The use of seismic airguns has an environmental impact that is especially intense in relation to marine mammals. As a result, new techniques are being explored to replace or complement this tool. In this study, we test our ability to obtain seismic information about the shallow seafloor structure using fin whale songs as an alternative seismic source. We analyse data collected by ocean-bottom seismometers deployed around Orca volcano in the Bransfield Strait, Antarctica, in 2019. We detected fin whale calls and designed an algorithm to calculate their locations and origin times. We used a relative approach to reduce location uncertainty based on the similarity of waveforms between consecutive calls. We were able to calculate the trajectory of a fin whale that crossed over Orca volcano. Strikingly, the whale path coincided partially with a multi-channel seismic profile carried out with airgun shots. This coincidence allowed us to investigate the performance of the whale calls as seismic sources, comparing them to the almost co-located airgun profile. We constructed receiver gathers using both whale calls and airgun shots. The main features of the whale call sections are consistent with the results obtained using the airgun source. We conclude that although this method has some drawbacks, such as the unpredictable behaviour of whales and the smaller power and lower resolution capabilities of the whale calls compared to the airgun surveys, it is still a feasible alternative as a complement for active-source seismic studies in the marine environment.

Airborne investigations are a keystone for understanding the Antarctic environment across many scientific disciplines. Over the past decade and more, the use of drones has been proposed as a means to enhance this airborne capability. Small quadcopter/multi-rotor drones, typically flown within visual line of sight, have become a well-established and routinely deployed technology. However, larger fixed-wing uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of beyond-visual-line-of-sight missions similar to traditional crewed aircraft have not been routinely deployed. Here, we report on the first deployment of a large (10 m wingspan) UAV for scientific data collection from Rothera Research Station, Antarctica. The platform, a Windracers Ultra, flew 2978 km over 25 missions, collecting a range of scientific observations including visual and hyperspectral imagery, atmospheric turbulence data and gravity and magnetic data. All science missions were carried out beyond visual line of sight and were up to 2.25 h/260 km long. Missions included coordination with and operation alongside crewed aircraft. Our field season has successfully demonstrated that large UAVs can play a significant role in Antarctic data collection, working alongside crewed aviation to improve our understanding of Antarctica.

The Bransfield Strait stands out as one of the most accessible places to study Antarctic submarine volcanism, hosting seven active principal submarine volcanic edifices (Edifices A, B and C, Three Sisters, Orca, Hook Ridge, G Ridge) and ~100 smaller seamounts. Only two of them have names (Eastern and Western Seamounts), and ~80 are grouped into two named areas: Spanish Rise and Gibbs Rise. During recent decades, numerous studies have assigned different names to the same volcanic edifices, leading to confusion. Only one of them, Orca, is formally registered in the Scientific Committee of Antarctic Research Composite Gazetteer of Antarctica, which is the catalogue collecting all of the official location names in Antarctica. A unified toponymy is essential, particularly to effectively manage regional logistic operations in case of eruption. Therefore, this study compiles the distinct names assigned to these edifices as a toponymy reference for future research. We recommend using the names most commonly cited in previous studies and, when new names are necessary, submitting them to the Scientific Committee of Antarctic Research Composite Gazetteer of Antarctica to avoid further confusion.

The retreat of the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet since the Last Glacial Maximum provides key insights into ice-sheet dynamics, climate interactions and sea-level fluctuations. Terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide (TCN) dating of glacial deposits on the western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) offers valuable temporal and spatial information regarding this retreat. However, many erratic deposits are found near the present sea level on the WAP archipelagos, limiting the applicability of TCN dating. This is because some of these deposits were previously submerged and later emerged due to ongoing post-glacial isostatic uplift and global sea-level rise. Here, for the first time on the Antarctic Peninsula, we present TCN dating results for emerged erratic boulders and bedrock samples located below the post-glacial marine limit of the WAP. Samples were collected from three islands along a latitudinal range from 64°S to 68°S: Nansen Island in Wilhelmina Bay (n = 4), Galindez Island in the Argentine Islands-Kyiv Peninsula region (n = 5) and Horseshoe Island on the northern coast of Marguerite Bay (n = 1). Our study indicates that nearshore boulder emergence occurred sometime between 1.4 ± 0.3 and 3.8 ± 0.3 ka ago on the WAP. The bedrock samples on Galindez Island provide somewhat older ages (17.9 ± 2.8 and 11.8 ± 1.9 ka), indicating the earliest emergence following deglaciation of the WAP. We discuss the challenges associated with sampling emerged erratic boulders along the Antarctic Peninsula shorelines and propose methods for overcoming these complications.

This study investigated the temporal and spatial variability of temperature, salinity, pH and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in surface water from Admiralty Bay, Antarctic Peninsula. The study aimed to understand how water parameters were affected during high meltwater runoff in the summer of 2019/2020, to verify the influence of rapid temperature changes from the spring and summer of 2022/2023 and to identify the sources of SPM. In January 2020, the water temperature and salinity in the region were influenced by rapid shifts in environmental conditions, while pH and SPM remained similar to previous years. The same pattern was observed in the summer of 2022/2023, with only water temperature and salinity varying towards the end of the summer. The SPM concentrations were mainly influenced by wind speed. Spatially, there was no sectorization between different inlets, with specific sites influenced by meltwater and higher SPM values. The study suggests that strong winds are the primary factor influencing SPM resuspension in Admiralty Bay, with atmospheric deposition and meltwater also contributing. This dynamic variability in the water column highlights the need to closely monitor the water’s physicochemical parameters and the influence of atmospheric conditions. This study contributes to our understanding of the SPM sources on the Antarctic coast.

The study of the ground surface temperature (GST) regimes from 2007 to 2021 at different stations on Livingston and Deception islands, South Shetland Islands, in the north-western sector of the Antarctic Peninsula (AP), shows that soils undergo similar cooling in early winter before a shallow snow mantle covers the sites. All monitoring sites along the study period go through seasonal phases of cooling, attenuation, insulation, fusion and zero curtain during winter, although thermal equilibrium is only reached at some stations located at lower elevations on Livingston Island. GST evolution at these stations and the duration of snow periods show oscillations, with turning points in the years 2014 and 2015, when temperatures were at their minimum and snow durations were at their maximum, in agreement with the cooling period occurring in the north-western AP in the early twenty-first century. The thermal regime is mainly controlled by snow cover and its onset and offset dates based only on descriptive patterns, not on statistical testing, more than by altitudinal, topographical, geological or geomorphological factors.

Since 1994, the Andalusian Institute of Geophysics of the University of Granada group has been monitoring the seismic activity of Deception Island volcano (South Shetland Islands, Antarctica) during summer surveys. In this review, we analyse long-period and volcanic-tectonic events, including tremor episodes, recorded from 2011–2012 to 2021–2022 surveys with a local network and a seismic array. The seismo-volcanic activity on Deception Island occurs very locally, mainly as a result of tectonic destabilization induced by volcanic activity along with regional stresses, as a consequence of rifting and subduction processes spanning the South Shetland Islands, Bransfield Strait and Antarctica Peninsula. During this period, two changes to the volcanic alert level due to different volcanic parameters can be highlighted. The first of them was caused by the 2014–2015 seismic swarm as a consequence of a great regional perturbation located to the north-east of Deception Island, which spread around to the entire volcano. The second one, in the 2019–2020 survey, was established as a result of a significant increase in deformation parameters as a prelude of the August 2020 massive earthquake swarm that occurred in the Bransfield Strait, near the Orca submarine volcano. Furthermore, in the previous 2018–2019 survey, a peak of seismic activity was also recorded.

In the coming decades, Antarctica will face a range of challenges linked to transnational issues such as climate change, plastics pollution and geopolitical tension. Such challenges make it increasingly important for the Antarctic sector to ensure that there is broad public support for the ongoing political and environmental stewardship of the southern polar region. Initiatives such as the 2032–2033 International Polar Year offer a unique opportunity to enhance public knowledge of and investment in Antarctic research, but little is currently known about how well-suited the Antarctic sector is to the work of public engagement. In this paper, we present the results of an exploratory survey (n = 76) conducted in 2022–2023 to examine the Antarctic sector’s capacity to engage with the public. We find that, while public engagement work is certainly happening in the Antarctic sector, it is often ad hoc and under-resourced, and the skillset associated with engagement work is commonly undervalued. In order to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the next International Polar Year, we recommend that the organizations within the Antarctic sector collaborate on a joint public engagement strategy.

The Southern Ocean remains one of the most data-deficient ocean basins despite its crucial role in global climate regulation. This study uses racing sailboats from the Barcelona World Race (2010/2011 and 2014/2015) and the Vendée Globe Race (2020/2021) as vessels of opportunity to collect sea-surface temperature and salinity measurements, offering a unique dataset for assessing oceanographic variability in this remote region. We conducted an inter-annual analysis of surface temperature and salinity anomalies relative to ARMOR-3D reanalysis and World Ocean Atlas 2023 climatological datasets, identifying regional patterns of change and variability. The results reveal a warming trend and general freshening of the Southern Ocean surface over the last decade, with the highest anomalies observed in the Indian and Atlantic sectors, whereas the Pacific sector showed the lowest anomalies in absolute terms. Notably, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (La Niña) and Southern Annular Mode phases played a significant role in modulating these temperature and salinity anomalies. This study underscores the scientific value of non-research vessels in monitoring climate-driven changes in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters, highlighting their potential to complement traditional observation networks in data-sparse regions.

Volcanic monitoring in Antarctica provides dual benefits by facilitating the study of highly volcanically active yet underexplored regions and by serving as an essential tool for maintaining the safety of both national and international Antarctic bases. Deception Island, one of the most volcanically active areas on the Antarctic continent, is now equipped with an enhanced monitoring system, modernized by the Spanish National Geographic Institute (IGN), which assumed its management in September 2020, pursuant to a protocol established between the Spanish Ministry of Transport, Mobility, and Urban Agenda and Ministry of Science and Innovation. In order to meet the challenging conditions of the polar region, six permanent stainless-steel shelters have been installed over the course of the last four Spanish Antarctic campaigns. Each shelter is outfitted with batteries, solar panels, Wi-Fi and data acquisition systems for seismic and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) stations. This monitoring network also comprises a station dedicated to measuring temperature within a thermal located where there is the anomaly on the island, a visual surveillance camera, seven seismic stations and six GNSS stations. All data collected are transmitted in real time to IGN headquarters in Madrid through Gabriel de Castilla Base, operated by the Spanish Army. Due to the growing volume of recorded data, it became necessary to upgrade transmission systems, leading to the installation of a next-generation satellite telemetry system during the 2023–2024 campaign. All seismic information is continuously and immediately analysed by the IGN’s National Seismic Network and is stored at the National Polar Data Center, housed within the Marine Technical Unit of the Spanish National Research Council, in accordance with the guidelines of the Spanish Polar Committee. The establishment of this infrastructure on Deception Island delivers a robust operational model that can be replicated in other polar settings, thereby contributing to the advancement of volcanic monitoring across the continent.

Antarctica, which has always been of great interest to researchers worldwide, is currently attracting considerable attention owing to climate change and other topics. In this context, bibliometric analysis allows the identification of hot topics, scientific productivity, cooperation, research gaps and strategic areas of potential interest. We conducted a bibliometric study to evaluate the global production of Antarctic research between 1980 and 2023 and analysed Spanish National Antarctic Programme (NAP) production as a case study. Scientific publications were reviewed and classified based on their main themes, key word co-occurrence and international collaborations. We found that scientific production worldwide and in the Spanish NAP has progressively increased since 1980. Globally, the main areas of research are the geosciences, oceanography and atmospheric sciences. However, the Spanish NAP, which reported 2287 publications, has focused more on the geosciences and ecology. Spanish Antarctic researchers have mainly collaborated with researchers from the USA, the UK, Germany and Italy. Our research highlights the importance of strengthening research plans to diversify and facilitate international collaboration, promoting a more interdisciplinary approach to address the current and future challenges identified by the scientific community. In this context, specific opportunities for developing a Spanish NAP strategic plan are discussed.

This article explores the evolution of US policy on Antarctica, focusing on its legal, environmental and geopolitical aspects. It aims to identify changing US priorities in this regard. The Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) governs the region, emphasizing peace, scientific cooperation and environmental protection. The USA has issued four major memoranda on Antarctica in 1982, 1994, 2020 and 2024. This article highlights growing geopolitical competition, particularly with China and Russia. China frames Antarctica as essential to its global rise, using dual-purpose technologies that blur the line between science and strategic military interests. Similarly, Russia’s activities in the region raise concerns about potential violations of the ATS’s peaceful purpose mandate. The USA maintains its leadership in Antarctic diplomacy, advocating for environmental preservation and scientific cooperation. This article concludes by emphasizing the need for international collaboration to address climate change, resource exploitation and rising strategic tensions, ensuring Antarctica remains a region dedicated to peace and science.

Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems, covering less than 1% of the continent, are under increasing anthropogenic threats, particularly from climate change and tourism. This study focuses on the impact of human trampling on soil microbial communities in Barrientos Island (South Shetlands archipelago), a frequently visited location. Soil samples were collected within and at the edge of two established paths representing varying levels of human disturbance. Physical and chemical analyses revealed significant differences between the paths, potentially creating anaerobic conditions favorable for specific microbial taxa. Thus, microbial communities also differed between the paths. Aerobic heterotrophic taxa were dominant in the less disturbed path, while anaerobic taxa such as Bacteroidetes vadinHA17 thrived in the more compacted path. Although alpha diversity indices did not differ, beta diversity analyses showed notable distinctions, particularly between the paths rather than trampled and untrampled areas. These findings suggest that microbial communities may recover following the stop of human activity, but also that indigenous microbial communities or other overlooked factors may be influencing the recovery potential. This study thus offers a starting point for similar research, as it highlights the need for further investigation to determine whether human trampling or other environmental factors are primarily responsible for these differences.