antFOCE Experimental Chambers Installed in O’Brien Bay

A maze of ducts, tubes, thrusters and chambers have been carefully lowered through the Antarctic sea ice onto the sea floor near Australia’s Casey station as part of a world-first experiment on ocean acidification.

It’s taken the team of scientists, engineers and divers several weeks to set-up the Antarctic Free Ocean Carbon Enrichment (antFOCE) underwater and surface experimental system for the study looking at increasing levels of carbon dioxide in sea water and its effect on sea floor plants and animals.

Four experimental chambers are now in place on the sea floor, each with 40 metres of ducting and an inlet and thrusters tube attached.

Project Leader, Dr Jonny Stark, said it’s been a challenging period with the “A factor”, blizzards, delays and technical difficulties, slowing progress.

“It’s a real testament to the team’s determination and dedication that we’ve managed to get the experiment up and running despite all the difficulties Antarctica can throw at you,” Dr Stark said.

“First we drilled through three metre thick, multi-year ice in O’Brien Bay to gain access to the sea floor.

“The divers then had to manhandle the two-metre long acrylic chambers as well as dozens of metres of pipes, tubes and thrusters through the ice and into position without disturbing the area.”

Sea water with elevated levels of carbon dioxide, is now being pumped through the chambers and researchers are measuring any changes.

“The equipment will now run continuously for eight weeks and we will focus on the areas where we expect to see the most change over this time frame,” Dr Stark said.

The ocean is predicted to become two and a half times more acidic by 2100 under the current “business as usual” emissions scenario.

The Southern Ocean absorbs 40% of the global ocean uptake of carbon dioxide and polar waters are acidifying at twice the rate of tropical waters.

Press Release