Project description

The Antarctic Geoscience project has the following aims and objectives:

• Advising the Australian Government on issues relating to Antarctic geoscience as necessary, in particular by organising assessment of project proposals and providing annual reports to government;
• providing leadership for Australian Antarctic geoscience research by directing potential researches into work contributing to the Australian Antarctic Division strategic plan;
• carrying out marine geoscience research in the Antarctic; and
• capturing and disseminating geoscience information to meet the Australian Government's objectives for Antarctic research.

The project conducts research on the Antarctic marine environment in line with Australia's Marine Science and Technology Plan 25 June 1999 [PDF 1.2MB] and the Australian Government's Goals for Antarctic Research.

Project outcomes

• Maintenance of the Antarctic Treaty System and enhancement of Australia's influence within the system;
• protection of the Antarctic environment; and
• improve understanding of the role of Antarctica on the global climate system.

Project outputs

• Census of Antarctic Marine Life (geoscience component)
  1. Benthic biodiversity of the continental slope and deep sea which will involve seabed mapping and sedimentology as part of an Australian Government Antarctic Division marine survey to the George V margin of Antarctica and a post-survey report
  2. Life beneath disintegrating ice shelves - Geoscience Australia holds three sediment cores from beneath the Amery Ice Shelf which represents the only sample of benthic biota ever obtained from below a major ice shelf. Publications will be produced on the implications of this data for understanding Antarctic sea floor processes.
• Annual report to Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts on Australian Antarctic geoscience research and reports to international bodies involved in the Antarctic.