The ASPeCt - Bio dataset is a compilation of currently available sea ice chlorophyll a (chl-a) data from pack ice (i.e., excluding fast ice) cores collected during 32 cruises to the Southern Ocean sea ice zone from 1983 to 2008 (Table S1). Data come from peer-reviewed publications, cruise reports, data repositories and direct contributions by field-research teams. During all cruises the chl-a concentration (in micrograms per litre) was measured from melted ice core sections, using standard procedures, e.g., by melting the ice at less than 5 degrees C in the dark; filtering samples onto glassfibre filters; and fluorometric analysis according to standard protocols [Holm-Hansen et al., 1965; Evans et al., 1987]. Ice samples were melted either directly or in filtered sea water, which does not yield significant differences in chl-a concentration [Dieckmann et al., 1998]. The dataset consists of 1300 geo-referenced ice cores, consisting of 8247 individual ice core sections, and including 990 vertical profiles with a minimum of three sections. An updated dataset was provided in 2017-12-15, which included a compilation Net CDF file.

The Antarctic Fast Ice Algae Chlorophyll-a (AFIAC) dataset is a compilation of currently available sea ice chlorophyll-a data from land-fast sea ice (i.e., excluding pack ice (see ASPeCt-Bio, Meiners et al. 2012)) cores collected at circum-Antarctic locations during the period 1970 to 2015. Data come from peer-reviewed publications, field-reports, data repositories and direct contributions by field-research teams. During all campaigns the chlorophyll-a concentration (in micrograms per litre) was measured from melted ice-core sections, using standard procedures, e.g., by melting the ice at less than 5 degrees C in the dark; filtering samples onto glassfibre filters; and fluorometric analysis according to standard protocols [Holm-Hansen et al., 1965; Evans et al., 1987]. Ice samples were melted either directly or in filtered sea water, which does not yield significant differences in chlorophyll-a concentration [Dieckmann et al., 1998]. The dataset consists of 888 geo-referenced ice cores, consisting of 5718 individual ice core sections, and including 404 full vertical profiles with a minimum of three sections. Samples/sections from the remaining cores represent: i) bottom 0.05 m only (n= 32), ii) bottom 0.1 m only (n = 301), complete cores (n = 66), as well as intermittent profiles (n = 85) with at least 3 sections but gaps in-between them. For questions about this dataset please contact: Klaus Meiners and Martin Vancoppenolle This data compilation was carried out under the auspices of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research - ASPeCt program and the Scientific Committee on Ocean Research (SCOR) working group on Biogeochemical Exchange Processes at the Sea-Ice Interfaces (WG-140). It also contributes to SCOR WG-152 on Measuring Essential Climate Variables in Sea Ice (ECV-Ice). An update to this dataset was submitted in September, 2018.

This dataset contains observations of ice conditions taken from the bridge of the RV Aurora Australis during SIPEX 2012, following the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research/CliC Antarctic Sea Ice Processes and Climate [ASPeCt] protocols. See aspect.antarctica.gov.au Observations include total and partial concentration, ice type, thickness, floe size, topography, and snow cover in each of three primary ice categories; open water characteristics, and weather summary. The dataset is comprised of the scanned pages of a single logbook, which holds hourly observations taken by observers while the ship was moving through sea-ice zone. The following persons assisted in the collection of these data: Dr R. Massom, AAD, Member of observation team Mr A. Steer, AAD, Member of observation team Prof S. Warren, UW(Seattle), USA, Member of observation team Dr J. Hutchings, IARC, UAF, USA, Member of observation team Dr T. Toyota, Inst Low Temp Science, Japan, Member of observation team Dr T. Tamura, NIPR, Japan, Member of EM observation team Dr G. Dieckmann, AWI, Germany, Member of observation team Dr E. Maksym, WHOI, USA, Member of observation team Mr R. Stevens, IMAS, Trainee on observation team Dr J. Melbourne-Thomas, ACE CRC, Trainee on observation team Dr A. Giles, ACE CRC, Trainee on observation team Ms M. Zhia, IMAS, Trainee on observation team Ms J. Jansens, IMAS, Trainee on observation team Mr R. Humphries, Univ Wollengong, Trainee on observation team Mr C. Sampson, Univ Utah, USA, Trainee on observation team Mr Olivier Lecomte, Univ Catholique, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, Trainee on observation team Mr D. Lubbers, Univ Utah, USA, Trainee on observation team Ms M. Zatko, UW(Seattle), USA, Trainee on observation team Ms C. Gionfriddo, Uni Melbourne, Trainee on observation team Mr K. Nakata, EES, Japan, Trainee on observation team

These data describe pack ice characteristics in the Antarctic sea ice zone. These data are in the ASPeCt format. National program: United States Vessel: Nathaniel B. Palmer Dates in ice: 1 Sept 2007 - 31 Oct 2007 Observers: Penelope Wagner, John Pena, Sarah Anderson and others. Summary of voyage track: 06/09 3 GMT first record of ice edge at approx. 63 degrees 22 S, and 68 degrees 25 W toward Palmer Station, Antarctica in the Amundsen Sea due to electrical fire that began in Drake's Passage en route to the Bellingshausen Sea, Antarctica. 19 GMT arrived at NBP at Palmer Station, Antarctica at 64 degrees 46S and 64 degrees 04W to respond to safety protocol with NSF and Raytheon. 08/09 18:30 GMT depart Palmer Station toward Punta Arenas, Chile port. 09/09 22 GMT reach ice edge toward Chile. 24/09 17 GMT first record of ice edge at approx. 66 degrees 47S and 89 degrees 05W toward ice station Belgica in Bellingshausen Sea, Antarctica. 27/09 23GMT NBP parked at approximately 70 degrees 41S and 90 degrees 58W at Ice Station Belgica to perform 4 week station work. 24/10 10:30 GMT depart Ice Station Belgica toward Punta Arenas, Chile 27/10 8GMT reached ice edge. Total observations: 192 The fields in this dataset are: SEA ICE CONCENTRATION SEA ICE FLOE SIZE SEA ICE SNOW COVER SEA ICE THICKNESS SEA ICE TOPOGRAPHY SEA ICE TYPE RECORD DATE TIME LATITUDE LONGITUDE OPEN WATER TRACK SNOW THICKNESS SNOW TYPE SEA TEMPERATURE AIR TEMPERATURE WIND VELOCITY WIND DIRECTION FILM COUNTER FRAME COUNTER FOR FILM VIDEO RECORDER COUNTER HH:MM:SS VISIBILITY CODE CLOUD IN OKTAS WEATHER CODE COMMENTS

These data describe pack ice characteristics in the Antarctic sea ice zone. These data are in the ASPeCt format. National program: Australia Vessel: Icebird Dates in ice: 4 Nov 1989 - 2 Dec 1989 Observers: Rob Kiernan, Martin Higham, others Summary of voyage track: 4/11 Ice edge at 58d22mS, 78dE 4-10/11 Steamed SW to approx 60dE 10-23/11 Vessel stuck in pack ice near 60dE 24-28/11 Vessel steamed eastward to near 77dE (Davis station) 30/11-2/12 Vessel steamed north to ice edge at 61d33mS, 82dE The fields in this dataset are: SEA ICE CONCENTRATION SEA ICE FLOE SIZE SEA ICE SNOW COVER SEA ICE THICKNESS SEA ICE TOPOGRAPHY SEA ICE TYPE RECORD DATE TIME LATITUDE LONGITUDE OPEN WATER TRACK SNOW THICKNESS SNOW TYPE SEA TEMPERATURE AIR TEMPERATURE WIND VELOCITY WIND DIRECTION FILM COUNTER FRAME COUNTER FOR FILM VIDEO RECORDER COUNTER VISIBILITY CODE CLOUD WEATHER CODE COMMENTS

These data describe pack ice characteristics in the Antarctic sea ice zone. These data are in the ASPeCt format. National program: Australia Vessel: Aurora Australis Dates in ice: 17 Oct 1991 - 20 Oct 1991 Observers: Tony Worby Summary of voyage track: 17/10 Ice edge at 63d00mS, 137d52mE 17-18/10 Vessel steamed south to approx. 65S 19-20/10 Vessel steamed north to ice edge The fields in this dataset are: SEA ICE CONCENTRATION SEA ICE FLOE SIZE SEA ICE SNOW COVER SEA ICE THICKNESS SEA ICE TOPOGRAPHY SEA ICE TYPE RECORD DATE TIME LATITUDE LONGITUDE OPEN WATER TRACK SNOW THICKNESS SNOW TYPE SEA TEMPERATURE AIR TEMPERATURE WIND VELOCITY WIND DIRECTION FILM COUNTER FRAME COUNTER FOR FILM VIDEO RECORDER COUNTER VISIBILITY CODE CLOUD WEATHER CODE COMMENTS

These data describe pack ice characteristics in the Antarctic sea ice zone. These data are in the ASPeCt format. National program: Australia Vessel: Aurora Australis Dates in ice: 22 Apr 1995 - 27 Apr 1995 Observers: Arne Sorenson Summary of voyage track: From Casey to the ice edge. The fields in this dataset are: SEA ICE CONCENTRATION SEA ICE FLOE SIZE SEA ICE SNOW COVER SEA ICE THICKNESS SEA ICE TOPOGRAPHY SEA ICE TYPE RECORD DATE TIME LATITUDE LONGITUDE OPEN WATER TRACK SNOW THICKNESS SNOW TYPE SEA TEMPERATURE AIR TEMPERATURE WIND VELOCITY WIND DIRECTION FILM COUNTER FRAME COUNTER FOR FILM VIDEO RECORDER COUNTER VISIBILITY CODE CLOUD WEATHER CODE COMMENTS

These data describe pack ice characteristics in the Antarctic sea ice zone. These data are in the ASPeCt format. National program: United States Vessel: Kapitan Khlebnikov Dates in ice: 10 Nov 1995 - 22 Nov 1995 Observers: Steve Ackley Summary of voyage track: 10/11 At ice edge at approx. 60S, 44W 10-12/11 Heading east 13-17/11 Heading predominantly south along approx 10-15W 19-22/11 Heading north along approx same track as route south 22/11 Ice edge at approx. 60S, 27W The fields in this dataset are: SEA ICE CONCENTRATION SEA ICE FLOE SIZE SEA ICE SNOW COVER SEA ICE THICKNESS SEA ICE TOPOGRAPHY SEA ICE TYPE RECORD DATE TIME LATITUDE LONGITUDE OPEN WATER TRACK SNOW THICKNESS SNOW TYPE SEA TEMPERATURE AIR TEMPERATURE WIND VELOCITY WIND DIRECTION FILM COUNTER FRAME COUNTER FOR FILM VIDEO RECORDER COUNTER VISIBILITY CODE CLOUD WEATHER CODE COMMENTS

These data describe pack ice characteristics in the Antarctic sea ice zone. These data are in the ASPeCt format. National program: Australia Vessel: Aurora Australis Dates in ice: 26 Oct 1992 - 14 Nov 1992 Observers: Ian Allison, Tony Worby, Martin Higham Summary of voyage track: 26/10 Ice edge at approx. 60S, 85E 26/10 -1/11 Vessel steamed to Mawson 4-9/11 Vessel steamed from Mawson to Davis, transect in Prydz Bay 11-14/11 Vessel steamed from Davis to ice edge at approx. 61S, 86E. The fields in this dataset are: SEA ICE CONCENTRATION SEA ICE FLOE SIZE SEA ICE SNOW COVER SEA ICE THICKNESS SEA ICE TOPOGRAPHY SEA ICE TYPE RECORD DATE TIME LATITUDE LONGITUDE OPEN WATER TRACK SNOW THICKNESS SNOW TYPE SEA TEMPERATURE AIR TEMPERATURE WIND VELOCITY WIND DIRECTION FILM COUNTER FRAME COUNTER FOR FILM VIDEO RECORDER COUNTER VISIBILITY CODE CLOUD WEATHER CODE COMMENTS

These data describe pack ice characteristics in the Antarctic sea ice zone. These data are in the ASPeCt format. National program: Australia Vessel: Polar Bird Dates in ice: 23 Nov 2000 - 19 Dec 2000 Observers: Mel Fitzpatrick, Ian Allison Summary of voyage track: 23/11 Ice edge at approx. 63S, 111E 23-27/11 Ice edge to Casey fly off 28/11 - 17/12 Ship stuck in ice, drifting slowly westward 18-19/12 Steamed north to ice edge at approx. 64S, 104E The fields in this dataset are: SEA ICE CONCENTRATION SEA ICE FLOE SIZE SEA ICE SNOW COVER SEA ICE THICKNESS SEA ICE TOPOGRAPHY SEA ICE TYPE RECORD DATE TIME LATITUDE LONGITUDE OPEN WATER TRACK SNOW THICKNESS SNOW TYPE SEA TEMPERATURE AIR TEMPERATURE WIND VELOCITY WIND DIRECTION FILM COUNTER FRAME COUNTER FOR FILM VIDEO RECORDER COUNTER VISIBILITY CODE CLOUD WEATHER CODE COMMENTS