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Overview

Antarctic and Southern Ocean research presents many unique challenges because of its remoteness and the extreme and dangerous weather conditions in which researchers must operate. The U.S. Antarctic Program, managed by the National Science Foundation (NSF), is responsible for helping the scientific community find ways to overcome these challenges and operate safely and effectively in this unique terrain. Enabling Antarctic research efforts requires strong logistical support, which in turn requires considerable financial and human resources. New and improved technologies can provide opportunities to carry out polar research more efficiently, safely, and reliably over a greater spatial and temporal range while simultaneously minimizing the costs and environmental impacts of this research.

The Polar Research Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a workshop on May 3–5, 2022, to solicit broad community ideas regarding how technological developments can advance and expand Antarctic research and polar research more generally. Through a pre-workshop questionnaire, panels of invited speakers, and interactive breakout discussions, the workshop gathered a wide array of ideas for technological innovations that can advance Antarctic and polar research generally and facilitate improvements to science and support logistics. Workshop participants discussed specific technology advances being explored or implemented across many different areas of research (e.g., studies of ocean, cryosphere, atmosphere, geological, and biological systems as well as astronomy, astrophysics, and space weather). Additionally, they discussed crosscutting themes, including technology needs for power, communication, and data storage and transmission issues, as well as ways that technology can facilitate broader, more diverse participation in Antarctic and polar research.

Some examples of the many specific types of technology advances discussed include instrument deicing and cryocooling technologies; fuel cell and solid-state batteries; enabling Internet connectivity with low Earth orbit satellites and subsea cable systems; sensor platforms that can be tethered to sea ice, dropped from aircraft, and mounted on animals; portable real-time DNA analysis of biological samples; autonomous airborne and underwater vehicles with sophisticated instrument packages and flexible operational controls; and meteorological, geodetic, and space weather sensors powered by solar photovoltaics.

Several common threads arose as issues of broad interest in the workshop discussions. Many participants noted the benefits of Antarctic research technology that is open source and standardized, so new solutions discovered are available for others to use and capitalize on. Participants highlighted the value of standardization to improve the interoperability of instrument components and supporting technologies. However, this can entail trade-offs. For instance, standardization may improve operational capacity and make field maintenance easier, but it may limit the sophistication of technology developments customized for a specific application.

There was also interest among many participants in finding strategies to reduce the environmental footprint of Antarctic science. Some ideas included reduced power needs, fewer required trips, and utilizing cleaner power generation. Many expressed interest in expanding the use of renewable power technologies, particularly solar and wind energy. Participants also expressed interest in expanding opportunities to test new instruments and field equipment before polar deployment, addressing the challenge of moving from technology development to operational stages and reducing the logistical barriers before field deployment.

Many participants noted the importance of structures to facilitate the sharing of information and experience across the broader community to avoid “reinventing the wheel” by researchers searching for solutions to technical challenges. Several ideas were suggested, including the establishment of Wikis and online user groups and collaborative team structures similar to what has been done through the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee. Similarly, some people pointed to the idea of “grassroots communities” where people could share lessons learned and best practices for specific technology needs.

Workshop participants explored many ways that technological innovation can be used to expand remote participation in polar research (e.g., with virtual reality and real-time data collection and sharing technologies). At the same time, participants cautioned against viewing this as a substitute for the unique benefits that scientists gain from getting to experience and work in polar environments firsthand.

The workshop explored many ideas and current working models for how to increase collaboration between scientists, engineers, and technology developers. Many participants acknowledged that having science and engineering teams integrated from the outset of a project helps ensure that technology development and science goals can advance together in real time. A key element of success may be funding mechanisms that directly support technology development as part of the research process. Participants felt that NSF’s new Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships is an encouraging development that may provide innovative new opportunities in this regard.