abc.net.au
November 9, 2015
Australian and Chinese scientists have agreed to share information predicting the growth of sea ice in Antarctic waters to help researchers navigate the complex waterway.s2s2 SX 2sx`@S~x@sx.™222.™.“2`
A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed in Hobart between China’s National Marine Environment Forecasting Centre and Australia’s Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACE CRC).
The research groups’ aim is to enable collaborative forecasting between the two nations, in an effort to reduce the costly impact of sea ice.
Each year, icebreakers make the voyage to Antarctica to restock the stations there and to conduct scientific research.
Last year saw record sea ice levels that led to icebreakers getting stuck.
Less than two years ago passengers and crew on board a Russian ship that became trapped in sea ice were rescued by a Chinese helicopter and transported to Hobart by the Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis.
Marine glaciologist Jan Lieser has welcomed the move.
“To get through the sea ice zone it’s very important for ships to find the easiest and most efficient and safe route,” he said.
“Ideally ships don’t get into trouble down south, but if ships get into trouble down south we have this memorandum now where we can tap into other nation’s resources.”
Mr Lieser said the deal meant Australian scientists would be able to tap into China’s satellite imagery.
“[Chinese scientists] can actually forecast sea ice conditions up to a certain degree,” he said.
“That is a capability that we are only now establishing,”
Scientists hope to collaborate further
But Mr Lieser said there was no guarantee similar incidents would not occur again despite the information-sharing agreement.
“Snow on top of sea ice acts as super glue with steel hulls,” he warned.
ACE CRC acting chief executive Mark Kelleher said the agreement would mean both Australian and Chinese scientists would benefit.
“Interest is growing in the Antarctic, particularly in relation to its importance for understanding climate change,” he said.
“The Chinese are as interested as we are in the research that’s going on there to understand what all that’s going to mean for us.”
Dr Kelleher said Australia and China had been collaborating in the region for 30 years.
He said research programs depended on full access to the regions that were being investigated.
“This agreement is about us pooling our capabilities, so that we can become better at forecasting where the sea ice difficulties are going to be and therefore helping navigation processes,” he said.
“The whole philosophy of activity in Antarctica is about collaboration, rather than competition.
“We’re learning a lot, but there’s still a lot happening there that doesn’t make sense.”
When it comes to Antarctic collaboration, both countries are hoping this deal is the tip of the iceberg, with plans now in place to hold a yearly workshop between scientists.
