trust Ambassador Blake Hornblow - the adventure begins

Blog

30 January 2015

Our 42 day adventure to Antarctica aboard NIWA’s RV Tangaroa is just beginning! My name is Blake Hornblow and I am a 2014 Blake NIWA Science Ambassador.

BLOG: Sir Peter Blake Trust Ambassador Zac Penman - incredible opportunity

Blog

30 January 2015

Being selected as one of the two 2014 Blake NIWA Science ambassadors is the most incredible opportunity ever. I still remember the phone call at uni late into second semester last year.

Time-lapse footage of RV Tangaroa departing for Antarctica

30 January 2015

NIWA photographer, Dave Allen, has captured this time-lapse footage of RV Tangaroa departing Wellington yesterday morning.

Interactive feature on Antarctic voyage

Media Release

28 January 2015

New Zealand’s news website Stuff.co.nz has created a stunning interactive feature profiling the New Zealand-Australia Antarctic Ecosystems Voyage 2015.

Scientists voyage to Antarctica for whale research

27 January 2015

National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Antarctica New Zealand and the Australian Antarctic Division are undertaking a six-week research initiative in the Southern Ocean on areas of importance to humpback and blue whales and Antarctic toothfish.

The science

Read about the science that will be undertaken during the voyage.

Voyage overview

Read details about the aims of the voyage and find information about the scientists and crew on board.

Early Christmas present for Antarctic researchers

8 December 2014

In a small green laboratory perched on the rocky volcanic southern peninsula of Ross Island, Antarctica, there’s a space waiting for a new shiny, hi-tech Christmas present.

Antarctica

NIWA scientists have worked for many years in Antarctica. These photographs illustrate some of our work in this amazing and scientifically significant place.

NIWA antarctic buoy deployed

A buoy to measure waves in the Southern Ocean is lowered on to sea ice via a helicopter from research vessel, Aurora Australis.

Ocean acidification and warming

Acidification of the world’s oceans from rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels reduces the availability of carbonate required by some marine organisms to build shells and skeletons, and potentially affects their ability to maintain existing structures.

Antarctic report

A series of photos and blog posts by NIWA Physical Oceanographer Craig Stevens.

Our Far South

A number of people aboard the Our Far South voyage have been sending us beautiful photos of their experience. In this gallery, we showcase some of our favourites. Oldest photos are shown first. Unless otherwise stated, all photos are credited to Our Far South.

Chilled Calypso

Humanity wants to discover the reasons behind thinning ice, acidic water and rising temperatures in the Southern Ocean. Susan Pepperell finds that NIWA scientists are racing against time in taking on this challenge.

NIWA scientists head to Antarctica

20 September 2013

More than a dozen NIWA scientists are heading to Antarctica in the next couple of months as the crucial weather window opens for the summer season of research above, on and under the ice.

NIWA’s Tangaroa sets sail to study how Antarctica affects ocean currents

30 January 2013

A team of 22 Australian, New Zealand and French scientists will depart Wellington next week, onboard NIWA's RV Tangaroa, for a 42-day voyage to the Mertz Polynya region of Antarctica.

NIWA celebrates success of the Montreal Protocol

14 September 2012

This Sunday, NIWA celebrates the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Montreal Protocol, which is hailed as the most successful international environmental protection treaty to date.

NZ IceFest

14 September 2012 to 14 October 2012

NIWA is sponsoring New Zealand IceFest: Celebrating Antarctica.

This is a brand new biennial festival held in Christchurch celebrating it's connection with Antarctica.

Marine extremes and everything in between

1 July 2012 to 5 July 2012

Marine extremes and everything inbetween is a joint conference between the Australian Marine Sciences Association and the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society (AMSA-NZMSS).

NIWA is sponsorsing prizes for the best student oral and poster presentations at the conference .

For more information about go to the AMSA-NZMSS website