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Reposted by Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿

Eric Fisher @efisherwx.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

Aurora color guide! What creates the different shades? Different atoms getting "excited" at different altitudes The bright reds are a sign of a particularly intense event

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Reposted by Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿

Zack Labe @zacklabe.com · 01/11/2025

Saturday ice update - #Arctic sea ice extent is currently the 4th lowest on record (JAXA data) • about 520,000 km² below the 2010s mean • about 1,440,000 km² below the 2000s mean • about 2,170,000 km² below the 1990s mean • about 2,410,000 km² below the 1980s mean More zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i...

Line graph time series of 2025's daily Arctic sea ice extent compared to decadal averages from the 1980s to the 2010s. The decadal averages are shown with different colored lines with purple for the 1980s, blue for the 1990s, green for the 2000s, and white for the 2010s. Thin white lines are also shown for each year from 2000 to 2024. 2025 is shown with a thick gold line. There is a long-term decreasing trend in ice extent for every day of the year shown on this graph between September and October by looking at the decadal average line positions.

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Ngā mihi to the Antarctic Science Platform and Antarctica New Zealand for supporting our kaupapa. These three experts will be viewing Antarctic science and operations through tikanga & Mātauranga lenses so we can understand how to do things better. Now it's time to fly!

Delane, Sandy, and Aimee show their boarding passes for today's flight to the Antarctic, standing outside the entrance to the APT (Antarctic Passenger Terminal).

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Reposted by Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿

Elanti Media @elantimedia.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

MIGHTY INDEED lead and scientist Dr. Natalie Robinson talks about the core of her work with Team K892 in Antarctica. @polargirlnz.bsky.social @antarcticanews.bsky.social Watch full trailer on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7r8...

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

The sub-ice platelet layer is a unique marine habitat, harbouring the highest concentrations of primary productivity of any oceanic ice. This provides nutrition for the rest of the marine ecosystem. The chains in this video are 5m apart. 📽 Leigh Tait | NIWA & Boxfish 💲 Antarctic Science Platform

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Here's what the platelet layer looks like from underneath: untold billions of individual ice crystals float up from the water column to accumulate against the base of the sea ice above them. The crystals deposit like grains of sand, creating ripple & billow structures. 📽 Leigh Tait | NIWA & Boxfish

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 18/12/2024

Here's what we were in Antarctica for... I study the 'sub-ice platelet layer' - a fragile accumulation of individual ice crystals that form in supercooled ocean water and float up to land against the base of the sea ice. The ocean is supercooled b/c of the addition of newly-melted ice shelf water.

'Cutting' a hole through the sea ice to make access for a ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) into the ocean beneath. The hole is made by first drilling a series of overlapping holes, each ~1m deep, then melting through the remaining ~30 cm of sea ice with hot water pumped through a T-bar.

The lowest section of sea ice broken free and sitting overturned in the newly-completed hole. The base of the sea ice is covered with a layer of ice crystals ('platelet ice') that have precipitated upwards and out of the underlying water column to attach to the base of the sea ice above. Although this image shows only the thin layer of ice crystals that were physically attached to the sea ice, the crystals had actually accumulated into a layer >1.5 m thick - a 'sub-ice platelet layer' (SIPL). The result is a fragile, 3-dimensional ice-water lattice beneath the sea ice, which is home to the highest concentrations of algae associated with any type of ice in the ocean (the brown colouring in this image).

A block of sea ice removed to create an access hole for an ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle). The base of the sea ice block is covered with a thin layer of ice crystals ('platelet ice'), which forms an excellent habitat for algae (brown colouration), the base of the marine food chain). The layer of platelet crystals can accumulate to several meters thick over a single growth season, creating a quiescent and protective environment for phytoplankton (algae) and the tiny critters that feed on them. The detritus raining out of the 'sub-ice platelet layer (SIPL) also provides nutrition for the next layers of the marine food web.

A small clump of platelet ice recovered while melting a hole through sea ice. This shows the fragile, porous structure of the sub-ice platelet layer, which is created as the individual crystals land then attach to, or even grow through, each other. While in-situ beneath the base of the sea ice, the gaps (or 'interstices') between the crystals are filled with water, forming a robust, coherent and unique marine habitat. However, when pulled to the surface, and the water drains out, the structure loses its structural integrity, disintegrating completely with only the slightest disturbance.

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

This year's sea ice growth season was marked frequent southerly storms which vastly reduced the area of ice we could safely work on (almost identical to 2022), and created lots of ridged/rafted sea ice features. Here's how it ended up directly over our mooring site - very challenging for acoustics.

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 15/12/2024

The sea ice in front of 🇳🇿Scott Base gets pushed up against the land to form 'pressure ridges'. Each year, a safe route is flagged, allowing people to walk through and around them. It's a chance to see lots of Weddell Seals and their newborn pups (as well as beautiful & fantastical ice structures).

Some of my team walk the 'flagged route' through the sea ice pressure ridges immediately in front of New Zealand's Scott Base.

Fantastical shapes formed by the sea ice as it is pushed up against the coast of Ross Island.

The low angle of evening sunlight reveals structure and layers within the sea ice in large blocks that have been forced up by the pressure of the sea ice cover being pushed up against the coast of Ross Island.

A science team enjoy an evening stroll along the safe, flagged route among the pressure ridges that form each year immediately in front of 🇳🇿 Scott Base.

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

Inside one of our Hydrolabs (converted shipping container with a lift out floor) at part of our Antarctic field camp. We can carry on observing the ocean for weeks at a time (i.e. without our sea ice hole freezing over), whatever the weather. Occasionally, we have to share...

Inside one of the containers that make up our Antarctic field camp. Towards the back is a hole in the floor - we've melted through the sea ice to provide continuous access to the ocean below.

The line up of converted shipping containers that make up our Antarctic field camp. With visiting Adelie penguin.

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

Here's what the camp looks like once it's set up. Two of the containers have lift-up sections of floor. This means we can melt down through the sea ice and access the ocean for weeks at a time, all from inside a warm shelter. I'll show you that next time...

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Reposted by Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿

Copernicus ECMWF @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

November 2024 #C3S Climate Bulletin: it was the second-warmest November globally on record. Findings: 🌡️ +0.73°C above 1991-2020 average 🔥 on track to be the warmest year on record 🌊 Sea surface temperature second highest value All details: climate.copernicus.eu/surface-air-...

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

Our Antarctic field camp is made up of a series of converted shipping containers which are pulled out to site by bulldozers. We have generator, kitchen, freezer (!), sleeping, dry lab and wet lab spaces. 12 containers in all. And the last on the line is the toilet cubicle.

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

Antarctica is a great place for seeing unusual light phenomena. Here's a couple of sun halos / sun dogs from early (left) and late in the season. Occurs when sunlight passes through a layer of ice crystals in the atmosphere. I happened to be up at 4am to capture the second one 😊

People stop to look at a weak sun halo while traveling in Antarctica.

An early morning sun halo with sun dogs, as viewed from New Zealand's Scott Base.

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

We had a big team this year (11 in total), so we traveled to Antarctica in 2 cohorts. Cohort #1 (Brett, Greg, Svenja, Me, Ollie) were the only kiwis on our flight and had the uncommon privilege of being collected from the airfield by a Hägglunds from Scott Base. Then it was straight into camp prep.

Team of five people dressed in full ECW ('Extreme Cold Weather) gear, just arrived into Antarctica. The C-17 aircraft can be seen in the background.

A Hägglunds is a double-cab, all-terrain tracked vehicle, used extensively for land-based travel by the New Zealand Antarctic programme.

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Reposted by Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿

Nicola Gaston @nicgaston.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

First thing written. Need to walk it off and then will write the longer follow up 🤷‍♀️ #MarsdenSchmarsden

I am horrified by today’s announcement. I am absolutely disgusted by the way that the kind of science I, and my colleagues do – as physical scientists involved in research that is purposeful, focused on solutions to climate and sustainability challenges, that do have real economic value – is being weaponised against our colleagues in the humanities and the social sciences.

The work that our colleagues in the humanities and social sciences do is incredibly important. We can do all the work in developing clean technologies we want, but if we don’t understand the barrriers to people purchasing that tech? It becomes useless.

We need scholars who work in the arts, in the social sciences, who ask questions about who we are and why. We need these people not only so that they may publish their work – and it is fair to consider that esoteric at times – but so they may teach the next generation. Teaching should never be reduced to repeating what is contained in decades old textbooks, but must be based in active scholarship – in asking research questions of relevance to our times today, and to our society.

And in any case, can it really be any more esoteric than quantum physics? In my experience, when I look at the work of my colleagues in the humanities and social scientists, it is always far more based in the needs of now and here that anything.

Science that has economic impact is already privileged in our funding system. It has access to funding through MBIE, both via Endeavour programmes and Smart Ideas funding. Health research has its own funding mechanism, through the Health Research Council. We could argue about the relative amounts of funding that are awarded through these different mechanisms, but the fact remains: the Marsden Fund is the only funding source that operates even-handedly across disciplines.

The Marsden Fund is not a partisan beast. It was set up by Simon Upton, when he was the responsible Minister for the National Government in 1992. It was established to support research excellence – based on discipline specific assessment of what excellence is – because it has long been understood by scientists, and in scientific communities, that the path from fundamental research to impact is a long and unpredictable one. Trying to ‘pick winners’ when funding fundamental science is a fools task: the impact is real, but it is measurable only at a collective level.

The context we are currently in, with our Science and University funding systems being reviewed, is also important. There are significant changes on the cards in the next years, and we all understand that. Changes to the PBRF or to the overheads paid to our universities might change the overall equation in terms of funding the vital work done by the humanities and social scientist in Aotearoa New Zealand. But none of those decisions have yet been made public. As it stands, this decision is an outrageous indictment on the research funding system in Aotearoa, and our collective understanding of what scholarship is.

Scientists who take pride in your work on ‘fundamental’, or ‘blue skies’ topics? Watch out. You will be next if we let this stand.
“

Professor Nicola Gaston, FRSNZ
Usual disclaimer that I am CD of MacD and currently funded by Marsden.

I’m also really fucking mad but you don’t have to print that bit. Will go take a walk – thanks for the opportunity to comment.
N

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Fortunate to be given a tour of the Scott Base windfarm while waiting for a plane to take me home. These 3x 330 kW are reaching the end of their design life, and will soon be replaced by 3x 1 Mw turbines.

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

I'm just back from the latest Antarctic field season and want to share some favourite moments. First up: the mighty Drygalski Ice Tongue south of Terra Nova Bay. 80 km long, 15 km wide, and with a fringe of streaky sea caused by the winds whipping straight down its axis.

An ice tongue stretching into the ocean and surrounded by broken sea ice

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Reposted by Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿

Prof. Eliot Jacobson @climatecasino.net · 02/12/2024

Breaking news! November, 2024, came in at the second warmest in recorded history, at 1.62°C above the pre-industrial baseline. Starting in June, 2023, there have now been 18 consecutive months above the pre-2023 record high, likely the hottest string of 18 months in the last 120,000+ years.

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 13/12/2023

Come do polar oceanography with me in NZ! We are recruiting 2x PhDs at @UCNZ onto our @MarsdenFund project on Oceanography in an #Antarctic Grounding Zone. Modelling-based informed by new in-situ data. More info here: nz.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=305… Please share widely. TIA 🙏

nz.indeed.com

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 18/11/2023

NZ SciComm: Julian Thomson (Out There Learning) is running a free online SciComm webinar on zoom tomorrow (19th) at 5pm. courses.outtherelearning.co.nz/kickstart-yo... For researchers, students or enthusiasts who want to share their experiences and build a network of followers.

courses.outtherelearning.co.nz

Kickstart Your Science Communication - FREE webinar

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 14/11/2023

Drilling sea ice in New Harbour, Antarctica. Can't complain about the weather or location!

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 01/11/2023

We *did* get our ocean mooring back after 12 months collecting precious data beneath the sea ice of McMurdo Sound. Enormous thanks go to Leigh for his extraordinary ROV rescue! Cool, calm, and utterly focused in a challenging and stressful situation.

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 25/10/2023

Big day in the field yesterday - got very close to recovering our mooring, but called it a day when we got snagged and the weather turned nasty. We regrouped and debriefed back at Scott Base over dinner and will try again today. 🤞 L-to-R: Chazz, Leigh, Ollie, Greg

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 24/10/2023

A few pics from the past few days in #Antarctica 🇦🇶: Ollie with halo; #Erebus smoking; Greg & I at the end of the day; Flagging our path off the main route.

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 20/10/2023

Landed safely and right on time yesterday. And today, made a start on getting ready for our field work. First, we dug out the containers so we can access our stuff. Then we 'refreshed' our Antarctic Field Training, so that we're permitted to leave the footprint of Scott Base.

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 18/10/2023

At the #AntarcticaNewZealand warehouse collecting our clothing kit, ready to fly to Antarctica tomorrow morning 🤞

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Reposted by Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿

Vanessa Wells @vanessawells.bsky.social · 12/10/2023

First post! 🐧😁 This is the doco we are working on and so proud of ... if you can help, please consider a donation or share on socials - we can't wait to get in the edit suite! Thanks to Earth Sea Sky, our match sponsor, we are off to a fabulous start!! www.boosted.org.nz/projects/the...

Film poster with Antarctic images, and a link to Boosted crowdfunding campaign.

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Reposted by Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿

Prof. Stefan Rahmstorf @rahmstorf.bsky.social · 05/10/2023

We do understand the #globalwarming caused by fossil fuels - for four decades it’s been going as predicted. But we don’t understand the surprise upward leap that is happening now. And that worries me.

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Reposted by Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿

Amara, haphazardly @scarletgumboots.bsky.social · 07/10/2023

If you've got any spare cash I think now would be a good time to donate to the NZ Greens. There are heaps of people still undecided and Greens' policies are popular. I've never donated before but have now dipped into my rainy day savings as I think it's that important 💚✨ www.greens.org.nz

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 04/10/2023

Gorgeous NZ-Antarctic doco needs YOUR help to become reality. 'The Climate Canary' 3 women from 3 generations and their personal relationships with Antarctica & climate science. Every bit helps NZ donors get 33% tax rebate Watch the teaser: www.boosted.org.nz/projects/the... Please share widely

boosted.org.nz

The Climate Canary

Welcome to Aotearoa’s only arts crowdfunding platform. Our 86% success rate has raised over $8 million for arts in New Zealand since 2013.

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 28/09/2023

We've now added live-stream capability, so you can join from anywhere! Please share widely and pre-register here: events.humanitix.com/panel-discus...

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Reposted by Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 26/09/2023

Are you interested to know more about the very low Antarctic sea ice, it's influence on global climate and possible impacts for New Zealand? Come along to a panel discussion session on 3 October | In-person (Wellington) and online. Register here: events.humanitix.com/panel-discus... Please share.

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 26/09/2023

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 22/09/2023

Just came across a conversation on the other site about how angry people will become when near-term climate change hits them. But does anyone (I.e. social psychologists?) know how people might actually respond when they're also full of despair, hopelessness, and fear? I'm not imagining an uprising.

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 21/09/2023

😭 "Wellington's Victoria University is axing 229 jobs... The institution will no longer offer Greek, Latin, Italian, geophysics, geographic information science or physical geography." Earth Sciences, Physics, and Music also at risk of the same fate. www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

rnz.co.nz

'Devastated': Victoria University axes 229 jobs and six courses

Wellington's Victoria University is axing 229 jobs and cutting six language and geo-science courses in an effort to save money.

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Reposted by Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿

Mark Brandon @iceymark.bsky.social · 14/09/2023

“Over the past seven summers there have been three record [sea ice] minimums, said the study’s lead author, Dr Ariaan Purich of Monash University" www.theguardian.com/world/2023/s... www.nature.com/articles/s43...

theguardian.com

Antarctica may have entered ‘new regime’ of low sea ice as global warming ramps up

Study conducted by Australian scientists describes a ‘breakdown’ in link between sea ice and atmosphere as coverage reaches record lows

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Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 19/09/2023

If you're in Christchurch, Aotearoa, come along to our panel discussion on October 4 as part of #DaysOfIce23. We'll be talking sea ice and it's impacts for the ecosystem. Book your free ticket here: events.humanitix.com/life-in-a-fr...

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