Antarctic Research Centre

The Antarctic Research Centre (ARC) is part of the School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences at Victoria University of Wellington. Its mission is to research "Antarctic climate history and processes, and their influence on the global climate system."[1] Its current director is Professor Tim Naish.[2]

History

The ARC was established in 1972 as part of the Department of Geology at Victoria University. Its first director was Professor Peter Barrett.[3]

Research

Research conducted at ARC focuses on climate change, including the analysis of ocean floor sediment cores and ice cores, and glacial modeling.[1] Researchers from ARC have studied different factors that impact polar ice, including CO2 levels[4][5] and oscillations in the Earth's orbit.[6][7]

Antarctic Expeditions

The ARC conducts annual research explorations, known as the Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expeditions (VUWAE), into Antarctica. The first expedition, which explored the McMurdo Dry Valleys was undertaken on December 30, 1957, by Peter Webb and Barrie McKelvey, two third-year geology students.[3][8] Since then, students and staff have made annual expeditions to conduct research in areas such as glacial history and climate change.[9]

Researchers that have been involved in VUWAEs include Harold Wellman, who discovered the Alpine Fault.[10]

Expedition reports have been digitised by the NZETC. (See .)

References

  1. 1 2 "Home - Antarctic Research Centre." Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, 2010. http://www.victoria.ac.nz/antarctic/default.aspx. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  2. ↑ "Tim Naish - Antarctic Research Centre". Victoria University of Wellington. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 11 Nov 2011.
  3. 1 2 "History - Antarctic Research Centre." Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, 2010. http://www.victoria.ac.nz/antarctic/about/history.aspx. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  4. ↑ Gibson, Eloise (July 4, 2009). "Alarm grows over big melt in Antarctica". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  5. ↑ Golledge, N. R.; Kowalewski, D. E.; Naish, T. R.; Levy, R. H.; Fogwill, C. J.; Gasson, E. G. W. "The multi-millennial Antarctic commitment to future sea-level rise". Nature. 526 (7573): 421–425. doi:10.1038/nature15706.
  6. ↑ Naish, Tim R.; Woolfe, Ken J.; Barrett, Peter J.; Wilson, Gary S.; Atkins, Cliff; Bohaty, Steven M.; Bücker, Christian J.; Claps, Michele; Davey, Fred J.; Dunbar, Gavin B.; Dunn, Alistair G.; Fielding, Chris R.; Florindo, Fabio; Hannah, Michael J.; Harwood, David M.; Henrys, Stuart A.; Krissek, Lawrence A.; Lavelle, Mark; van der Meer, Jaap; McIntosh, William C.; Niessen, Frank; Passchier, Sandra; Powell, Ross D.; Roberts, Andrew P.; Sagnotti, Leonardo; Scherer, Reed P.; Strong, C. Percy; Talarico, Franco; Verosub, Kenneth L.; Villa, Giuliana; Watkins, David K.; Webb, Peter-N.; Wonik, Thomas (18 October 2001). "Orbitally induced oscillations in the East Antarctic ice sheet at the Oligocene/Miocene boundary". Nature. 413 (6857): 719–723. doi:10.1038/35099534. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  7. ↑ Patterson, M. O.; McKay, R.; Naish, T.; Escutia, C.; Jimenez-Espejo, F. J.; Raymo, M. E.; Meyers, S. R.; Tauxe, L.; Brinkhuis, H. "Orbital forcing of the East Antarctic ice sheet during the Pliocene and Early Pleistocene". Nature Geoscience. 7 (11): 841–847. doi:10.1038/ngeo2273.
  8. ↑ VUWAE Reunion Programme. Victoria University of Wellington, 2007. http://www.victoria.ac.nz/antarctic/pdf/VUWAE_Reunion_Programme.pdf
  9. ↑ nathan, simon (2005). Harold Wellman:a man who moved New Zealand. Victoria University Press.

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