Author | Lightnews

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿

@polargirlnz.bsky.social

2.3K followers 160 following 52 posts

🇦🇶 Antarctic Oceanography + SciComm Born @337 ppm and very concerned about Climate Change; director of NZ's Antarctic Science Platform. Christian while also Earth Scientist; Wife to 1; Mother to 3. I play cello 🎻 whenever I find a spare moment.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 9h

Not this time! Can't wait to get back to it when I get home, though.

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 10h

Open water is so close this year (highly unusual) that seeing groups of Emperor Penguins out front of Scott Base is becoming a regular occurrence. Fun experience for people on base, but a stark and sobering reminder that change is here and is affecting more than humans.

Viewed thru SB telescope

A group of Emperor Penguins follows the flagged route across sea ice immediately in front of New Zealand's Scott Base in Antarctica.

2 8 12

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 19h

Completed Antarctic Field Training, which means we're ready for all the adventures. Lots of deep reflections on what comprises a Sense of Place and how to connect with a place that doesn't support human habitation.

Reposted by Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿

Zack Labe @zacklabe.com · 3d

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.

51 130

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 2d

Today we were fortunate to tour the laboratory at Arrival Heights with Gordon [NIWA] - where globally-significant atmospheric measurements are made. Yes, that is *open water* in the mid-ground. An extremely unusual sight at the location at this time of year.

1 2

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 3d

We have arrived to a spectacular day in Antarctica!

1 12

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · 4d

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).

1 6 28

Reposted by Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿

Elanti Media @elantimedia.bsky.social · Jul 14

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...

1 2 2

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · Jan 10

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

1 2 19

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · Jan 9

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

6 20

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · Dec 18

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.

2 8

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · Dec 17

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.

1 9

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · Dec 15

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.

2 8

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · Dec 14

P. S. The silver ducting allows us to pump the (slightly) warm air from the top of the container down onto the water's surface, helping to keep the home on the sea ice open for as long as we need it.

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · Dec 14

... and from our perspective inside the container. This seal was clearly comfortable in our presence as it returned several times every day to check out what we were up to.

1 2 17

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · Dec 14

A curious Weddel Seal uses the hole in the floor of our hydrolab shipping container to take a break and breathe some *warm* air (only ~4° C, but considerably warmer than they're used to). Video from below captured on GoPro by Doug Walker.

1 9

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · Dec 14

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.

1 3 22

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · Dec 10

1 6

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · Dec 10

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...

1 3 18

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · Dec 9

Yes, it's a great way to work in polar environments. Everything is well insulated and set up in advance, so we can just get straight into the science. Ours is a comparatively small operation, but it means we can deploy fast and be agile with our plans (increasingly necessary for sea ice science!)

Reposted by Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿

Copernicus ECMWF @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social · Dec 9

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-...

1 50 82

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · Dec 9

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.

1 5 25

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · Dec 7

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.

2 21

Dr Natalie Robinson 🇳🇿 @polargirlnz.bsky.social · Dec 5

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.