Frozen Out: Antarctic Expedition Continues Dec 1, 2007
I will return to the Antarctic Peninsula on New Year's Eve -- with five teammates -- to spend all of January sea kayaking along the eastern side, the Weddell Sea side. My prime reason for spending this past month here was to get a sense of how much ice surrounds the continent this year (each year is different) and to talk to scientists and researchers here about expected conditions for the rest of the austral summer. (ABC News)
Climate change and life in the Southern Ocean Nov 28, 2007
A ten-week expedition to the Lazarev Sea and the eastern part of the Weddell Sea opens this year's Antarctic research season of the German research vessel Polarstern. On the evening of November 28, just some two hours after an official ceremony at the Berlin Museum of Natural History honouring Polarstern's 25th anniversary of service, the research vessel will begin its 24th scientific voyage to the Southern Ocean from Cape Town. (EurekAlert!)
Antarctic ship sinking fears Nov 27, 2007
Image: Antarctic Peninsula and the Weddell Sea. Posted by Daniel Cressey on November 26, 2007 Categories. (Nature News Service)
Leisure Travelers Deserve Stuff, Too Nov 18, 2007
Unless you're cruising Prince William Sound or the Weddell Sea, it's likely you'll run into beaches and snorkeling trips. So how do you keep valuables (including watch, ID and ship-board card key) safe while in the water. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Travel)
Divers Find New Species In Aleutians Nov 9, 2007
Carnivorous sponges, free-swimming worms, crustaceans, and molluscs living in the Weddell Sea. . (Science Daily)
Argentina ready to challenge Britain's Antarctic claims Oct 19, 2007
This year, for example, the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton lost a remotely operated submersible in the Weddell Sea when it became trapped in an ice cavern 70 metres below the surface. The submersible, known as an autonomous underwater vehicle, was estimated to have cost 1m to develop. (Guardian Unlimited)
Britain's claim puts heat on battle for Antarctica Oct 18, 2007
Britain's Antarctic claim covers a "pie slice" of the continent including the Antarctic Peninsula eastwards, including the Weddell Sea. The Guardian reported the British Foreign Office saying that data was being gathered and processed for a submission to the UN which could extend oil, gas and mineral exploitation rights up to 560 kilometres offshore. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Icebergs teem with diverse life Aug 17, 2007
Fractured from the ancient ice sheets that encrust Antarctica, the bergs of the Weddell Sea may appear at first glance to be cold and sterile places, as lifeless as ice cubes bobbing in a glass of water ... Smith and colleagues counted 11,000 large enough to be seen with satellite imagery in just one part of the Weddell Sea, an arm of the south Atlantic Ocean that slices into the Antarctic continent southeast of Cape Horn ... When a portion of the Larsen B ice shelf collapsed into the Weddell... (San Diego Union-Tribune)
New technology reveals seal behavior Aug 9, 2007
The majority of the seals from South Georgia remained in the Antarctica Circumpolar Current avoiding Antarctic waters such as the Weddell Sea, whereas seals from other locations favoured waters much closer to the Antarctic continent. Regions of upwelling of nutrient-rich deep waters were clearly favoured. (EurekAlert!)
New Clues To Ozone Depletion Jul 28, 2007
The team of atmospheric chemists carried out an 18-month study of the make-up of the lowest part of the earth's atmosphere on the Brunt Ice Shelf, about 20 km from the Weddell Sea. They found high concentrations of halogens - bromine and iodine oxides -- which persist throughout the period when there is sunlight in Antarctica (August through May). (Science Daily)
Scientists find ozone-depleting chemicals in Antarctica Jul 27, 2007
Researchers from the University of Leeds, the University of East Anglia, and the British Antarctic Survey carried out an 18-month study of the make-up of the lowest part of the earth's atmosphere on the Brunt Ice Shelf, about 20 kilometers from the Weddell Sea, and found high concentrations of halogens -- bromine and iodine oxides -- which persist throughout the period when there is sunlight in Antarctica (August through May), according to a report Thursday on the science news website of... (Xinhuanet, China)
Islands of Life Jul 27, 2007
26, 2007 By Weddell seals Leptonychotes weddellii mother and pup under a breathing hole, Antarctica Norbert Wu Article Tools ... 25 miles (2 km) long and the other closer to 13 miles (21 km), in the Weddell Sea, which lies between the Antarctic continent and the southern Atlantic, near the tip of Argentina ... With an estimated 1,000 icebergs in the Weddell Sea, the overall boost in biological productivity in the chilly waters could be enormous. (Time.com)
Review: Island of The Lost Jul 13, 2007
Island of The LostShipwrecked at the Edge of the World. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
Antarctic icebergs may soak up CO2 emissions Jun 23, 2007
Researchers who examined two mammoth islands of ice in the Weddell Sea discovered the icebergs attract thriving communities of seabirds above the waterline and a web of algae, krill and fish below ... But based on their findings and satellite imagery, scientists estimate the icebergs may increase the biological productivity of the Weddell Sea by close to 40 percent ... According to the study in the journal Science, Smith and his team examined two icebergs in the Weddell Sea in early 2005, using... (Independent Online)
Icebergs are 'ecological hotspot' Jun 23, 2007
The study, carried out in the Southern Ocean's Weddell Sea in December 2005, has helped researchers understand the impact of free-floating icebergs on the marine environment. Floating feeding stations. (BBC News -- Science)
Drifting icebergs are hotspots of life Jun 23, 2007
This photo provided by the journal Science shows iceberg W-86 in December 2005 in the Weddell Sea, off one of the coasts of Antarctica ... The researchers closely studied icebergs W-86 and A-52 in the Weddell Sea, adjacent to Antarctica and southeast of the southern tip of South America. (Herald Online, SC -- Health)
Antarctica icebergs floating marine communities Jun 23, 2007
Researchers examined two icebergs drifting in the Weddell Sea, an arm of the Southern Atlantic Ocean that slices into Antarctica southeast of South America's Cape Horn, and discovered the icebergs transport material from the continent and release it further out at sea as they melt. This material produces a "halo effect" of increased biological activity for a radius of more than two miles around the icebergs. (Xinhuanet, China)
Antarctic icebergs creating new ecosystem Jun 22, 2007
The researchers, who published their findings in the online version of the journal Science, analyzed two icebergs in the Weddell Sea. They found that soil and other organic matter escaping from the icebergs provided nutrients and support for plankton and algae. (Boston Globe)
Wildlife flourishes on melting ice Jun 22, 2007
Icebergs released into Antarctic waters by global warming are hotspots for wildlife, researchers have found. The break-up of Antarctic ice shelves has increased dramatically the number of icebergs and they have proved an unexpectedly rich habitat. (Times Online)
Antarctic icebergs may offset carbon emissions Jun 22, 2007
An iceberg in the Weddell Sea off the Antarctic peninsula ... "The phytoplankton sustained by the icebergs absorbs CO2 from the water around it, the study said. This could have important implications for climate change research, as it may mean the world's oceans will be able to absorb more CO2 from the atmosphere than previously thought.The researchers counted 1,000 icebergs in satellite images of 4,300 square miles of the Southern Ocean's Weddell Sea, a huge stretch of water that cuts into the... (Guardian Unlimited -- World)
Icebergs get new role in climate science Jun 22, 2007
The researchers closely studied icebergs W-86 and A-52 in the Weddell Sea, adjacent to Antarctica and southeast of the southern tip of South America ... The researchers counted nearly 1,000 icebergs in satellite images of some 4,300 square miles of ocean, estimating that overall the icebergs are raising the Weddell Sea's biological productivity by nearly 40 percent. (MSNBC -- Environment)
Antarctic icebergs hot spots of life Jun 22, 2007
The researchers closely studied icebergs W-86 and A-52 in the Weddell Sea, adjacent to Antarctica and southeast of the southern tip of South America. They collected samples of the water around the ice and used a remotely operated submarine to study the undersides of the ice. (Globe and Mail)
Antarctic Icebergs Teeming With Life, Study Says Jun 22, 2007
But the new study, in which Arrigo did not participate, found the exact opposite around much smaller icebergs in the Weddell Sea, on the other side of the continent. There melting icebergs release terrestrial nutrients into the sea, which allow tiny marine plants called phytoplankton to bloom. (National Geographic)
Antarctic icebergs: unlikely oases for ocean life Jun 22, 2007
Icebergs have long gripped the popular imagination, whether as relatively run-of-the-mill floating hazards that cause "unsinkable' ships to founder or, more recently, as enormous breakaway pieces of ice the size of states or small countries. But, according to a paper published in this week's Science magazine, scientists have discovered that these floating ice islands--some as large as a dozen miles across--have a major impact on the ecology of the ocean around them, serving as "hotspots" for... (EurekAlert!)
Huge sea spiders, other creatures found May 21, 2007
BIOLOGY More than 1,000 new species of sea creatures were discovered at the very bottom of the Weddell Sea and adjacent areas, just off the coast of Antarctica ... CAUTIONS: Tracing the migration of species to and from the Weddell Sea might yield more surprises. (Boston Globe)
Antarctic Species Treasure Trove Discovered May 20, 2007
Andeep sent the RV Polarstern on three collecting expeditions between 2002 and 2005, and an international team collected tens of thousands of specimens from the Weddell Sea, from depths of between 774 and 6,348 meters (2,539-20,826 feet) ... nov.) from the Weddell Sea abyssal plain ... b, The carnivorous sponge Chondrocladia from the Weddell Sea abyssal plain. (ScienceBlogs)
Antarctic Waters Are Cold, Dark, Deep—And Teeming with Life May 19, 2007
But three expeditions to the Weddell Sea between Antarctica and the wider South Atlantic have brought to the surface more than 1,000 species, ranging from single-cell foraminifera to oddly shaped crabs ... "Carnivorous sponges, free-swimming worms, crustaceans and mollusks living in the Weddell Sea provide new insights into the evolution of ocean life." ... For example, foraminifera Epistominella vitrea found 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) deep in the Weddell Sea also thrives in the relatively... (Scientific American)
Scientists Discover New Life In Antarctic Deep Sea May 18, 2007
Carnivorous sponges, free-swimming worms, crustaceans, and molluscs living in the Weddell Sea provide new insights into the evolution of ocean life. This carnivorous moonsnail lives in the Antarctic deep sea. (Science Daily)
Gloucester Professor Finds New Species In Antarctica May 18, 2007
The species were discovered in the depths of the Weddell Sea. Among the discoveries were carnivorous sponges, free-swimming worms, crustaceans, and mollusks. (WTKR.com, VA)
Antarctic mission finds 700 new species May 17, 2007
More than 700 creatures new to science, ranging from crustaceans and molluscs to carnivorous sponges and free-swimming worms, have been discovered on a series of expeditions exploring the deep waters of the Weddell Sea ... They collected biological specimens and environmental data from phenomenal depths - in different regions between 774 and 6,348 metres under the surface of the Weddell Sea and adjacent areas ... The Weddell Sea is an important source of deep water for the rest of the ocean and... (Independent)
'Treasure trove of marine life' discovered May 17, 2007
The diverse sponges, some of which are carnivorous, free-swimming worms, sea cucumbers, crustaceans, and molluscs living in the Weddell Sea will provide new insights into the evolution of ocean life. Among them are 674 new species of isopod, an order of crustaceans, 585 of them new to science, revealing much more diversity than expected in this cold and largely unstudied place, challenging the common assumption that deep sea diversity is depressed in high latitudes or polar areas, even though it... (Telegraph.co.uk)
Marine Species Suggest Antarctic 'Cradle of Life' May 17, 2007
Between 2002 and 2005, researchers sampled water and the sediment from 2,500 to 20,000 feet (774 metres to 6,348 metres) in the deep Weddell Sea and adjacent areas ... The researchers said the Weddell Sea is an important source of deep water for the rest of the ocean ... Species can enter the depths of the Weddell sea from shallower continental shelves. (Planet Ark, United States)
Photo Gallery: Weird New Animals From Antarctica's Deep Seas May 17, 2007
Researchers aboard the German research vessel Polarstern in the Weddell Sea also brought up heart-shaped sea urchins, carnivorous sponges, and giant sea spiders the size of dinner plates. "We were astonished by the enormous biodiversity we found in many groups of species," said Angelika Brandt, a marine biologist at the University of Hamburg in Germany. (National Geographic)
Bizarre New Deep-Sea Creatures Found Off Antarctica May 17, 2007
The research was part of the Antarctic Benthic Deep-Sea Biodiversity Project, or ANDEEP. An international team of researchers from 14 organizations embarked on three ANDEEP expeditions between 2002 and 2005 on the German research vessel Polarstern in the Weddell Sea, east of the Antarctic Peninsula. (See a. (National Geographic)
Hundreds of species found in polar depths May 17, 2007
Deep dwellersBetween 2002 and 2005, an international team of scientists completed three research expeditions to the Weddell Sea aboard the German vessel Polarstern ... Part of the ANDEEP (Antarctic Benthic Deep-Sea Biodiversity) project, the team collected biological samples from regions between about 2,000 and 21,000 feet below the surface of the Weddell Sea and nearby areas ... The Weddell Sea is part of a vast ocean current and a critical source of deep water and possibly a mode of transport... (MSNBC -- Technology)
Deep Antarctic waters reveal hundreds of new species May 17, 2007
The Weddell Sea has long been thought of as a featureless abyss, devoid of life. But Angelika Brandt, of the zoological institute at the University of Hamburg, who led the expedition aboard the research vessel Polarstern, said the area could potentially be "the cradle of life of the global marine species". (Guardian Unlimited -- Life)
Antarctic 'treasure trove' found May 17, 2007
" New to science The research formed part of the Andeep (Antarctic benthic deep-sea biodiversity) project, which is the first comprehensive study of Antarctic marine life. It is designed to fill the "knowledge vacuum" that surrounds the fauna that inhabit the deeper parts of the Southern Ocean. The first sampling expedition (Andeep 1) took place in 2002 Andeep 2 took also took place in 2002 Andeep 3 took place in 2005 During three research expeditions that took place between 2002 and 2005, an... (BBC News -- Asia-Pacific)
Antarctica: March of the tourists Apr 8, 2007
From the top of Devil Island, off the eastern edge of the Antarctic Peninsula, the watery sun reflects off the vast tabular icebergs drifting around the Weddell Sea. At the base of the island, as many as 20,000 pairs of Adlie penguins make their home. (CNN -- Travel)
Antarctic Ice Sheet's Hidden Lakes Speed Ice Flow Into Ocean, May Disrupt Climate Mar 9, 2007
The associated Recovery drainage basin, virtually unexplored since an American-led Antarctic ice sheet research trek over 40 years ago, funnels an estimated 35 billion tons of ice into the Weddell Sea annually. The scientists used a remote sensing technology called interferometric synthetic aperture radar from the Canadian Space Agency s RADARSAT instrument to measure the speed of the ice flow. (Science Daily)
Antarctic Marine Explorers Reveal First Hints Of Biological Change After Collapse Of Polar Ice Shelves Feb 28, 2007
Leaving South Africa Nov 23, the research icebreaker Polarstern operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research criss-crossed the northwest Weddell Sea ... As a result, animals living on the sediment (epifauna) were highly varied as well, though far less abundant in the Larsen A and B areas perhaps only 1% animal abundance compared to sea beds in the eastern part of the Weddell Sea. (Science Daily)
See photos >> Feb 28, 2007
A 500-billion-ton ice shelf known as Larsen B disintegrated into the Weddell Sea in 2002seven years after the nearby Larsen A ice shelf broke apart (). Experts believe global warming triggered both events. (National Geographic)
Ice Shelf Collapses Reveal New Species, Ecosystem Changes Feb 28, 2007
The Larsen A and B ice shelves once covered 3,900 square miles (10,000 square kilometers) of the Weddell Sea off the coast of Antarctica, shielding the seabed for at least 5,000 years (). The Larsen A ice shelf broke apart in 1995, and the nearby Larsen B ice shelf followed in 2002. (National Geographic)
Lakes Beneath Antarctic Ice Sheets Found To Initiate And Sustain Flow Of Ice To Ocean Feb 27, 2007
The Recovery basin, unexplored since 1966, funnels an estimated 35 billion tons of ice into the Weddell Sea annually. "Until about a year ago, not many people cared much about subglacial lakes," said Studinger. (Science Daily)
Thirty Strange New Creatures Found in Antarctic Waters Feb 27, 2007
Animals in the area were only one percent as abundant as other parts of the Weddell Sea, which Gutt suspects is somehow related to the availability of food. New species. (Fox News -- Views)
Antarctic ice melt reveals exotic creatures Feb 26, 2007
This is the first time explorers have been able to catalog wildlife where two mammoth ice shelves used to extend for some 3,900 square miles over the Weddell Sea. At least 5,000 years old, the ice shelves collapsed in two stages over the last dozen years. (CNN)
Antarctic ice shelves' collapse unveils exotic ecosystem Feb 26, 2007
This is the first time explorers have been able to catalog wildlife where two ice shelves used to extend for some 10,000 square kilometers over the Weddell Sea. Before the collapse, researchers could only peer through holes drilled deep into the ice. (Xinhuanet, China)
New lakes beneath Antarctic ice Feb 24, 2007
The four lakes lie under the Recovery ice stream which brings ice from hundreds of kilometres inland into the Weddell Sea. They were found using a combination of radar data gathered by satellite, and records of an expedition mounted to the area in the 1960s on which scientists had used a pioneering ice-penetrating radar. (BBC News -- Science)
Antarctic waterworks revealed Feb 22, 2007
The lakes sit near the head of the Recovery ice stream, which every year pours 35 billion tonnes of ice from Antarctica's interior to the Weddell Sea. Upstream of the lakes, the ice flows at only 2-3 metres per year. (Nature News Service)
ROV Discovers Antarctic Seafloor Fauna Jan 19, 2007
Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) remain an efficient technology to uncover the secrets of Antarctic seafloor fauna. As a precursor to the International Polar Year 2007/2008, the current Polarstern expedition conducted by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine research releases short seafloor video clips taken by ROV only a few hours after the robot has been recovered. (Science Daily)
Over Antarctica Jan 15, 2007
" The group sagged. But . . . "On the other side of the peninsula, what is known as the Weddell Sea is improving--meaning scattered clouds, good visibility ... "We are crossing over the Peninsula and we are going over towards the Weddell Sea . . . ". (Chicago Tribune)
Penguins on parade in photo exhibit Jan 13, 2007
The penguin exhibit chronicles her adventures in the Falkland Islands and her landings on the Weddell Sea side of Antarctica and other areas. Sponsored Links. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Metro)
