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Latest news

NIWA heads to Antarctica for critical climate, ocean research

Media Release

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.

Antarctica 2010 - glacier tongues and ocean mixing

Learn more about the Antarctica 2010 experiment on glacier tongues and mixing.

Protecting subantarctic islands from invasive species

NIWA is helping the Department of Conservation to ensure cruise ships don’t inadvertently carry unwanted foreign organisms on their hulls to New Zealand’s subantarctic islands.

Ocean acidification and Antarctic shellfish

Experiments on Antarctic shellfish at NIWA are revealing the potential effects of ocean acidification on fragile marine ecosystems.

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.

Greenhouse gases and climate sensitivity - insights from ice cores

By analysing air trapped in ancient ice we can see how wetlands and permafrosts responded to warming periods in the past, and help predict what will happen in the future.

Atmospheric ozone, ultraviolet radiation, and stratospheric change

CFCs have damaged the ozone layer and led to higher UV levels and increased health risks. Our role is to understand the causes and effects of ozone depletion, to inform the public of the risk.

Epic Antarctic voyage complete: analysis begins

Part of a sea lily ‘meadow’ at 550 m on the Admiralty. (Photo: DTIS, IPY-CAML)

Tangaroa and 44 intrepid voyagers successfully completed the most comprehensive survey of marine life ever undertaken in the Ross Sea region. They returned to Wellington on 20 March after an epic 50-day, 7140 nautical mile voyage, bearing more than 37 000 biological specimens, and images of seafloor communities never seen before.
The focus of the voyage was to survey biodiversity to provide a fuller picture of the Ross Sea ecosystem and what makes it tick.

Issue 27, 2008

Epic Antarctic voyage complete: analysis begins

Applying the science: didymo

Major port biosecurity surveillance underway

What risk from alien fish?

Epic Antarctic voyage complete: analysis begins

26 March 2008

NIWA’s ice-strengthened research vessel Tangaroa has now returned from its latest voyage to Antarctica.

Sea ice effects on Ross Sea food webs

Benthic community at Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea, including: encrusting coralline algae, seastars, and sea urchins camouflaged with pieces of drift red algae. (Photo: Rodd Budd, NIWA)

Scientists from NIWA and the Finnish Institute of Marine Research are using novel ways to explore the effects of sea ice on coastal food webs in Antarctica.
Sea ice is a major driver of polar marine ecosystems, partly through its effect on light levels and, hence, productivity.

Major Antarctic biodiversity voyage underway

Tangaroa off to survey biodiversity in the Ross Sea. (Photo: John Mitchell, NZ IPY-CAML)

Twenty-six scientists – including 19 from NIWA – and 18 crew have embarked on a 50-day voyage of scientific discovery.

PM Launches Antarctic Science voyage

30 January 2008

Prime Minister Helen Clark last night launched a major New Zealand scientific voyage to Antarctica as part of the Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) and International Polar Year (IPY).

Twenty-six scientists and 18 crew will leave this week on the eight-week voyage aboard RV Tangaroa.

Map Scott

Scott Base, Antarctica
Antarctica is the coldest, windiest and driest continent. Scott Base is New Zealand's permanent Antarctic base. Sited on the coast, temperatures, although very low, are higher than those recorded inland.
Average Rainfall and Temperature
Scott Base

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