Catalyst: Strategic – New Zealand–United States Joint Antarctic Research Programme

Antarctica’s subsurface hydrology remains one of the least understood components of the polar environment. Groundwater systems may play a critical role in transporting nutrients, gases, and microbes between land, ice, and ocean ecosystems – especially in regions like the McMurdo Dry Valleys and Ross Sea. As climate change alters meltwater dynamics, understanding these hidden flows becomes essential for predicting ecological responses and managing environmental impacts.

This project will pioneer the first integrated study of Antarctic groundwater systems. Through targeted drilling, advanced monitoring technologies, and with the support of international collaboration, researchers will map subsurface flows and assess their ecological and biogeochemical significance. The work will connect field data with modelling to understand how groundwater links terrestrial and marine systems. This project adds a critical subsurface dimension to Antarctica InSync’s goal of understanding how ice, climate, and ecosystems are connected.

From this project New Zealand will gain leadership in a frontier area of Antarctic science, contributing to global climate and ecosystem models. The research will inform environmental management of the Ross Sea region, support New Zealand’s role in the Antarctic Treaty System, and build national capability in subsurface sensing.

Antarctica’s ice-free areas host unique photosynthetic biota – mosses and microbial mats – that are highly sensitive to climate-driven changes in meltwater and temperature. These organisms are sentinel indicators of ecosystem functionality, but current records are sparse, outdated, and lack spatial precision. Detecting early-stage ecological shifts toward photosynthetic biota and away from unique hydrogen-oxidising microbiota is critical for understanding long-term impacts of environmental change and conservation planning.

The project will develop spectral libraries and critical baseline remote sensing data to detect and monitor vegetation change using ground-based, UAV-borne, and helicopter-borne sensors. It will integrate ecological, genetic, and spectral data to build scalable models of biotic distribution and succession. This pilot project will focus on technical development and field validation, supporting Antarctica InSync by enabling coordinated, high-resolution biological observations across multiple scales.

Technological developments required for this research will establish NZ’s first multimodal aerial monitoring platform, enabling high-resolution environmental surveillance in Antarctica and at home. The tools and techniques developed will be transferable to NZ sectors like precision agriculture, forestry, and biodiversity monitoring.

Antarctic sea ice has undergone a dramatic and puzzling decline since 2016, with record lows in 2023. The Ross Sea, a key region for bottom water formation and marine ecosystems, is experiencing rapid change with unknown long-term consequences. Current models and observations are insufficient to explain or predict these shifts.

This project will enhance and build-on NZ-USA strategic partnerships in the Antarctic, which will have enduring value over the coming years. Novel sea ice buoys will be deployed, airborne and satellite remote sensing technologies tested, and advanced climate modelling conducted to understand the drivers of sea ice variability. This research contributes to Antarctica InSync’s priority theme of synchronous sea ice observations to improve global climate models and decision-making.

Through this research, NZ’s ability to monitor and predict climate impacts in the Southern Ocean, including in the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area, will be improved. The project, through enhanced collaborations with USA researchers, builds technological capability in autonomous sensing and carbon-neutral aerial platforms, with applications in NZ’s aerospace and environmental sectors.