International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean

International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean
Name	International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean
Formation	1993

International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean is a coordinated cartographic and scientific initiative to compile bathymetry for the Southern Ocean around Antarctica, produced by an international consortium of hydrographic, oceanographic, and polar research organizations. The project links historical expeditions such as James Clark Ross's voyages, modern campaigns like RV Polarstern cruises, and institutional efforts from bodies including the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, the International Hydrographic Organization, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to produce comprehensive seafloor maps.

History

The initiative was launched in the early 1990s with roots in earlier mapping efforts by explorers such as Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott and scientific programs including the Discovery Investigations and the International Geophysical Year. Early proponents included researchers from Scott Polar Research Institute, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the British Antarctic Survey, who sought to integrate echo-sounding data from vessels like RRS James Clark Ross and RV Polarstern with satellite altimetry produced by missions such as TOPEX/Poseidon and ERS-1. The project evolved through collaborations at conferences hosted by organizations like the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research and through agreements endorsed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.

Scope and Objectives

The program aims to produce a consistent bathymetric grid for the waters south of 60°S, encompassing the continental margins around Antarctica, including the Ross Sea, Weddell Sea, Amundsen Sea, and the Bellingshausen Sea, as well as submarine features such as the South Sandwich Trench, the Kerguelen Plateau, and the Maud Rise. Objectives include supporting navigation for icebreaker operations from fleets like those operated by Argentina and Australia, enabling scientific research by institutions such as Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory and GEOMAR, and informing policy frameworks developed by Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat.

Data Sources and Methods

Data sources combine multibeam and single-beam echo soundings collected by research vessels from agencies like the United States Geological Survey, Institut Polaire Français Paul-Émile Victor, and National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research with satellite-derived gravity models from missions including Jason-1 and CryoSat-2. Methods integrate geophysical processing techniques from programs at Caltech and MIT using software developed by teams at NOAA and European Space Agency laboratories. Data assimilation employs standards from the International Hydrographic Organization and metadata practices promoted by libraries such as the National Library of Australia and repositories like the PANGAEA data publisher, while quality control references protocols used by World Data Center networks.

Products and Maps

Products include gridded bathymetric compilations, digital elevation models used by GEBCO and regional charts for agencies such as the British Admiralty and the United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Published map series have been used in atlases by publishers collaborating with Cambridge University Press and datasets deposited alongside works from Nature Geoscience and Journal of Geophysical Research. The project has produced contour charts for the International Maritime Organization compliance, shaded-relief maps used by museums like the Smithsonian Institution, and GIS-ready layers compatible with platforms maintained by Esri and Open Geospatial Consortium members.

Applications and Impact

The chart supports marine geology studies at institutions like University of Buenos Aires and University of Cape Town, paleoclimate reconstructions undertaken by teams at University of Cambridge and Columbia University, and biodiversity research tied to the Scott Polar Research Institute and the Australian Antarctic Division. It underpins risk assessments used by shipping companies in Chile and South Africa, informs fisheries management under the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, and contributes bathymetric constraints to ice-sheet models from groups at University of Washington and University of California, San Diego. The dataset has been cited in environmental assessments for protected areas coordinated by the Committee for Environmental Protection under the Antarctic Treaty.

Organization and Governance

Governance is collaborative, involving academic centers such as Scripps Institution of Oceanography, national agencies including Geoscience Australia and British Antarctic Survey, and intergovernmental bodies like the International Hydrographic Organization and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research. Project steering has involved representatives from NOAA's Office of Coast Survey, the European Commission research directorates, and Antarctic programs such as Instituto Antártico Argentino and Russian Antarctic Expedition, with data sharing agreements reflecting principles from the Convention on Biological Diversity and open-data advocacy by groups like World Data System.

Challenges and Future Developments

Challenges include persistent data gaps beneath seasonal and perennial sea ice encountered during expeditions by vessels such as RRS Sir David Attenborough, uncertainties in satellite-derived bathymetry near complex features like George V Coast and the Siple Coast, and integration hurdles between legacy datasets from programs like the International Geophysical Year and modern multibeam surveys. Future development priorities emphasize enhanced coverage from autonomous systems deployed by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Ifremer, improvements in gravity inversion methods advanced at ETH Zurich and University of Oslo, and tighter integration with global initiatives such as GEBCO, Argo floats, and the Copernicus Programme to support climate science pursued by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change authors and stewardship under the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting.

Category:Bathymetry Category:Antarctic science