Data from ASAC project 3030. Public summary for the project: This project will measure the sea ice thickness off East Antarctica, over spatial scales up to hundreds of kilometers. Sea ice is a likely sensitive indicator of climate variations and change. No large scale sea ice thickness measurements exist in the Antarctic. An estimation of trends of change in Antarctic sea ice thickness and volume is therefore not currently possible. To address this deficiency and to provide an independent data set for the validation of models and the calibration of remote-sensing data, we will conduct high accuracy air borne laser scanner measurements in the sea ice zone off East Antarctica. More information about the project can be found in lidar.pdf (which is available with the data).

More than 50 scientists from eight countries conducted the Sea Ice Physics and Ecosystem eXperiment 2012 (SIPEX-2). The 2012 voyage built on information and observations collected in 2007, by re-visiting the study area at about 100-120 degrees East. This was the culmination of years of preparation for the Australian Antarctic Division and, more specifically, the ACE CRC sea-ice group who lead this international, multi-disciplinary, sea ice voyage to East Antarctica. Work began at the sea-ice edge and penetrated the pack ice towards the coastal land-fast ice. The purpose of SIPEX-2 was to investigate relationships between the physical sea-ice environment, marine biogeochemistry and the structure of Southern Ocean ecosystems. While the scientists and crew did not set foot on Antarctic terra firma, a number of multi-day research stations were set up on suitable sea ice floes, and a range of novel and state-of-the-art instruments were used. These included: A Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to observe and film (with an on-board video camera) krill, and to quantify the distribution and amount of sea ice algae associated with ice floes. An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) to study the three-dimensional under-ice topography of ice floes. Helicopter-borne instruments to measure snow and ice thickness, floe size and sea ice type. Instruments included a scanning laser altimeter, infrared radiometer, microwave radiometer, camera and GPS. Sea ice accelerometer buoys to measure sea ice wave interaction and its effect on floe-size distribution. Customised pumping systems and light-traps to catch krill from below the ice and on the sea floor. Available at the provided URL in this record, is a link to a file containing the locations of all ice stations from this voyage.