The polar ship Scotia

Polar Record ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angus B. Erskine ◽  
Kjell-G. Kjær
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Weddell Sea ◽  
Biological Research ◽  
Orkney Islands ◽  
Antarctic Expedition ◽  
South Orkney Islands ◽  
Antarctic Continent ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
The Great War

The ship that the oceanographer Dr William Speirs Bruce used on the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition, 1902–04, was originally a sealer named Hekla, built in Norway in 1872. In 1889 the Norwegian skipper Ragnvald Knudsen explored the northeast coast of Greenland between latitudes 74° and 75°, and in 1891–92 the ship was used by the Danish naval officer, Lieutenant C. Ryder, to explore the inner recesses of Scoresby Sund, finally visiting Angmagssalik. In 1902, re-named Scotia and captained by Tam Robertson from Peterhead, she sailed to the Weddell Sea under the leadership of Bruce. The southern winter of 1903 was spent at Laurie Island in the South Orkney Islands, and in March–April 1904 the party discovered 150 miles of previously unknown coastline of the Antarctic continent, reaching a farthest south of 74°01′S, 22°00′W. An extensive programme of marine survey and biological research was carried out. Back in the UK, Bruce sold the ship, and she returned to sealing, based in Dundee until appointed to be the first international North Atlantic Ice Patrol ship after the tragedy of Titanic. The Great War caused her to become a freighter in the English Channel area until she caught fire and was burnt out on a sandbank in the Bristol Channel on 18 January 1916.

Antarctic Place-names given by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition, 1902–04

Polar Record ◽  
1943 ◽  
Vol 4 (26) ◽  
pp. 61-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. N. Rudmose Brown
Keyword(s):  
Place Names ◽  
The South ◽  
Orkney Islands ◽  
Antarctic Expedition ◽  
South Orkney Islands ◽  
Antarctic Continent ◽  
Scientific Results ◽  
The Antarctic

The following place-names in the South Orkney Islands and the Antarctic Continent were proposed by Dr W. S. Bruce; they were first published in the maps accompanying his paper in the Scottish Geographical Magazine for June 1905, and in the Reports on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of S.Y. Scotia, 1902–04 (Edinburgh, 1907–).

Against all odds: the birth of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, 1955–1958

Polar Record ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-61
Author(s):  
Stephen Hicks ◽  
Bryan Storey ◽  
Philippa Mein Smith
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
The United States ◽  
Weddell Sea ◽  
Antarctic Expedition ◽  
Foreign Office ◽  
Polar Research Institute ◽  
Antarctic Continent ◽  
British Foreign Office ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Antarctic

ABSTRACTWhen the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1955–1958 advance party sailed from the Millwall Docks in November 1955, bound for the Weddell Sea, their departure was the product of five years of intensive effort on the part of Vivian Fuchs to achieve the first overland crossing of the Antarctic continent. This paper investigates the many obstacles that had to be overcome leading up to Theron sailing and explains the manner in which they were overcome by the Fuchs-Wordie-Clifford triumvirate. The British Foreign Office was particularly opposed to the expedition with the office's focus on sovereignty rather than science while an alternative proposal from Duncan Carse raised a unique set of difficulties. The withdrawal from involvement by the Scott Polar Research Institute Director, Colin Bertram, indicated further disaffection. Most important, if political and financial goals were to be met, was the need for participation by several Commonwealth countries of which New Zealand was the essential partner. Fortunately, the vigorous efforts of a few Antarctic enthusiasts in New Zealand were successful in moving their government to assert its long dormant position in the Ross Dependency. New Zealand's commitment turned the tide of commonwealth apathy towards the TAE. Although the TAE preceded the IGY, events, including the dominating IGY presence of the United States, caused the two projects to become tightly interwoven. For these reasons the years leading up to the departure of Theron were as intriguing as the crossing journey itself.

scholarly journals Variability of the Antarctic Slope Current System in the Northwestern Weddell Sea

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (12) ◽  
pp. 2977-2997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Azaneu ◽  
Karen J. Heywood ◽  
Bastien Y. Queste ◽  
Andrew F. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Current System ◽  
Water Layer ◽  
Bottom Layer ◽  
Weddell Sea ◽  
The South ◽  
Orkney Islands ◽  
Dense Water ◽  
South Orkney Islands ◽  
Antarctic Slope Current ◽  
The Antarctic

AbstractThe dense water outflow from the Antarctic continental shelf is closely associated with the strength and position of the Antarctic Slope Front. This study explores the short-term and spatial variability of the Antarctic Slope Front system and the mechanisms that regulate cross-slope exchange using highly temporally and spatially resolved measurements from three ocean gliders deployed in 2012. The 22 sections along the eastern Antarctic Peninsula and west of the South Orkney Islands are grouped regionally and composited by isobaths. There is consistency in the front position around the Powell Basin, varying mostly between the 500- and 800-m isobaths. In most of the study area the flow is bottom intensified. The along-slope transport of the Antarctic Slope Current (upper 1000 m) varies between 0.2 and 5.9 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1) and does not exhibit a regional pattern. The magnitude of the velocity field shows substantial variability, up to twice its mean value. Higher eddy kinetic energy (0.003 m2 s−2) is observed in sections with dense water, possibly because of baroclinic instabilities in the bottom layer. Distributions of potential vorticity show an increase toward the shelf along isopycnals and also in the dense water layer. Glider sections located west of the South Orkney Islands indicate a northward direction of the flow associated with the Weddell Front, which differs from previous estimates of the mean circulation. This study provides some of the first observational confirmation of the high-frequency variability associated with an active eddy field that has been suggested by recent numerical simulations in this region.

scholarly journals XXIX.—Turbellaria of the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition.

1907 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 819-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Gemmill ◽  
R. T. Leiper
Keyword(s):  
South America ◽  
Orkney Islands ◽  
Kerguelen Island ◽  
Antarctic Expedition ◽  
South Orkney Islands ◽  
The Antarctic

There were seven Turbellaria in the material handed to us by Mr W. S. Bruce, all obtained in April 1903 from Scotia Bay, South Orkney Islands (9–10 fms., Station 325, lat. 60° 44′ S., long. 44° 51′ W.). Their occurrence is interesting, as, although Studer (Ueber Seethiere aus dem Antarktischen Meere, 1876) mentions, without adequately describing it, a Eurylepta from Kerguelen Island, there are no definite records, so far as we have been able to ascertain, of Turbellarian species from nearer the Antarctic than the coasts of South America.

The Scottish National Antarctic Expedition 1902–04

Polar Record ◽  
1985 ◽  
Vol 22 (139) ◽  
pp. 379-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph E. Bernstein
Keyword(s):  
Ross Sea ◽  
Scientific Discovery ◽  
Weddell Sea ◽  
East Antarctica ◽  
Orkney Islands ◽  
Geographical Society ◽  
Antarctic Expedition ◽  
South Orkney Islands ◽  
20Th Anniversary ◽  
First Time

On 21 July 1904, just over 80 years ago, the barque-rigged, Norwegian-built auxiliary steamship Scotia sailed home up the Clyde with members of the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition (SNAE), concluding one of the most successful expeditions of the heroic period of Antarctic exploration. Contemporaneous with the more spectacular British Antarctic Expedition (1901–03) commanded by Robert Falcon Scott, the Scotia party under William Spiers Bruce had overwintered on Laurie Island (60° 44ʹ S, 44° 50ʹ W) in the South Orkney Islands, explored for the first time the oceanography of the Weddell Sea, assembled an important collection of scientific material, and discovered Coats Land, an icebound stretch of the East Antarctica coast.While Scott's Discovery expedition had emphasized geographical exploration inland from the Ross Sea sector of Antarctica, Bruce in the Scotia had concentrated more on scientific discovery in the Weddell Sea sector. On 12 November 1904 in Edinburgh, members of the Scotia and Discovery expeditions were guests at the 20th anniversary dinner of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, Bruce and Scott together responding to a presidential toast that honoured the success of both.

scholarly journals III.—Polychæta of the family Nereidæ, collected by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition (1902–1904).

1914 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. N. G. Ramsay
Keyword(s):  
Deep Water ◽  
Falkland Islands ◽  
The South ◽  
Orkney Islands ◽  
The Family ◽  
Antarctic Expedition ◽  
South Orkney Islands ◽  
Chief Interest ◽  
The Antarctic

The collection of Nereidæ brought home by the Scotia proves to be of considerable interest. As other expeditions have indicated, the family is but poorly represented in the antarctic or sub-antarctic regions; and although a large number of specimens were collected at the South Orkney Islands, these have all proved to belong to one species, N. kerguelensis M'Int. No nereids were obtained at any of the deep-water stations farther south—the family being decidedly littoral in its range.The chief interest, however, lies in the material collected so assiduously throughout the vessel's wanderings. Six other species were obtained, including one from the Falkland Islands, hitherto undescribed.

scholarly journals Scottish National Antarctic Expedition. “Scotia” Collections. Collembola from the South Orkney Islands

1906 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 473-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
George H. Carpenter ◽  
William Evans
Keyword(s):  
Present Writer ◽  
Tierra Del Fuego ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Careful Study ◽  
Orkney Islands ◽  
Arctic Regions ◽  
Victoria Land ◽  
Antarctic Expedition ◽  
South Orkney Islands ◽  
The Antarctic

Our knowledge of Antarctic Aptera has been growing rapidly during the last few years, a number of species from remote southern regions having been described by Willem (1902) from the countries south of Patagonia explored by the Belgica, by Schaffer (1897) from Tierra del Fuego, by Enderlein (1903) from Kerguelen, and a single Isotoma by the present writer (1902) from South Victoria Land. We find in the Antarctic as in the Arctic regions that in our advance towards the most remote and inhospitable lands, where winged insects eease to be represented, the primitive Aptera are still found fairly numerous in species, and often multitudinous in individuals. A careful study of these small frail insects fully repays the naturalist, both on account of the interest of their structure and the light which their distribution throws on geographical problems.

Antarctic Ecosystems The freshwater lakes of Signy Island and their fauna

1967 ◽  
Vol 252 (777) ◽  
pp. 347-362 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Summer Season ◽  
Falkland Islands ◽  
Freshwater Lakes ◽  
Orkney Islands ◽  
Signy Island ◽  
Antarctic Expedition ◽  
South Orkney Islands ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Taxonomic Evaluation ◽  
British Sector

Prior to 1962 work on freshwater within the British Sector of the Antarctic had been confined to the collection of specimens and their subsequent taxonomic evaluation. Collections were made by such expeditions as the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition 1902- 04, the various Discover y Investigations in this region 1925-37, the British Graham Land Expedition 1934-37 and the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey 1945-62. During the 1961/1962 summer season an ecological investigation of the freshwater lakes of Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, was started. This paper is an interim report on that work.

scholarly journals Spatial Structure and Intra-Annual Variability of Weddell Sea Front based on the Data of NOAA OISST Reanalysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu. V. Artamonov ◽  
E. A. Skripaleva ◽  
N. V. Nikolsky ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Structure ◽  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
Time Lag ◽  
Water Area ◽  
Weddell Sea ◽  
The South ◽  
Orkney Islands ◽  
Bransfield Strait ◽  
South Orkney Islands ◽  
The Antarctic

Based on the NOAA OISST reanalysis data, the spatial structure of the Weddell Sea Front in the climatic field of the sea surface temperature was analyzed and the seasonal variability of front’s characteristics was estimated. The spatial position of the frontal zone in the Weddell Sea was analyzed using distributions of the total horizontal temperature gradient. The characteristics of the front (the position of the gradients' extrema corresponding to the front, their magnitude and temperature on the front axis) were determined for each month on the profiles of meridional and zonal temperature gradients along meridians and parallels with a discreteness of 2.5° of longitude and 0.25° of latitude. It is shown that the interaction of Weddell Sea cold waters, which are transported by currents northward along the Antarctic Peninsula coasts, with the warmer waters of the eastern shelf of the Antarctic Peninsula and the Bransfield Strait surface water causes formation of two branches of the Weddell Sea Front. These branches round from a vast shelf at the Antarctic Peninsula tip and the Joinville archipelago the south and north and are traced further east along the boundaries of the bottom rise located approximately between 62.5S and 64.5S. To the south of the South Orkney Islands shelf, the two branches merge into one front, which follows to the east along the depth dump of the relative shallow between the South Orkney and South Sandwich Islands. In the seasonal cycle of the Weddell Sea Front intensity, a time lag was revealed of the front intensification period in the direction from west to east. In Bransfield Strait the front is most intense in February, between the Antarctic Peninsula tip and the South Orkney Islands – in March, east of the South Orkney Islands – in April. The branch of the Weddell Sea Front off the northeastern of the Antarctic Peninsula coasts intensifies in November – January, in the western part of the water area east of the James Ross and Snow Hill Islands – in January – February.

Introductory remarks

1977 ◽  
Vol 279 (963) ◽  
pp. 3-3
Keyword(s):  
Short Duration ◽  
Orkney Islands ◽  
British Antarctic Survey ◽  
International Geophysical Year ◽  
South Orkney Islands ◽  
Antarctic Continent ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
International Geophysical ◽  
Long Term Studies

It is now only 80 years since man first set foot on the Antarctic Continent. Thereafter there were sporadic expeditions from various nations, which were mainly exploratory in the geographical sense although scientific studies were increasingly included. Even so, the area was so vast (13.5 x 10 6 km 2 ; 5 1/4 million square miles), the expeditions so intermittent, widely dispersed and of such short duration (at most two years), that there could be no continuity of observation. Apart from the steady occupation by Argentina since 1904 of the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition’s station in the South Orkney Islands, long-term studies began with a naval operation in 1943, the forerunner of the British Antarctic Survey, and have continued to this day. But really it was not until the International Geophysical Year in 1957/8 that a broad based scientific attack on the continent was made. At that time 12 countries maintained 44 stations, both around the perimeter and in the interior of the continent; today the number is 27.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document