Environment Minister, Tony Burke recently announced an Australian led in Antarctica to advance the search for the scientific ‘holy grail’ of the million-year ice core, a frozen record of how our planet has evolved and changed.
On his recent visit to Antarctica Minister Burke commented that the knowledge gained from doing science in Antarctica is critically important to understanding how the climate has naturally varied in the past and helping predict future responses to global climate change.
The Aurora Basin North project will drill a 400 metre deep ice core 600 kilometres inland from Casey station next summer to retrieve a 2000 year-long ice core.
“Australia is cooperating with other nations and contributing to this search. This involves groundwork like the Aurora Basin drilling, airborne surveys and computer modelling of the ice. It is expected that this will lead to actual drilling for a one million year old core by various international consortia in the coming years.” Minister Said.