The end of another week draws close, bringing with it the realization that there are not too many left before we head South to spend the winter at Scott Base, Antarctica. Scratch off a few of those weeks due to the Christmas holidays and we’ve got about 5 weeks left to pack and test everything we're going to need to study winter sea ice growth in McMurdo sound for 9 months. Over the last few weeks, we’ve sent off a flurry of purchase orders and the Physics Department's machine shop has been kept busy with orders for custom designs. Our collaborators at VUW, NIWA and IRL are busy preparing their components of the program and everyone’s inboxes have been brimm...

Zhongshan Station serves as the logistical hub of Chinese scientific research activities in East Antarctica and in the near future it will be a support platform for the new Kunlun Station to be constructed at Dome A. Situated in a small ice-free coastal region between the ice sheet and the ocean, Zhongshan Station serves as a base for scientists conducting research at the station and out in the field. In his latest report, SciencePoles reporter Je...

December 4th, 2008, was our seventh International Polar Day (including the launch), this time focusing on research 'Above The Polar Regions'. You'd think by now we would know how to do these... but every time, without exception, is experimental and exciting. Much like the IPY science we are discussing. In the following days, we heard from people around the world: Brazil The last IPY Day, ...

Content: 1. IPY Data letters to National Committees 2. Publications, Reports, Special Issues 3. IPY Celebrations, February 2009 4. IPY at AGU Conference, December 2008 5. Current Antarctic Season 6. Images 7. IPY Closure over Holiday Season Report no. 20, December 2008 From: IPY International Programme Office To: IPY Project Coordinators cc: IPY Community Google Groups 1. IPY Data Management letters The IPY Joint Committee co-chairs have sent Data Management letters to 10 IPY National Committees (Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, UK). These letters encourage those countries that have national IP...

Today, Thursday December 4th, IPY is celebrating it's seventh International Polar Day, this time focussing on research Above The Polar Regions. In conjunction with this event, several IPY partners have released new information about their projects. Here are some examples: *** Global Interagency IPY Polar Year Snapshot GIIPSY ...

New rifts have developed on the Wilkins Ice Shelf that could lead to the opening of the ice bridge that has been preventing the ice shelf from disintegrating and breaking away from the Antarctic Peninsula. Full Story, including animations The ice bridge connects the Wilkins Ice Shelf to two islands, Charcot and Latady. As seen in the Envisat image above acquired on 26 November 2008, new rifts (denoted by colourful lines and dates of the events) have formed to the east of Latady Island and appear to be moving in a northerly direction. Dr Angelika Humbert from the Institute of Geophysics, Münster University, and Dr Matthias Braun from the Center for...

Solar Linkages to Atmospheric Processes (SLAP) is an International Polar Year project investigating the links between changes in solar output and weather and climate. Thunderstorms and lightning strikes drive electricity around the world and form part of a global 'atmospheric electric circuit' that flows between the ground and the lower reaches of the ionosphere – about 80km up. Thunderstorms and electrified clouds are the 'batteries' of the atmospheric electric circuit, which drive the current from the ground to the ionosphere, while lightning is a visual representation of the current. The flow of current around the world is modulated by cosmic rays, whic...

New rifts have developed on the Wilkins Ice Shelf that could lead to the opening of the ice bridge that has been preventing the ice shelf from disintegrating and breaking away from the Antarctic Peninsula. The ice bridge connects the Wilkins Ice Shelf to two islands, Charcot and Latady. As seen in the Envisat image above acquired on 26 November 2008, new rifts (denoted by colourful lines and dates of the events) have formed to the east of Latady Island and appear to be moving in a northerly direction. Dr Angelika Humbert from the Institute of Geophysics, Münster University, and Dr Matthias Braun from the Center for Remote Sensing, University of Bonn, spotted the newly formed rifts during their daily monitoring activities of the ice sheet via Envisat Advanced...

MEDIA ADVISORY On December 4th, 2008, the International Polar Year 2007-8 (IPY) will launch its seventh International Polar Day focusing on research Above the Polar Regions, including meteorology, atmospheric science, astronomy, and the view of the polar regions from space. This event coincides with the start of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA). During the week of December 4th, IPY scientists will make themselves available to discuss their research and answer questions from university students, the media, general public, and school children. Activities include live events, a world-wide ‘launch a virtual weather balloon

Below is a list of Press officers responsible for IPY events around the world.

Please also consult National IPY Committees for information on national events.

ICSU: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , ICSU Paris
WMO: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Australia: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Government Antarctic Division
Canada: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Canadian IPY secretariat