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High-Tech Software and Unmanned Planes Allow Scientists to Keep Tabs on Arctic Seals

By Guest PostDecember 15, 2010Environment, Natureaerial photos, aircraft, Arctic, arctic ringed seal, atmosphere, bearded, bering sea, cameras, climate scientists, earth, elizabeth weatherhead, four species of arctic seals, greenhouse gases, ice floes, marine, noaa, novel project, peter boveng, polar ecosystems, ribbon seals, ringed, scan eagle, sea ice, seal populations, seals, spotted, temperatures, terrestrial mammals

A novel project using cameras mounted on unmanned aircraft flying over the Arctic is serving double duty by assessing the characteristics of declining sea ice and using the same aerial photos to pinpoint seals that have hauled up on ice floes.

The project is the first to use aircraft to monitor ice and seals in remote areas without putting pilots and observers at risk, said Elizabeth Weatherhead of the University of Colorado at Boulder, who is leading the study team. Weatherhead is a senior scientist at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, a joint venture of CU-Boulder and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (more…)

NSF’s Nathaniel B. Palmer Sails with Sweden’s Oden to Study Antarctic Peninsula Ecosystem

By Guest PostDecember 10, 20101 commentEnvironmentamundsen sea polynya, antarctic circumpolar current, antarctic peninsula ecosystem, antarctic waters, sea ice

Amundsen Sea Polynya International Research Expedition (ASPIRE) Combines Research and Education

In a unique and complex example of “science diplomacy,” teams of U.S. and Swedish scientists are sailing this month aboard two research vessels to study the ecology of the Amundsen Sea, one of the least-explored and most productive bodies in Antarctic waters, and to gauge the potential effects of a changing climate on the Southern Ocean. (more…)

Polar Bears (getting attention)

By ShamsMay 19, 2008Environmentpolar bear, sea ice

It’s old news already. But good to hear again. Polar bear is now in the list of endangered species of U.S government. Polar bears sea ice habitat has melted dramatically in recent decades (a clear sign of global warming). And further receding of polar ice is likely in the coming years (45 years in the count that the PBs will face trouble harder).

(more…)

Tag Archives: sea ice

High-Tech Software and Unmanned Planes Allow Scientists to Keep Tabs on Arctic Seals

NSF’s Nathaniel B. Palmer Sails with Sweden’s Oden to Study Antarctic Peninsula Ecosystem

Polar Bears (getting attention)