SWAIS2C
@swais2c.bsky.social
Will the Paris climate target save the Ross Ice Shelf & limit WAIS melt? SWAIS2C—Sensitivity of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet to 2°C —aims to find out!
Find out more: SWAIS2C.aq
Find out more: SWAIS2C.aq
With our season underway we're sharing Antarctic terms and phrases so that you too can #TalklikeanAntarctican! First up is: Going south - Travelling to Antarctica. Our drillers have already arrived in Antarctica, and the first of our on-ice scientists are going south today! 🎨 @icebirdstudio
November 27, 2025 at 5:12 AM
With our season underway we're sharing Antarctic terms and phrases so that you too can #TalklikeanAntarctican! First up is: Going south - Travelling to Antarctica. Our drillers have already arrived in Antarctica, and the first of our on-ice scientists are going south today! 🎨 @icebirdstudio
They’ve made it across the Ross Ice Shelf! Huge congrats to the Antarctica NZ traverse crew, for completing a 13-day journey to our drilling site at Crary Ice Rise. They towed sleds with fuel, equipment and supplies, to keep our deep-field camp cranking. Now it's time to set up camp!
November 22, 2025 at 5:41 AM
They’ve made it across the Ross Ice Shelf! Huge congrats to the Antarctica NZ traverse crew, for completing a 13-day journey to our drilling site at Crary Ice Rise. They towed sleds with fuel, equipment and supplies, to keep our deep-field camp cranking. Now it's time to set up camp!
We’re proud to be featured on these gorgeous Antarctic learning boards in Christchurch. Made by Gateway to Antarctica: Ōtautahi Christchurch to celebrate the city’s Antarctic gateway status and history of Antarctic exploration, research and international collaboration - sounds like a bit of us!
September 24, 2025 at 6:03 PM
We’re proud to be featured on these gorgeous Antarctic learning boards in Christchurch. Made by Gateway to Antarctica: Ōtautahi Christchurch to celebrate the city’s Antarctic gateway status and history of Antarctic exploration, research and international collaboration - sounds like a bit of us!
Introducing Science Team member, paleoglaciologist and isotope chemist Ryan Venturelli! SWAIS2C brings together more than 120 scientists from around 50 research organisations. Our Polar Careers outreach series features our team members, and the work they do on and off the ice👉http://bit.ly/3I7M320
September 8, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Introducing Science Team member, paleoglaciologist and isotope chemist Ryan Venturelli! SWAIS2C brings together more than 120 scientists from around 50 research organisations. Our Polar Careers outreach series features our team members, and the work they do on and off the ice👉http://bit.ly/3I7M320
Strewth! It turns out Oz isn’t the biggest continent Down Under. Here's the latest in our series of illustrations showing the sheer scale of Antarctica relative to more familiar chunks of land. 🎨Marlo Garnsworthy. More here 👉https://www.swais2c.aq/education/educational-resources/antarctica-is-big
August 20, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Strewth! It turns out Oz isn’t the biggest continent Down Under. Here's the latest in our series of illustrations showing the sheer scale of Antarctica relative to more familiar chunks of land. 🎨Marlo Garnsworthy. More here 👉https://www.swais2c.aq/education/educational-resources/antarctica-is-big
🚨Sound the sediment siren! Since the last season at KIS3, our engineers have been busy making modifications to our drilling system, and put it to the test in rural NZ. Co-Chief Molly Patterson recorded this update while on site www.swais2c.aq/media/test-o...
August 13, 2025 at 11:45 PM
🚨Sound the sediment siren! Since the last season at KIS3, our engineers have been busy making modifications to our drilling system, and put it to the test in rural NZ. Co-Chief Molly Patterson recorded this update while on site www.swais2c.aq/media/test-o...
Vast, massive, enormous – there’s no shortage of words to describe the size of Antarctica, but it can be hard to get your head around. Here’s how it compares vs US. Check out our Antarctica is Big series https://www.swais2c.aq/education/educational-resources/antarctica-is-big 🎨@icebird.bsky.social
July 31, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Vast, massive, enormous – there’s no shortage of words to describe the size of Antarctica, but it can be hard to get your head around. Here’s how it compares vs US. Check out our Antarctica is Big series https://www.swais2c.aq/education/educational-resources/antarctica-is-big 🎨@icebird.bsky.social
Congratulations to SWAIS2C team member Natalie-Jane Reid for being awarded an Antarctica New Zealand Doctoral Scholarship to support her research on Ross Sea deep ocean currents. She will measure records in SWAIS2C sediment cores to reconstruct deep ocean current strength bit.ly/4572S4W
July 21, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Congratulations to SWAIS2C team member Natalie-Jane Reid for being awarded an Antarctica New Zealand Doctoral Scholarship to support her research on Ross Sea deep ocean currents. She will measure records in SWAIS2C sediment cores to reconstruct deep ocean current strength bit.ly/4572S4W
Groundbreaking insights about rivers beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, and their role in Ross Ice Shelf melt, have been uncovered. SWAIS2C Co-Chief Scientist Huw Horgan led the team observing this water entering the ocean cavity at KIS2, on the grounding zone of the WAIS 👉https://bit.ly/44FFniV
July 14, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Groundbreaking insights about rivers beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, and their role in Ross Ice Shelf melt, have been uncovered. SWAIS2C Co-Chief Scientist Huw Horgan led the team observing this water entering the ocean cavity at KIS2, on the grounding zone of the WAIS 👉https://bit.ly/44FFniV
It's SWAIS-mail time! Not a subscriber? Catch up on all the news from the project, and sign up so you don't miss out next time 👉http://bit.ly/44RL0M8
📷Anthony Powell / Antarctica New Zealand. Thanks to the KIS3 2024/25 team for the ultimate in sign-writing.
📷Anthony Powell / Antarctica New Zealand. Thanks to the KIS3 2024/25 team for the ultimate in sign-writing.
July 7, 2025 at 10:18 PM
It's SWAIS-mail time! Not a subscriber? Catch up on all the news from the project, and sign up so you don't miss out next time 👉http://bit.ly/44RL0M8
📷Anthony Powell / Antarctica New Zealand. Thanks to the KIS3 2024/25 team for the ultimate in sign-writing.
📷Anthony Powell / Antarctica New Zealand. Thanks to the KIS3 2024/25 team for the ultimate in sign-writing.
A 100,000-year-old record of waves breaking high up on a cliff above a Cornish beach has more connection with Antarctica’s ice sheets than you might think. SWAIS2C science team member Ed Gasson explains @uk.theconversation.com bit.ly/44p6z5p
What ancient ice sheets can tell us about future sea level rise
When ice gets trapped on land as giant ice sheets, it causes the sea level to change, but it doesn’t change by the same amount all around the planet.
bit.ly
June 30, 2025 at 9:21 PM
A 100,000-year-old record of waves breaking high up on a cliff above a Cornish beach has more connection with Antarctica’s ice sheets than you might think. SWAIS2C science team member Ed Gasson explains @uk.theconversation.com bit.ly/44p6z5p
Scientists, drillers, mechanics and... Scene of Crime Officers!
Our on-ice team brought together people from a range of backgrounds, including the multi-talented Sean Heaphy - hot water driller for the field season, Senior Constable with the NZ Police back home. www.police.govt.nz/news/ten-one...
Our on-ice team brought together people from a range of backgrounds, including the multi-talented Sean Heaphy - hot water driller for the field season, Senior Constable with the NZ Police back home. www.police.govt.nz/news/ten-one...
Working in ice-solation
New Zealand Police
www.police.govt.nz
May 13, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Scientists, drillers, mechanics and... Scene of Crime Officers!
Our on-ice team brought together people from a range of backgrounds, including the multi-talented Sean Heaphy - hot water driller for the field season, Senior Constable with the NZ Police back home. www.police.govt.nz/news/ten-one...
Our on-ice team brought together people from a range of backgrounds, including the multi-talented Sean Heaphy - hot water driller for the field season, Senior Constable with the NZ Police back home. www.police.govt.nz/news/ten-one...
For our past two field seasons, the Antarctica New Zealand traverse team hauled our gear 1328km across the Ross Ice Shelf. But the safe path to KIS3 was first mapped in 2017. Daniel Price helped find the route, and shares his experience in this new RNZ podcast 🎧https://bit.ly/3DoFUMO
Voice of the Sea Ice: A land of ice and ambition
From historic expeditions to modern day science, Antarctic exploration is a unique and dangerous experience.
bit.ly
March 11, 2025 at 8:25 PM
For our past two field seasons, the Antarctica New Zealand traverse team hauled our gear 1328km across the Ross Ice Shelf. But the safe path to KIS3 was first mapped in 2017. Daniel Price helped find the route, and shares his experience in this new RNZ podcast 🎧https://bit.ly/3DoFUMO
Home sweet home from the air! Check out this amazing drone footage of our deep-field Antarctic research camp KIS3 this past field season. Our on-ice team spent up to 6 weeks living here on the grounding zone of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. 🎥Anthony Powell / Antarctica NZ youtube.com/shorts/CtPga...
SWAIS2C deep-field Antarctic research camp from the air
YouTube video by SWAIS2C
youtube.com
March 4, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Home sweet home from the air! Check out this amazing drone footage of our deep-field Antarctic research camp KIS3 this past field season. Our on-ice team spent up to 6 weeks living here on the grounding zone of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. 🎥Anthony Powell / Antarctica NZ youtube.com/shorts/CtPga...
Shout-out to the awesome women of our 2024/25 on-ice team this International Day of Women and Girls in Science! From co-chief scientist to medic to hot water driller, these inspiring women played vital roles at our deep-field research camp. Thanks for your contributions to our critical science!
February 11, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Shout-out to the awesome women of our 2024/25 on-ice team this International Day of Women and Girls in Science! From co-chief scientist to medic to hot water driller, these inspiring women played vital roles at our deep-field research camp. Thanks for your contributions to our critical science!
What's it like camping on the snow in Antarctica? Check out hot water driller Hedley Berge's tour of his Scott Polar tent and find out! Hedley lived in his tent at our deep-field research camp on the Ross Ice Shelf for 7 weeks this season.
bit.ly/3Ebl57m
bit.ly/3Ebl57m
Hedley's Scott Polar tent tour
🤔What's it like camping on the snow in Antarctica? Check out hot water driller Hedley Berge's tour of his Scott Polar tent and find out! ⛺Hedley lived in his tent at our deep-field research camp on the Ross Ice Shelf for 7 weeks this season. 😎He estimates he's spent nearly a year in Scott Polars across his 22-year Antarctic career, so he's got a few hacks up his sleeve for a comfortable sleep and lush living space.
bit.ly
January 30, 2025 at 7:01 AM
What's it like camping on the snow in Antarctica? Check out hot water driller Hedley Berge's tour of his Scott Polar tent and find out! Hedley lived in his tent at our deep-field research camp on the Ross Ice Shelf for 7 weeks this season.
bit.ly/3Ebl57m
bit.ly/3Ebl57m
It’s been a huge season for our on-ice team KIS3 - our Co-Chief @vandeflierdt.bsky.social sums it up in this end of season wrap. We’re now focussed on our next season at Crary Ice Rise, where we will attempt to obtain a long sediment core youtube.com/shorts/NM5pe...
Expedition Update: Season sign off
YouTube video by SWAIS2C
youtube.com
January 8, 2025 at 4:54 AM
It’s been a huge season for our on-ice team KIS3 - our Co-Chief @vandeflierdt.bsky.social sums it up in this end of season wrap. We’re now focussed on our next season at Crary Ice Rise, where we will attempt to obtain a long sediment core youtube.com/shorts/NM5pe...
KIS3 from space! Thanks for spotting our little deep-field camp @aretsch.bsky.social 😎
#KIS3 seen from Space
🇺🇳#Antartica, Ross Ice Shelf
Far away from the next humans....
📸🛰 #Sentinel-2 2024.12.23
🖼️⬅️about 40km wide
🖼️➡️about 1,25km wide
Despite the premature end, these scientists are our modern heroes!
Footage: CopernicusEU
🇺🇳#Antartica, Ross Ice Shelf
Far away from the next humans....
📸🛰 #Sentinel-2 2024.12.23
🖼️⬅️about 40km wide
🖼️➡️about 1,25km wide
Despite the premature end, these scientists are our modern heroes!
Footage: CopernicusEU
January 8, 2025 at 1:23 AM
KIS3 from space! Thanks for spotting our little deep-field camp @aretsch.bsky.social 😎
Drilling at KIS3 has ended due to a technical challenge, following the successful deployment of our sea riser. We're proud of the team’s massive effort to progress this close to obtaining the deep core, & are looking ahead to our season at Crary Ice Rise 📷 Anthony Powell/Antarctica NZ bit.ly/41Wu6v7
December 27, 2024 at 8:30 AM
Drilling at KIS3 has ended due to a technical challenge, following the successful deployment of our sea riser. We're proud of the team’s massive effort to progress this close to obtaining the deep core, & are looking ahead to our season at Crary Ice Rise 📷 Anthony Powell/Antarctica NZ bit.ly/41Wu6v7
🎄Happy Holidays and Merry KIS-mas from the SWAIS2C on-ice team at KIS3 on the Ross Ice Shelf!
🎥 Anthony Powell / Antarctica New Zealand
🎥 Anthony Powell / Antarctica New Zealand
December 25, 2024 at 1:06 AM
🎄Happy Holidays and Merry KIS-mas from the SWAIS2C on-ice team at KIS3 on the Ross Ice Shelf!
🎥 Anthony Powell / Antarctica New Zealand
🎥 Anthony Powell / Antarctica New Zealand
🚨We’ve broken through the ice shelf! Our crack team of hot water drillers have melted their way through 587.96m of the Ross Ice Shelf to reach the ocean cavity, providing crucial access to the climate secrets hidden in the seafloor below. Well-deserved ‘victory toasties’ all round! 🧪 📷Ana Tovey
December 19, 2024 at 4:23 AM
🚨We’ve broken through the ice shelf! Our crack team of hot water drillers have melted their way through 587.96m of the Ross Ice Shelf to reach the ocean cavity, providing crucial access to the climate secrets hidden in the seafloor below. Well-deserved ‘victory toasties’ all round! 🧪 📷Ana Tovey
❄️Our mascots still need names! ❄️
🐧They’ll be doing seriously cool 😎science 🧪& we’re inviting students to help name them!
📝 Deadline extended to Dec 31
💡Get involved in real science & learn about what’s happening at the end of the Earth.
#antarctica #STEAM #scienceeducation #scienceed
🐧They’ll be doing seriously cool 😎science 🧪& we’re inviting students to help name them!
📝 Deadline extended to Dec 31
💡Get involved in real science & learn about what’s happening at the end of the Earth.
#antarctica #STEAM #scienceeducation #scienceed
December 16, 2024 at 7:00 AM
❄️Our mascots still need names! ❄️
🐧They’ll be doing seriously cool 😎science 🧪& we’re inviting students to help name them!
📝 Deadline extended to Dec 31
💡Get involved in real science & learn about what’s happening at the end of the Earth.
#antarctica #STEAM #scienceeducation #scienceed
🐧They’ll be doing seriously cool 😎science 🧪& we’re inviting students to help name them!
📝 Deadline extended to Dec 31
💡Get involved in real science & learn about what’s happening at the end of the Earth.
#antarctica #STEAM #scienceeducation #scienceed
We now have a well cavity, and well pump installed. The well pump is vital – circulating water through the system, pumping an endless supply to drill our main borehole right through the 580m ice shelf. It was all hands on deck to ensure a safe and successful install! 📷Ana Tovey
December 15, 2024 at 5:27 AM
We now have a well cavity, and well pump installed. The well pump is vital – circulating water through the system, pumping an endless supply to drill our main borehole right through the 580m ice shelf. It was all hands on deck to ensure a safe and successful install! 📷Ana Tovey
Our Antarctic Intermediate Depth Drill team have been hard at work with our ‘big rig’. They’ve assembled the geological drill that has weathered a long Antarctic winter here at KIS3. To prepare for drilling they’re using the rig to put together the drill pipe. 📷Ana Tovey
December 12, 2024 at 8:21 AM
Our Antarctic Intermediate Depth Drill team have been hard at work with our ‘big rig’. They’ve assembled the geological drill that has weathered a long Antarctic winter here at KIS3. To prepare for drilling they’re using the rig to put together the drill pipe. 📷Ana Tovey
The last of our on-ice team have arrived, and have taken part in Antarctic Field Training to learn skills for life at our deep-field camp. The four scientists – Arne Ulfers, Linda Armbrecht,
Luca Zurli and Yuri Yamazki – and driller Stephen Stretch, had perfect weather for camping.
Luca Zurli and Yuri Yamazki – and driller Stephen Stretch, had perfect weather for camping.
December 12, 2024 at 1:08 AM
The last of our on-ice team have arrived, and have taken part in Antarctic Field Training to learn skills for life at our deep-field camp. The four scientists – Arne Ulfers, Linda Armbrecht,
Luca Zurli and Yuri Yamazki – and driller Stephen Stretch, had perfect weather for camping.
Luca Zurli and Yuri Yamazki – and driller Stephen Stretch, had perfect weather for camping.