On Antarctica, Canadian scientists have an “important” opportunity to learn more about climate change

In the middle of an active volcano at the bottom of the world, dozens of fur seals in wet snow. they Mostly arrogant By their guests with legs.

Those around them lie to cocoon iron tanks and wooden boats from the whale hunting settlement in the early twentieth century, so they were almost absorbed by the black sandy beach. The effects of Chilean and British rules appear completely.

On the roof, the Whalers Bay on the island of deception is still the largest imprint of humanity in Antarctica, outside its research stations 80 or so.

But the climate world may say otherwise.

Studies related to this fragile continent have documented how temperatures, glaciers, oceans and wildlife interact with the consequences of warming of fossil fuel emissions. The place that makes this climate remotely and isolated is an ideal laboratory for holding the past and present and the future of the Earth’s climate, according to many scholars who were attracted to Antarctica.

It is a high class study, says the world of the natural resources in Canada, Thomas James, who leads the first exploratory trip to the region.

He said: “What is happening in the Antarctic continent does not remain here,” while he was walking on the beach in the Gulf and Rice, where scientists collected samples of sand, snow and air around him.

Climate transformations rippled behind Antarctica

It is understood that climate change does not recognize the political boundaries. But James explains that the ice and cold oceans in Antarctica play a major role in organizing our climate.

This month only, The researchers identified The melting of fresh water from the ice rivers in Antarctica changes the water chemistry in the southern ocean. They expect that the changing salinity will slow the vital circular current in Antarctica by 20 percent by 2050. The strongest stream on Earth, the ACC effect extends to the Atlantic, Pacific and Indians, pumping water, heat and foodstuffs around the world.

The current also protects ice sheets in Antarctica-large blocks of wild ice-from warmer northern waters, preventing sea level rise, which will affect coastal societies around the world.

James said: “We know that the ice cover in Antarctica is unstable and can provide greater quantities of sea level change, which has currently predicted the current models,” James said. “It is a huge fresh water tank.”

Antarctica has studied for more than 30 years, but his field work was in the Arctic region; This is the second time for James only in Antarctica.

“We believe that spending time understanding the ice cover in Antarctica and the effects of changing sea level is very important for Canadians.”

Not only the ice leaves melt. Marine ice (frozen sea water) at the columns I reached the lowest standard levels Three months in a row.

James said: “The fact that we are now witnessing a decrease in marine ice in Antarctica is in fact just one of the many indicators that occur to changing the global climate happens.” “It happens in all aspects of the environment, and in many cases it appears to be accelerated.”

A team of strangers contributes to climate science

The James team consisting of 15 worlds – many of them are strangers before this campaign – many specializations in science. They are studying not only the ice cover but ice melting, the ocean floor, pollutants such as fine plastic and sea water itself.

On board HMCS Margaret Broke, it is supported by the Royal Canadian Navy, which runs Winches and Ranes and boats to help scientists collect a set of samples around the South Sheetland Islands off the tip of the South Pole Peninsula.

It is part of the larger RCN The projection processTo move in South America, strengthen alliances with other South Navy and experience gathering in the Antarctic region.

Armies may only enter the borders of Antarctica if they support scientific research, which is a base stipulated in the Antarctica Treaty, which rules the continent.

The patrol ship in the Arctic and the Navy will cover a small part of the continent for four weeks of sea crossing from the Punta squares in Chile, but the journey and science requires a huge effort.

From early trips in the morning on zodiac boats to the coasts lined with ice rivers to the deep water collection at the end of the night using a crane system, separation, winch and prosperity designed in Halifax, puts the science team in long hours, determined to increase their arrival to the rare southern pole to the maximum.

Another Brent is one of the scientists, here to study the chemical properties of the ocean.

“It turns out that the oceans absorb a lot of carbon dioxide from the air,” said Calgary University researcher. “If you look back over time, somewhat since manufacturing, they are likely to be about 40 percent of all emissions that humans put in the air. This gives us a great rest on climate change. What we really need to understand, will the oceans continue to do so?”

Because of the cold temperatures, the southern ocean has the ability to sink carbon to large depths – and remove it from the air – for hundreds of years.

Another said: “It is really important to understand what is going on in the polar oceans, especially because they change the fastest.” “So in an area like Antarctica, where we start getting more melting of the ice cover, this will put more fresh water in the southern ocean. This may affect how all these things interact.”

This is why the multidisciplinary approach for this campaign is very useful.

James said: “Most of the sciences, by nature, gradually. What we do is adding a group of knowledge,” James said.

The team will restore thousands of samples for analysis in the coming weeks and months. Many of them will go to other researchers at home in Canada.

Speaking of the leading campaign, James said, “It is a very important feeling.”