Key facts
- An uncrewed, seven-meter vessel has begun a 22,000km journey around Antarctica.
- The vessel is designed to collect data on carbon dioxide in the ocean and atmosphere.
- The mission aims to help scientists understand the role of ocean sinks in global heating.
- The autonomous craft is powered by solar energy and has a heavy keel for stability.
- The journey is expected to take seven to nine months.
- The vessel is the first in a fleet of four planned autonomous craft.
A small, uncrewed vessel has set off on a 22,000km journey circumnavigating Antarctica to gather crucial climate data. The seven-meter craft, resembling a large kayak and painted hi-vis orange, is propelled by solar power and wind, and is designed to withstand the extreme conditions of the Southern Ocean, including massive waves, freezing temperatures, and ferocious winds.
The mission, led by CSIRO scientists, aims to collect data on carbon dioxide levels in both the ocean and atmosphere. This information is vital for understanding the role of ocean sinks in absorbing human-caused carbon emissions, which scientists estimate to be about one-third of the total emitted annually. The Southern Ocean plays a significant part in this absorption process.
Dr. Elizabeth Shadwick, a principal research scientist at CSIRO, explained that the vessel, after departing Hobart, would travel east towards New Zealand, then navigate the Drake Passage, pass South Africa, and eventually return to be recovered in seven to nine months. The autonomous vehicle, built by US company Saildrone, features a heavy keel for stability and a solar sail for power, and is remotely monitored via satellite. Shadwick noted that the vessel had already endured significant weather, including eight-meter waves and 35-knot winds, shortly after deployment, highlighting its robust design.
Measurements taken during the voyage will include wind speed, atmospheric pressure, solar radiation, ocean temperature, salinity, chlorophyll, and carbon dioxide concentrations. This data will help scientists refine models and understand how ocean carbon absorption might change in the future due to factors like warming waters, melting ice, and ocean acidification. Unlike crewed vessels that cover limited areas, this autonomous craft will provide data over a much larger scale and duration, including during the harsh polar winter.
This vessel is the first of four planned autonomous craft, with subsequent launches scheduled at three-month intervals. These will be deployed across various oceans to gather data. Scientists will have near real-time access to the information via a mission portal, with all data undergoing quality checks upon the vessels' return. Dr. Pep Canadell, a chief research scientist at CSIRO, emphasized the importance of these ocean and forest sinks, likening their absorption of CO2 to a "50% discount on climate change." Professor Matthew England from the University of New South Wales added that tracking carbon uptake is critical, as a decline in absorption would signal a more significant problem with emission reductions.