17 JANUARY 2025 | OUR SCIENCE
After months of planning, 10 science experiments from DST and the Antarctic Science Platform departed Devonport Naval Base on board HMNZS Aotearoa, the Royal New Zealand Navy’s maritime sustainment vessel as part of a resupply mission. The ship and crew of the Aotearoa will stop in Geelong, Australia before continuing to Antarctica to deliver food, supplies and engineering equipment for New Zealand and United States bases on the ice.
As well as its resupply mission, Aotearoa is supporting scientific research. Three scientists are tasked with running experiments for the NZ Antarctic Science Platform and DST.
DST’s main science objectives include:
- successful deployment of global drifters - satellite-tracked buoys that measure ocean conditions and sends the data to scientists and are important for weather forecasting especially for NZ as we are surrounded by ocean - with MetService and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- deployment of SOFAR ocean buoys used for wave forecasting
- collection of air samples on behalf of GNS Science to help scientists better understand CO2 uptakes in the Southern Ocean
- conduct eDNA underwater sampling on behalf of University of Otago to detect the types of cetaceans living in the water
- monitoring of an acoustic and oceanographic mooring at the polar front
- installation of the Rutter Ice Navigator to test the ship’s ability to detect sea ice
- record the presence of penguins, seals and whales in sea, on ice and on land on behalf of the University of Canterbury
- deployment of three ARGO floats - robot floats that measure temperature and salinity throughout the world's oceans
DST Division Chief Sally Garrett says their focus is safer navigation by measuring marine weather and sea ice. In addition to the science mission on Aotearoa, science activities for the NZ Antarctic Science Platform are also being completed from RV Tangaroa, NIWA’s research vessel, which is in Antarctic waters at the same time.
“The use of Aotearoa greatly increases the extent of where NZ science can be undertaken, including the deployment of robotic ocean sensors in the eastern regions of the Ross Sea.”
The overall resupply mission highlights Aotearoa’s role in ensuring New Zealand remains a valuable partner in the Ross Sea region. DST is proud to support Antarctica New Zealand and the scientific work during this deployment.
DST science researcher Sara Kinghan, aboard the Aotearoa, is documenting the science team's progress including updates from her personal journey throughout the voyage.