The failure of the National Science Foundation to protect Antarctica

In this issue of the Marine Pollution Bulletin, and earlier in Science magazine (Massey, 1992), the National Science Foundation (NSF) described its efforts to clean up the Antarctic environment and to implement the recently adopted Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. Although NSF has taken modest steps to address certain environmental impacts from its operations in Antarctica, it misrepresents its past actions and exaggerates the extent of its commitment to environmental protection in Antarctica under the new Protocol.     

Upon closer inspection…

Article VII of the Antarctic Treaty opens “all areas of Antarctica, including all stations, installation and equipment… at all times” to inspection by observers of all Contracting Parties. Article VII guarantees this right of inspection as a means to “promote the objectives and ensure the observance of the provisions” of the Treaty. Freedom of inspection strengthens the Treaty's core principles of peace and international cooperation and more importantly, the provisions of Article IV temporarily reconcile the sovereignty issue between claimant and non-claimant states. To date, however, Article VII has been greatly underutilized as a means to better protect the Antarctic environment. Green-peace, through its experience in the Antarctic, has come to realize that a formal international inspectorate and regulatory authority is needed for compliance monitoring, comprehensive and long-term environmental baseline monitoring, information management and exchange, and the effective management of the natural resources and values of the entire Antarctic.     

Antarctic tourism and environmental concerns

Increasing numbers of tourists are visiting the Antarctic. Totals from the past three seasons (1989–1990, 1990–1991, 1991–1992) were 2581, 4842, and 6495 respectively (Enzenbacher, 1992). Some environmental issues arising from Antarctic tourist activity include: wildlife tolerance, waste disposal, passenger education, tour operator management practices, personnel experience, frequency of visits and ship design. Current guidelines provide a practical approach to tourism, but do not address all issues arising from tourist activity. Antarctic Treaty Parties agreed to examine the question of a comprehensive regulation of tourist activities in the Antarctic Treaty Area and policies are under review. Some issues may prove difficult to resolve. Compliance with existing guidelines is to be encouraged, at least until more is known about the environmental effects of tourism. A management plan for tourism is needed along with more research on how tourism is conducted and the effects visits have on Antarctica's marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Cooperation between Treaty Parties and tour operators is important for the development of appropriate tourism regulations.     

基于多源遥感数据的南极冰架与海岸线变化监测

综合使用光学与微波遥感数据,提出了南极冰架变化连续监测的系统方法,包括基于MOA的冰架基准图生成,基于相似性测度的影像匹配,及基于阈值与分水岭变换的图像分割方法.使用该方法获取了2002-2011年初全南极18个主要冰架的变化数据,并归纳了南极冰架变化的三种类别.进一步得出,近年间崩解变化为主的冰架均处于西南极,并主要集中在南极半岛;扩展变化为主的冰架集中在东南极;南极三大冰架的扩展变化明显,其中Amery冰架将在近年发生较大崩解.本研究首次获取了2002年初至2011年初每年一幅的动态的全南极海岸线数据,并得出近10年间南极海岸线扩展增加总量为5878 km².     

利用ICESat数据解算南极冰盖冰雪质量变化

南极冰盖冰雪质量变化反映了全球气候变化,并且直接影响着全球海平面变化.ICESat测高卫星的主要任务之一就是要确定南北两极冰盖的质量变化情况并评估其对全球海平面变化的影响.本文利用2003年10月至2008年12月的ICESat测高数据,针对南极DEM分辨率有限的特殊性,通过求解坡度改正值,解决重复轨道地面脚点不重合的问题,计算了南极大陆(86°S以北区域,后文所述南极冰盖均不包括86°S以南区域)在这5年里的冰雪质量变化情况,得到东南极冰盖的质量变化为-18±20Gt/a,西南极-26±6Gt/a,南极冰盖的冰雪质量变化为-44±21Gt/a,对全球海平面上升的影响约为0.12mm·a~(-1).解算结果表明,南极冰盖质量亏损主要集中在西南极阿蒙森海岸附近冰川以及东南极波因塞特角区域.     

Ice sheets and the CO2 problem

In this review, the carbon dioxide problem is discussed, with special reference to the possible effects of a global warming on the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica. Instead of detailed projections of future climate and the consequences, the basic mechanisms are explained and illustrated with results described in the literature.It is concluded that a doubling of the atmospheric CO₂ content (most likely to occur somewhere in the second half of the next century) will result in a globally-averaged warming of 2–4°C, and an intensification of the hydrological cycle. In the polar regions, this warming will be a few degrees larger and as a consequence the Greenland Ice Sheet will decrease in size. Antarctica, on the other hand, is expected to grow because of the increased snowfall. The instability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is also discussed and, although no conclusive prediction to its long-term response can be made, it is argued that on a short time scale (less than about 100 y) nothing dramatically wil happen to this part of Antarctica.     

1994-2014年南极沿岸验潮站海平面绝对变化确定与分析

鉴于卫星测高技术在南极周边海域会受到海面浮冰影响,且在利用测高序列分析海平面周期性动态变化时还会受到潮汐周期混叠效应的影响,为此,本文开展了基于GPS和验潮数据联合的南极大陆附近海域从1994-2014年间海平面的绝对变化研究.研究结果显示：在围绕南极大陆及附近海域的15个验潮站中,海平面绝对变化速度最大的是Diego Ramirez验潮站,达到11.10±0.04 mm·a^-1;在西南极南极半岛的德雷克海峡,海平面变化最为活跃,变化均值在8.31±0.05 mm·a^-1;在东南极,从Syowa站依次到Casey站,海平面的绝对变化速度相对平稳,四个潮位站海平面变化均值为3.35±0.04 mm·a^-1;在罗斯冰架右下侧的罗斯岛附近,由于冰川崩解入海导致Scott Base站处的海平面上升速度较快,达到了9.61±0.07 mm·a^-1.综合15个验潮站计算结果可得南极半岛德雷克海峡和罗斯岛附近海域,海平面绝对变化速度要高于同期南大洋海平面绝对变化速度,而东南极4个潮位站海平面绝对变化均值则与其相当.这也进一步反映了南极不同海域间海平面变化的差异性,相比较于对南大洋海平面变化的一个整体研究,分区研究海平面变化更具针对性,能更好地了解南极不同区域冰盖、冰架崩解和消融的情况.     

Environmental policy and regulation for oil exploration and shipping activities in the Barents Sea

The Barents Sea has one of the highest levels of biological production of all the world's oceans, and holds some of the largest fish stocks and concentrations of seabirds. Environmental conditions in the area make it particularly vulnerable to damage from human activities. Given the vulnerability of this ecosystem to the effects of human activity, and the fact that physical factors (e.g. reduced visibility, ice) increase risks due to oil exploitation and shipping activities, environmental authorities will work towards more stringent discharge limits and higher standards for emergency preparedness for both oil exploitation and shipping in the Barents Sea. The Norwegian Pollution Control Authority gives priority to preventive measures that can lower the probability of accidents and particular emphasis will be given to conditions attached to production licences and controls on activities in areas that have not yet been opened for petroleum activities. Within the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (the Rovaniemi-process), Norway has proposed that efforts should be made to improve the protection of Arctic marine areas, and further that a working group including representatives of all the Arctic countries should assess various legal instruments and possible measures, and make recommendations for action. Currently, no special international requirements apply to ships sailing in ice-infested waters, and the recommendations from the working group will therefore be of great importance in protecting the area from damage from shipping.     

Evaluation of the glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) models for Antarctica based on GPS vertical velocities

Due to the scarcity of data, modeling the glacial isostatic adjustment(GIA) for Antarctica is more difficult than it is for the ancient ice sheet area in North America and Northern Europe. Large uncertainties are observed in existing GIA models for Antarctica. Modern space-based geodetic measurements provide checks and constraints for GIA models. The present-day uplift velocities of global positioning system(GPS) stations at 73 stations in Antarctica and adjacent regions from 1996 to 2014 have been estimated using GAMIT/GLOBK version 10.5 with a colored noise model. To easily analyze the effect of difference sources on the vertical velocities, and for easy comparison with both GIA model predictions and GPS results from Argus et al.(2014) and Thomas et al.(2011), seven sub-regions are divided. They are the northern Antarctic Peninsula, the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf, the Amundsen Sea coast, the Ross Ice Shelf, Mount Erebus, inland Southwest Antarctica and the East Antarctic coast,respectively. The results show that the fast uplift in the north Antarctic Peninsula and Pine Island Bay regions may be caused by the elastic response to snow and ice mass loss. The fast subsidence near Mount Erebus may be related to the activity of a magma body. The uplift or subsidence near the East Antarctic coast is very slow while the uplift for the rest regions is mainly caused by GIA. By analyzing the correlation and the associated weighted root mean square(WRMS) between the GIA predictions and the GPS velocities, we found that the ICE-6G_C(VM5a) model and the Geruo 13 model show the most consistency with our GPS results, while the W12a and IJ05_R2 series models show poor consistency with our GPS results. Although improved greatly in recent years, the GIA modeling in Antarctica still lags behind the modeling of the North American. Some GPS stations, for example the Bennett Nunatak station(BENN), have observed large discrepancies between GIA predictions and GPS velocities.Because of the large uncertainties in calculating elastic responses due to the significant variations of ice and snow loads, the GPS velocities still cannot be used as a precise constraint on GIA models.     

The common agricultural policy and the general environmental policies concerned with agriculture in the European Community and their implications for fertilizer consumption

This paper traces the major developments in the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and related environmental policy and examines their impact on the use of crop nutrients. The objectives of the CAP were set out in the Treaty of Rome in 1957 and have not been explicitly revised. The Community has, however, progressed from being a significant importer to a major exporter of food. Various changes in the policy measures/reforms, have been implemented, each to control the continuing increase in farm output. The latest of these in May 1992 reduced commodity prices towards world market levels, introduced 15% set aise for arable land, as well as agreeing a number of agri-environmental measures. Further changes are anticipated following the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and as new trade agreements are reached with the countries of the former Eastern Bloc. Inevitably, existing farm systems will be subject to careful reappraisal. The Community's environmental objectives were added to the Treaty in 1987 with the passing of the European Single Act. The interaction between agriculture and the environment has been a prominent concern. The Directive 91/676, which seeks to protect water against pollution caused by nitrate from agricultural sources, is the first Directive to have a major direct impact on farm practive. The Fifth Environmental Action Plan for 1993–2000 ‘Towards Sustainability’ selects agriculture as one of five industries for specific attention. The plan seeks an extensification of agriculture and a reduction in the use of chemicals. Changes in the amount of plant nutrients from both farmyard manure and mineral fertilizers used in agriculture are quantified. Methods of determining the efficiency with which they are utilized are assessed. New advisory techniques which will improve the efficiency of nutrient use on the farm are considered, as are the implications for the future demand for nutrients from mineral fertilizers. This paper is the view of the European Fertilizer Manufacturers Association.     

Mesozoic evolution of West Antarctica and the Weddell Sea Basin: new paleomagnetic constraints

Paleomagnetic data from the Antarctic Peninsula and our recent results from the Ellsworth-Whitmore Mountains block suggest that since the Middle Jurassic these two West Antarctic blocks have undergone little relative movement and together have rotated relative to the East Antarctic craton. New data from Lower Cretaceous rocks from the Thurston Island region of West Antarctica suggest that on the basis of paleomagnetic constraints, the Antarctic Peninsula, Ellsworth-Whitmore Mountains and Thurston Island blocks define a single entity which we call Weddellia; some motion between these blocks is possible within the limits of the paleomagnetic data.Between the Middle Jurassic and Early Cretaceous, Weddellia remained attached to West Gondwanaland while East Antarctica moved southward (dextrally) relative to Weddellia. From the Early Cretaceous to mid-Cretaceous, Weddellia rotated clockwise 30° and moved sinistrally approximately 2500 km relative to East Antarctica, to its present-day position. We suggest the Early to mid-Cretaceous to be the time of the main if not initial opening of the Weddell Sea.     

基于GRACE资料研究南极冰盖消减对海平面的影响

利用5年的GRACE重力数据,计算了南极1°×1°等效水量时间序列,得到每个格网的趋势项,结果表明在西南极Amundsen区域有明显的负增长,超过-80 mm/a,南极半岛存在着负增长,东南极Enderby Land地区质量增长;计算得到2002年7月到2007年9月南极、东南极和西南极冰盖的等效体积变化分别为-78±37 km³/a,-3±46 km³/a和-75±50 km³/a,对应海平面变化的贡献为0.21±0.1 mm/a,0.008±0.127 mm/a和0.2±0.14 mm/a.该结果与国际最新研究结果一致.同时发现冰后回弹是影响利用GRACE研究南极冰盖质量变化的关键因素.     

Rayleigh-wave group velocity distribution in the Antarctic region

We determined 2D group velocity distribution of Rayleigh waves at periods of 20-150 s in the Antarctic region using a tomographic inversion technique. The data are recorded by both permanent networks and temporary arrays. In East Antarctica the velocities are high at periods of 90-150 s, suggesting that the root of East Antarctica is very deep. The velocities in West Antarctica are low at all periods, which may be related to the volcanic activity and the West Antarctic Rift System. Low velocity anomalies appear at periods of 40-140 s along the Southeastern Indian Ridge and the western part of the Pacific Antarctic Ridge. The velocities are only slightly low around the Atlantic Indian Ridge, Southwestern Indian Ridge, and the eastern part of the Pacific Antarctic Ridge, where the spreading rates are small. Around two hotspots, the Mount Erebus and Balleny Islands, the velocity is low at periods of 50-150 s.     

Esterase activities in the bivalve mollusc Adamussium colbecki as a biomarker for pollution monitoring in the Antarctic marine environment

Marine environments are continuously being threatened by a large number of xenobiotics from anthropogenic sources. Even in sparsely populated and relatively pristine areas, such as Antarctica, hazardous chemicals can pose a serious environmental problem. The main aims of the present study were to (1) validate and optimize an analytical technique utilizing a microtitre-plate photometer to ascertain background levels of esterase activities in the Antarctic bivalve Adamussium colbecki, (2) carry out in situ monitoring of esterase activities to assess any potential environmental impacts of the Italian Scientific Antarctic Base "Terra Nova Bay" on the surrounding marine area. Results showed the presence of organophosphorous-sensitive cholinesterase (ChE) and carboxylesterase (CbE) activities in the gills of A. colbecki and optimal assay conditions were comparable with those found for bivalve species from temperate areas. A higher sensitivity of ChE versus acetylthiocholine activity in A. colbecki to chlorpyrifos compared to species from temperate areas may also be inferred. The in situ study indicated no differences in the environmental quality of the three study sites located around the Italian Base.     

Combined Gravimetric–Seismic Crustal Model for Antarctica

The latest seismic data and improved information about the subglacial bedrock relief are used in this study to estimate the sediment and crustal thickness under the Antarctic continent. Since large parts of Antarctica are not yet covered by seismic surveys, the gravity and crustal structure models are used to interpolate the Moho information where seismic data are missing. The gravity information is also extended offshore to detect the Moho under continental margins and neighboring oceanic crust. The processing strategy involves the solution to the Vening Meinesz-Moritz’s inverse problem of isostasy constrained on seismic data. A comparison of our new results with existing studies indicates a substantial improvement in the sediment and crustal models. The seismic data analysis shows significant sediment accumulations in Antarctica, with broad sedimentary basins. According to our result, the maximum sediment thickness in Antarctica is about 15 km under Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf. The Moho relief closely resembles major geological and tectonic features. A rather thick continental crust of East Antarctic Craton is separated from a complex geological/tectonic structure of West Antarctica by the Transantarctic Mountains. The average Moho depth of 34.1 km under the Antarctic continent slightly differs from previous estimates. A maximum Moho deepening of 58.2 km under the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains in East Antarctica confirmed the presence of deep and compact orogenic roots. Another large Moho depth in East Antarctica is detected under Dronning Maud Land with two orogenic roots under Wohlthat Massif (48–50 km) and the Kottas Mountains (48–50 km) that are separated by a relatively thin crust along Jutulstraumen Rift. The Moho depth under central parts of the Transantarctic Mountains reaches 46 km. The maximum Moho deepening (34–38 km) in West Antarctica is under the Antarctic Peninsula. The Moho depth minima in East Antarctica are found under the Lambert Trench (24–28 km), while in West Antarctica the Moho depth minima are along the West Antarctic Rift System under the Bentley depression (20–22 km) and Ross Sea Ice Shelf (16–24 km). The gravimetric result confirmed a maximum extension of the Antarctic continental margins under the Ross Sea Embayment and the Weddell Sea Embayment with an extremely thin continental crust (10–20 km).     

A procedure for identifying significant environmental aspects in sea ports

A new methodology has been designed to identify and rank the significant environmental aspects in sea ports. The main objective of the Strategic Overview of Significant Environmental Aspects (SOSEA) is to help port managers to identify significant environmental aspects and to reinforce the awareness about them in order to prioritise work in environmental management. Developed in close collaboration with port environmental managers and tested in a set of ports, it is a user-friendly tool that can be applied in approximately half a working day. It is based on ISO 14001 vocabulary and requirements and it can be considered as the base for the implementation of any Environmental Management System for port communities.     

基于GRACE RL06数据监测和分析南极冰盖27个流域质量变化

本文基于CSR最新公布的GRACE RL06版本数据,采用Slepian空域反演法估算了南极冰盖27个流域的质量变化.Slepian空域反演法结合了Slepian空间谱集中法和空域反演法的技术优势,能够有效降低GRACE在小区域反演时信号出现的严重泄漏和衰减,进而精确获得南极冰盖在每个流域的质量变化.相对于GRACE RL05版本数据,RL06在条带误差的控制上要更加优化,获得的南极冰盖质量变化时间序列也更加平滑,但在趋势估算上差别并不明显(小于10Gt/a).本文的估算结果显示:在2002年4月至2016年8月期间,整个南极冰盖质量变化速率为-118.6±16.3Gt/a,其中西南极为-142.4±10.5Gt/a,南极半岛为-29.2±2.1Gt/a,东南极则为52.9±8.6Gt/a.南极冰盖损失最大的区域集中在西南极Amundsen Sea Embayment(流域20-23),该地区质量变化速率为-203.5±4.1Gt/a,其次为南极半岛(流域24-27)以及东南极Victoria-Wilkes Land (流域13-15),质量变化速率分别为-29.2±2.1Gt/a和-19.0±4.7Gt/a,其中Amundsen Sea Embayment和南极半岛南部两个地区的冰排放呈现加速状态.南极冰盖质量显著增加的区域主要有西南极的Ellsworth Land(流域1)和Siple Coast(流域18和19)以及东南极的Coats-Queen Maud-Enderby Land (流域3-8),三个地区质量变化速率分别为17.2±2.4Gt/a、43.9±1.9Gt/a和62.7±3.8Gt/a,质量增加大多来自降雪累积,比如:Coats-Queen Maud-Enderby Land在2009年和2011年发生的大规模降雪事件,但也有来自冰川的增厚,如:Siple Coast地区Kamb冰流的持续加厚.此外,对GRACE估算的南极冰盖质量变化年际信号进行初步分析发现,GRACE年际信号与气候模型估算的冰盖表面质量平衡年际信号存在显著的线性相关关系,但与主要影响南极气候年际变化的气候事件之间却不存在线性相关关系,这说明南极冰盖质量变化的年际信号主要受冰盖表面质量平衡的支配,而气候事件对冰盖表面质量平衡的影响可能是复杂的非线性耦合过程.     

The influence of global and local atmospheric pollution on the chemistry of Antarctic snow and ice

The Antarctic ice sheet is the main sink for atmospheric pollution reaching the Antarctic atmosphere from other continents. The ice preserves a historical record of the atmosphere that can be recovered in ice cores. No increasing trend is observed over recent decades for nitrate and sulphate. There appears to have been an increase of perhaps eight-fold in lead concentrations in Antarctic snow, but the details of when the increase occurred have still to be defined. Many other species could be measured, but analytical problems have hampered such work. These studies would be impaired if emissions due to human activity in Antarctica became significant. The effect on snow concentrations of emissions from fuel and waste burning at Antarctic stations and from vehicles is still mainly confined to small areas around stations.     

Projecting future sea level

Through the use of fossil fuels as an energy source, mankind is slowly changing the constitution of the atmosphere. The emission of CO₂ and other greenhouse gases changes the radiative properties of the earth/atmosphere system, and as a result climate is expected to become warmer. As a starting point for the sea-level rise scenario discussed here it is assumed that the globally-averaged increase of surface air temperatures will amount to 2 to 4°C in the second half of the next century (i.e. around 2085 AD). One of the consequences of this warming is an accelerated rise in sea level, caused by thermal expansion of ocean water and further retreat of mountain glaciers. The Greenland Ice Sheet will also decrease in size, but on the other hand, Antarctica is expected to grow slightly due to increased snowfall. Taken together, the projection for future sea level presented here suggest that by 2085 AD, global sea-level stand will be 28–66 cm higher than the present level, which implies a rate of sea-level rise of about 2 to 4 times that observed during the last 100 yr. Our scenario does not include a contribution resulting from the possible collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. If this collapse is indeed likely to occur after the major peripheral ice shelves have thinned considerably, the effects on sea level will be small in the coming 100 yr. First, the oceans surrounding Antarctica must have warmed sufficiently to reduce the winter sea-ice extent to allow circumpolar deep water to penetrate into the sub-shelf cavities, thus increasing basal melt rates on the ice shelves. Of course, on longer time scales, West Antarctica could become the major contributor to rising sea level.     

南极地震学研究进展

归纳总结了在南极开展地震学研究中的各种主要方法及其研究成果,较全面地介绍了南极地震学研究的现状与进展．首先对南极地震活动性作了简单的介绍,然后分别介绍了利用面波和体波研究地壳上地幔结构的主要成果,最后从地震各向异性的角度归纳介绍了南极大陆部分区域面波方位各向异性及剪切波分裂研究的主要成果．研究表明,南极大陆地震活动性较低、地震强度较小,仅在横贯南极山脉区域、维多利亚地、阿黛利地、威尔克斯地等有较明显的地震活动; 横贯南极山脉将南极大陆分为东南极和西南极两个不同的地质构造区域,东南极地壳和上地幔地震波速度偏高,西南极则偏低;上地幔各向异性较为明显并普遍存在,且西南极各向异性强度稍高于东南极克拉通．