Carlo Alberto Ricci – Chairman of the Italian Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research

Programma Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide

PNRA

Italy signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1981. The Italian National Programme for Antarctic Research (PNRA) was initiated in 1985. Since then 21 scientific expeditions were carried out. Italy became full Antarctic Treaty member in 1987 and SCAR member in 1988. The Ministry for Education, University and Research is responsible for the research programme. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is responsible for the international political aspects in the ambit of the Antarctic Treaty System.

Italy and Antarctica

The Italian national Antarctic programme is promoted by the Ministry for Education, University and Research. Research activities are conducted by a network of scientists belonging to universities and scientific institutions. The Antarctic programme develops multi- and interdisciplinary research projects in the field of: - Life sciences - Earth sciences - Physical and chemical sciences - Oceanography - Polar technology.

Outline of PNRA

A summer station - Mario Zucchelli - is run along the coast of Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea); a continental station - Concordia - is run in cooperation with France on the polar plateau at Dome C. Cargo vessels and Hercules C130 airplanes from New Zealand are used for transport of people and supply. Ski-equipped airplanes, helicopters and boats are available for supporting research activities and field camps.

Infrastructures and logistic support

Carta dell’Antartide

Mario Zucchelli station at Terra Nova Bay Mario Zucchelli Station

Geographical co-ordinates 74° 42’ S, 164° 07' E.

The Italian summer station is located along the coast of Terra Nova Bay

(Northern Victoria Land).

The station has the following main functions:

• housing researchers and technicians during summer expeditions

• logistic support for researchers operating in remote areas and stop-over

for parties directed to Concordia

• laboratories and equipment for scientific research.

Mario Zucchelli Station at Terra Nova Bay

Carta dell’Antartide

Stazione Concordia a Dome C

Geographical co-ordinates 75° 06’ S, 123° 21’ E Altitude 3233 m above sea-level The station is located at 1100 km from Dumont d’Urville and 1200 km from Mario Zucchelli. The French-Italian agreement was signed in 1993; the first winterover was in 2005.

Concordia Station at Dome C

(France – Italy)

The station is made up of two cylindrical buildings linked by a walkway. Each building incorporates three storeys for a total of 1500 m2.

The site was selected in order to allow the international scientific community to conduct unique research in the field of glaciology, space, atmospheric, earth and life sciences, and remote sensing.

Twin Otters at Concordia Station

Concordia Project

2005 – First winterover at Concordia

Some ground systematic geophysical observations from Antarctica are finalized to research and to service, i.e. for calibration, telecommunication assistance, support to navigation … A few observational examples of these activities •Geomagnetic pbservatories •Ionospheric sounding stations •GPS stations •All sky cameras •Radars for upper atmosphere investigations

Systematic geophysical observations at Concordia and their relations to space science

At Concordia a joint French and Italian research geomagnetism and seismology observatory program is jointly run by EOST and INGV, with our Antarctic Institutions IPEV and PNRA.

The seismological observatory

Some of the most interesting features of the Earth’s magnetic field are displayed in polar areas, where the magnetic field dipole poles are located...

Green glow of Aurora Australis over Concordia station on 18 July 2012. It was taken by Alexander Kumar and Erick Bondoux about 1 km from the station,

EPICA - European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica

Progetto europeo di perforazione di ghiaccio della calotta in località Dome C e Dronning Maud

Land per ricostruzioni paleoclimatiche (<1Ma)

EPICA - European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica

EPICA Dome C

I 3270 m registrano 9 cicli climatici.

Il ghiaccio alla base ha età stimata di 950.000 anni.

1998-2005

Nature, giugno 2004

European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (EPICA)

EPICA is an ESF -EC multinational European project involving 10 countires for deep ice core drilling in Antarctica with an investment of 40 milion Euros.

On December 21st 2005, drilling was concluded at a depth of 3270m.

Significant contributions to IPCC 800,000 Years of climate history Coniugated with GRIP

EUROPEAN DESCART

PRIZE

The atmosphere above Dome-C has

• consistently high transparency @145 GHz

• low polarized emission @145 GHz

Antarctica, and Dome C in particular, has unique characteristics that make it a highly desirable vantage point for upper atmospheric, solar, astronomical and astrophysical observations.

Thank you for your attention!