September Update
MoU with NeSI
The Antarctic Science Platform is pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with New Zealand eScience Infrastructure (NeSI). NeSI helps researchers tackle large or highly complex problems by designing, building, and operating a specialised platform of shared high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure and a range of eResearch services. The technology, alongside support and training offered by the Infrastructure, allows researchers to investigate scientific challenges that were previously impossible. The Platform’s Modelling Hub fellows have already benefitted from this technology resource. Other researchers are soon to follow suit. To read the full press release click here.
Introducing the modelling hub fellows
The Modelling Hub, a collaboration between the Antarctic Science Platform, Victoria University of Wellington, NIWA and GNS Science, has now been up and running for eight months. We announced the fellows in May, but would now like to share more information about each of these impressive future projections’ researchers, click here to read more about the fellows in their own words.
Sea Ice Workshop
Earlier this month Platform researchers with an interest in sea ice were invited to participate in a half-day online workshop designed to explore and enhance linkages and co-dependencies in sea ice science between projects. Key topics raised, and highlighted for further discussion, were downscaling of satellite information to levels appropriate for a range of processes; interaction between ocean structure and CO2 uptake; utilisation of sea ice as a habitat in its various forms; and the design of a management system for satellite-based data products (the ‘Data Cube’). As previously identified, polynya processes proved central to most interests, providing direct connections between all projects, opportunities for joint observational campaigns, and requiring the full spatial range of information available from satellite products.
The challenges of recruiting graduate students from outside New Zealand under current conditions resonated across the projects, and it was useful to hear how different institutions are approaching this. Going forward, a representative working group will provide a point of connection between the projects, which will supplement the intention to repeat the full workshop format approximately every six months. The workshop also resulted in the formation of virtual project groups focussed on specific aspects, and a plan to create a digital library of new and relevant literature. For more information, or to be included in future workshop invitations, please contact James Renwick or Natalie Robinson.
Antarctic season opening
A number of platform researchers are involved in events in Christchurch between the 8th to 18th of October to celebrate Days of Ice, season opening. Nancy Bertler and Darcy Mandeno will join a panel for the Korero on Ice, a discussion about field work and research in Antarctica, and Tim Naish and John Cottle are both involved in a public seminar abut climate change and Antarctic science. For more information about the events click here