Australian Antarctic Division
New research showing that ‘supercooled’ Southern Ocean clouds are different from any others on Earth, promises to improve climate and weather forecasting models.
It also raises tantalising questions about how microscopic life in the Southern Ocean affects Antarctic climate and weather.
The monkey (top) deck of Aurora Australis was fitted out with 64 instruments to measure cloud, aerosol, precipitation and radiation properties during summer 2017-18. Photo: Doug Thost
The findings come after an international team conducted four major field campaigns between 2016 and 2018 to measure clouds, aerosols (fine particles), precipitation (rainfall and snowfall), and the state of the atmosphere over the Southern Ocean, from ships, aircraft and a sub-Antarctic island.
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A certain form of mysterious shimmering, soaring cloud is starting to appear more often in the night sky, and scientists are working to understand why.
These wispy clouds are so high up in the sky that they reflect the sun’s light even after it’s well over the horizon, giving them an eerie glow in the twilight. Hence their name, noctilucent, meaning “night shining.”
They are often found at the far northern and southern reaches of the planet during their respective summers, although the clouds have occasionally been seen in other locales. They’re visible a couple hours after sunset and before sunrise as iridescent indigo feathers, their ice crystals bending and reflecting fleeting rays.
One unexpected side effect of the pandemic is that it has turned many of us into explorers of our land. Confined within the borders of our own country, we ve headed out – with campervans, four-wheel drives, or on guided tours – to discover the under-explored corners of the continent. We ve discovered there is a huge interest in more remote areas, says Chris Fundell, of the Globus family of brands. The Kimberley is now our number one region.
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After having specialised in tours for international travellers, the company has designed a new range of tours for Australians wanting to explore their own backyard, and found a strong interest in getting off the beaten track.
âThatâs enough from usâ: What the Get Krackinâ team did next
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Kate McCartney is dressed as a penguin. Not over Zoom but on her 40th birthday, which she celebrated last year during Melbourneâs hard lockdown.
âI donât know if youâre gonna be able to see this very well,â she says, flicking through the photos on her phone, which she is holding up to her computerâs camera.
Kate McLennan (left) and Kate McCartney get up close with the penguinâs at SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium.