This research addressed a feasibility study for a remote monitoring system based on acoustic tomography to be used in antarctic regions. The analysis of data collected during PNRA oceanographic campaigns provided the environmental scenarios and the oceanographic processes to be successfully monitored by means of acoustic tomography and the appropriate information and data to initialize the tomographic processor. The case studies regarded High Salinity Shelf Water formation process in Terra Nova Bay polynya. The simplified but realistic environmental scenario considered a 1000 m deep area with a flat bottom. The dense water formation area was defined by a strong vertical salinity gradient in the surface, while in the areas outside, temperature and salinity were considered constant in depth leading to an almost linear increasing sound speed profile. At this stage of study, the possible presence of ice layer covering the area is not expected to have any significant effect on the propagation prediction, so it was not considered. Simulations were carried out with a beam model (Bellhop) which is well suited for active sonar modelling and ocean acoustic tomography in a range dependent environment. Each simulation involves the use of an acoustic source and a receiving station (tomographic pair) consisting of a vertical array of hydrophones. By measuring the travel time relative to different scenarios, the analysis aimed at understanding if the detection of the oceanographic phenomenon is feasible. In particular, the study aimed at determining the best compromise between acoustic frequencies, sensors number and geometrical configuration, in order to achieve the desired spatial-temporal resolution useful to detect the presence of dense water masses. An acoustic system configuration consisting of an acoustic source transmitting a pulse with a carrier frequency of 10 kHz, and of a receiving array made of 6 hydrophones resulted to be appropriate, while the minimum size of detectable Dense Water Mass is 0.5 km. In particular, the conducted sensitivity study evidences that the measure of travel time of acoustic rays can be successfully exploited to detect the presence of a dense water mass in a polynya area Acoustic tomography thus provides “images” of wide areas in the inner ocean for long periods and with an high temporal resolution; in addition it permits to reconstruct the sound speed field even in the upper layers where direct measurements cannot be performed as instruments are at risk of damage. It can then be consider a powerful mean of observation that well integrates conventional in situ measurements. Preliminar investigation on the applicability of this methodology in Terranova Bay polynya demonstrated that it is able to resolve the vertical structure of water column with a good precision.

It is a program that, by means of surface crossings thousands of kilometers long, collects information on the behavior of the ice sheet and the related changes in the global sea level as a result of climatic and environmental changes over the last 200 years. Aims of the projects are: Determine the environmental variability in Antarctica over the last 200 yrs, and where the data are available the last 1000 years. Environmental proxies could include: sea ice variation, ocean productivity, anthropogenic impacts; and other, extra-Antarctic continental influences

Since 1998, ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technology, Energy and the Environment) has been carrying on researches to develop a plant based greenhouse facility for producing plant fresh food at the Italian bases of TNB (Terra Nova Bay) and Dome C (Concordia base) in Antarctica. Accordingly, at the base TNB “Mario Zucchelli” was installed a sustainable closed greenhouse facility PULSA (Plant-based Unit for Life Support in Antarctica). PULSA has been in operation during four campaigns in Antarctica. 1) A complete automatic hydroponics system for plant cultivation in artificial environmental (C.H.G.S., Closed Hydroponic Greenhouse System); 2. A closed module PULSA Unit. A prototype greenhouse module has been conceived and designed as a transportable unit made of a standard container, dimensions of 6055 (l)*2435(w)*2585(h) mm. The installed microclimate conditioning unit included an air heater of about 6.0 kW which can also act as inside air cooling as well as dehumidifier for removing the internal humidity (up to 2.5 kg/h of water) by forcing the air into a drying service. An air ventilation device composed of two fans each of 400 W and air capacity exchanging of 1200 m3/h was also installed to keep necessary air exchange and CO2 concentration. 3) A treating and recycling wastes unit for the purification of water and for the recycling of residual biomass wastes from the hydroponic cycles, 4) A complete automated and remote-controlling system for the germination and the production of the plantlets (Box-Nursery); 5) A simulator for the growth and the yield production of lettuce (SLS) in function of the temperature and the light applied to the crops. Other prototypes still under developing are: a) the multilevel hydroponics design; b) the solar photovoltaic system of 1.1 kWp, to optimize the yield and the autonomy of the enclosed growing volume using artificial and/or Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) as light sources for plant crop growth. Considerations and comments are reported on the on-going challenge to use PULSA as scientific platform for implementing activities of research and demonstration on plant growth technologies for Space.

The TALos Dome Ice CorE (TALDICE) is a European ice core research project (Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom) aimed at retrieving an ice core reaching back through the previous two interglacials (about 250,000 years), from a peripheral dome of East Antarctica, and want to reconstruct a reliable chronology, thanks to the presence of numerous layers of volcanic dust given the proximity of several volcanoes. Talos Dome is an ice dome (159°11'E - 72°49'S, 2316 m asl) on the edge of the East Plateau of Antarctica, about 290 km from the Southern Ocean, 250 km from the Ross Sea, 275 km from Mario Zucchelli Station, 550 km North of Taylor Dome , 1500 km NW of Simple Dome, and 1100 km East of Dome C. The TALDICE project started in the field in November 2004 and ended on December 23, 2007, at the final depth of 1620.20 m. Ice Thickness 1795 m Mean annual temperature -41°C Mean annual atmospheric air pressure 721±10 hPa Ice velocity 0.14 m yr-1

Purpose: The project aims to study the super-cold currents of the Ross Sea by combining the performance of the SARA Submarine Robot with the navigation support provided by the RAS land vehicle, used in parallel cruises under and above the ice, respectively. Year 2005 In Antarctica: no activities. In Italy: completion of activities planned in PEA 2003. Preparation of a test campaign of the systems developed for SARA; installation of a CTD sensor on board; evaluation of the performance of the navigation system, measurement of the effective usability of an acoustic communication channel.

Exploratory study for the development of technologies required for biological, geological and physical-chemical entry and sampling in subglacial lakes under high contamination-free conditions. The proposed activity is part of an international initiative, promoted and sponsored by SCAR and COMNAP in which Italy is also represented. The scientific objective is the development of miniaturized technologies for the execution of chemical-physical-biological measurements and of remoting technologies for the transport of instrumentation to the operational site, possibly enabling "in situ" sampling and material recovery operations.

The UV spectral measurement at ground it’s a diffuse method to determine the stratospheric ozone content. The main objective of the project was the assembling of the UV filter radiometer (named F-RAD) for the measurements of the Sun global irradiance at the Mario Zucchelli Station (MZS), Terranova Bay, Antarctica. The main parts of the instruments are: the entrance radiation optical system, the filters selecting the wavelength of interest and the control system, hardware and software, governing all the measurement steps. The main requirements were: time resolution of one minute and spectral resolution less than 1 nm. The researchers of the project have been participated at two Antarctica campaign, the XXI campaign, 2005, and the XXV campaign, 2009. - XXI Campaign: the radiometer was tested in the Antarctica environment in order to check the reliability of the different components and the optical stability of the filters. - XXV Campaign: the radiometer F-RAD was definitively placed on the roof of one of the MZS building and connected with the Local Area Network of the base. the UV data were daily downloaded in Italy. The spectral UV data acquired with high time resolution, each wavelength was measured 1430 time per day and high spectral resolution, the filters have a FWHM of 0.5- 0.8 nm. F-RAD was placed in Antarctica in November 2009 and works properly, the different parameters are checked daily.

The project aims to determine the mass balance components in the Dome C drainage area and to study and monitor local glaciers in Victoria Land. The goal is to define the mass balance of the ice cap through the analysis of its altimetric variation with satellite systems and through the determination of the values of the positive (snow accumulation) and negative (flow of glaciers to the anchor line) components of the balance mass. Trought the study of the snow cores (collected as part of the ITASE project (XVII/XVIII expedition)), was determined the annual stratigraphy and evaluated the snow accumulation, the isotopic temperature and the chemical composition of the snow cores. Moreover analysis of geophysical data (GPR, GPS, RES, spectroradiometry) and remote sensing data were carried out for the study of the variability of snow accumulation, of the dynamics of the ice cap and of the flow of glaciers to the anchor line.

The project aims to estimate the current mass balance of glaciers and in particular of the Antarctic ice sheet by studying the space-time variations of the balance of snow accumulation through the integration of meteo-climatic and glaciological data. Analysis of weather-climatic and snow measurements collected by AWS stations (Dome C, C3, High Priestley, Talos Dome and a Nansen Ice Sheet) using sensors for measuring snow transport and measuring poles. Snow radar data collection of the Dumont d’Urville-Dome C traverse. Analysis of the chemical and isotopic composition of the collected snow samples. Analysis of satellite data to define the path of the Talos Dome-Dome C-Vostok-Dome B-Dome A crosspiece. High resolution chemical / isotopic analyzes (samples in trenches) for the study of post-depositional diffusion / re-emission processes that occur in the part of the snow closest to the surface. Study of the spatial variability of the snow accumulation at the TD site and along the ITASE traverse. Continuation of the analysis of the samples and geophysical data collected in the previous ITASE traverses.

In the MAss LOst in wind fluX (MALOX) project the automatic weather station AWS Virginia purpose is to contribute to the monitoring of global climate change monitoring standard meteorological parameters. The AWS is located at Inexpressible Island (74°56’S 163°41’E) at --- m a.s.l., and has been installed on the ---. It acquired, every minute, all year round, the meteorological vaiables of wind velocity, wind direction, temperature, pressure and relative humidity.