Antarctic research mission aims to enhance our understanding of the carbon-cycle

A team of international researchers has embarked on the first official science cruise of the UK’s new polar research ship, the RRS Sir David Attenborough. The £9m BIOPOLE project aims to understand how Antarctic ecosystems and sea ice influence global ocean cycles of carbon and nutrients. Using Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, the team will explore areas below free-floating sea ice, crucial in the global carbon cycle. The research will provide insights into how the Southern Ocean is impacted by environmental change, affecting marine life from copepods to whales and penguins. The mission is set to take place in early December in the Weddell Sea. (ENN)