The US National Science Foundation (NSF) announced yesterday that it will recall scientists and staff from Antarctica due to funding lapses resulting from the government shutdown. In a move that could spell the end of this year’s Antarctic field season for American researchers, US Antarctic research stations McMurdo, Amundsen-Scott and Palmer will be placed into ‘caretaker status’, with all but essential maintenance crew to be evacuated and research and field activities suspended. The NSF has warned that even if funding resumes, some activities cannot be restarted once evacuation is complete and seasonal windows for research and operations have passed. Below Australian and New Zealand experts respond.
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Dr Rob Wooding is General Manager, Operations at the Australian Antarctic Division
“The Australian Antarctic Program’s collaborative arrangements with the United States around air transport are continuing to operate as scheduled. At this stage there has not been any adverse impact on our Antarctic season and we are hopeful this situation will continue. We are constantly monitoring the outlook for the season and will advise if the US situation impacts on it.”
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Professor Michael Burton is a Professor of Astrophysics in the School of Physics at the University of New South Wales
“I am an Antarctic researcher working at UNSW with a project involving US colleagues on the high Antarctic plateau (South Pole, Ridge A – astronomy projects). Indeed this prospective close-down is a disaster for our project, not just for this year, but it would mean the project could not go ahead next year either as necessary pre-cursor logistics need to be laid out in place.”
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The following statement was issued by Antarctica New Zealand:
Antarctica New Zealand is following the situation in the US and keeping in close contact with our partners at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and their McMurdo Station.
Antarctica New Zealand anticipates that the US Government partial shutdown will have minimal impact on the New Zealand Antarctic Programme
Antarctica New Zealand is able to readily adapt New Zealand’s Antarctic Programme to changing circumstances due to the scale of our operation
Antarctica New Zealand is developing contingency plans to minimise any impacts on New Zealand’s activities in Antarctica this season.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Antarctica New Zealand’s Board Chair, who are currently in Antarctica, have offered New Zealand’s support to the US Antarctic Program
Antarctica New Zealand is conscious of the operational challenges the US Antarctic Program is facing at this time and we remain committed to our strong partnership with them.
We have been assured by our US partners of the continued priority that they place on their cooperative commitments with us.
In addition:
Antarctica New Zealand has been advised that the Antarctic air link will continue as planned for the 2013/14 season
Antarctica New Zealand’s Scott Base is able to function normally even if the US McMurdo Station moves to caretaker status
New Zealand’s Antarctic Programme will continue as planned but there may be some instances where individual events may be modified if there is a component of scientific or logistical collaboration with the US
At this time, New Zealand has not been asked to undertake any monitoring or operational activity on behalf of the US”
For more information contact: Lisa-Marie Brooks, Antarctica New Zealand, l.brooks@antarcticanz.govt.nz or +64 3358 0213
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Below are comments collected by our colleagues at the New Zealand Science Media Centre:
Peter Barrett, Emeritus Professor, Antarctic Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington:
“The US is now being forced to plan to abandon this year’s Antarctic research program on account of the recent funding impasse in Congress. The loss of this season’s programs, some planned over many years, would be unprecedented and tragic for both the Antarctic community and our understanding of the Antarctic region and its changing environment.
“Those of us who have worked in the Antarctic for many years feel deeply for our American colleagues, researchers, students and support staff, whose lives and careers would either be put on hold or derailed by this event. In addition there’s the loss of data – ground truth – that only field work can provide.
“Almost all Antarctic research today is collaborative, so most national programmes will feel some consequences, but especially those with traditional close links with the US, such as our own.
“The Antarctic region may be out of sight for most, but it’s a key part of the global climate system. We can only hope that the people and resources the US has wisely committed to its understanding are restored as soon as possible.”
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Dr Charles Lee, Research Fellow, Associate Director – International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato
“The International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research (ICTAR) at the University of Waikato currently hosts three Antarctic research projects, facilitated by Antarctica New Zealand. Although there is currently no immediate logistical impact on ICTAR’s field expeditions, the disruption of the United States Antarctic Program will have significant and long-lasting impacts on our research. This is due to our close and extensive collaborations with American researchers, including analysis of our samples at the McMurdo Station and deployment of shared instrumentation.
“In the medium term, the disruptions will have knock-on effects on future Antarctic seasons, particularly special expeditions to areas beyond the McMurdo Dry Valleys (e.g., Central Transantarctic Mountains) that require multi-year planning and scientific support. These developments highlight the need for politically independent funding sources for scientific research and will hopefully raise the public awareness of such needs.”
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