New Zealand's Antarctic research station, Scott Base, is currently 100% reliant on aviation turbine fuel and existing diesel generator sets to produce the heat and electricity necessary to sustain staff activities. Decreasing fuel consumption at Scott Base has benefits economically, politically and environmentally. A method of reducing fuel consumption and increasing base independence that is receiving considerable attention from Antarctica New Zealand is the addition of wind power to the existing energy system. A performance-objective design of a wind-diesel hybrid energy system for Scott Base is proposed in order to determine the most effective hybrid system configuration with the lowest cost within a set of system constraints. A demand side management technique is also evaluated as a measure to further increase potential fuel savings. Modelling is completed using the simulation tool HOMER and results are presented for several different system configurations.

Antarctica is widely perceived as the most untouched continent on Earth. However, increasing anthropogenic presence in Antarctica is creating continual pressure on the pristine environment. To protect the Antarctic environment, monitoring and reporting procedures must be a priority for Nations wishing to conduct research on the continent. A significant contributor to environmental degradation is poor waste management and waste disposal, in particular the discharge of sewage and wastewater into the marine environment. This study provides information on the potential impact of Scott Base wastewater on the local marine environment, which can be used to improve operating systems and as a tool to ultimately reduce the environmental footprint of the base. This study investigated the characteristics of the sewage from Scott Base, Antarctica, and the water quality within the wastewater discharge plume beneath the sea ice. Results from seawater analysis were then compared with Redvers (2000) to give an indication of how contamination levels have changed over the last decade. Results show that in the vicinity of the wastewater outfall, seawater samples contained no faecal coliforms or Escherichia coli. Nitrate-Nitrogen (NO3ˉ- N) concentrations were recorded up to 1.1 mg/L, while phosphate (PO43-) ranged from 0.28 to 0.45 mg/L. The pH ranged from 7.84 to 7.92. Dissolved oxygen ranged between 10.05 and 13.02 mg/L, and conductivity between 48.4 to 55.2 mS/cm. Concentrations of copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) were greatest at sites within 30m of the outfall. Iron (Fe) and nickel (Ni) were detected at most sites within the plume. The general spatial extent of the plume is now approximately 50m long-shore, and 30m offshore. Compared to Redvers (2000) the current plume is more localised, with a reduction of approximately 100-125m long-shore and 10-20m offshore. Faecal coliforms have reduced to no longer be detected within the plume, while dissolved oxygen and total organic carbon concentrations in the plume have increased, and conductivity has decreased. Soils surrounding Scott Base were also investigated as a potential source of trace metal (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) discharge to the marine environment. Total recoverable soil metal concentrations and readily leachable metal concentrations were measured. Sites were selected on the basis of being potential sources of contamination (fuel storage areas or refuelling areas), or potentially effecting the marine environment (shorelines). Results show that the greatest concentrations of metals and readily leachable metals were found primarily along the shoreline, and not necessarily where contamination related to current base activities is likely to occur. The results indicate that historic contamination may still persist in the terrestrial environment, and has the potential to be transported into the marine environment. Domestic and drinking water samples were analysed for trace metals and nutrients to ensure that contaminants from the wastewater outfall were not entering the reverse osmosis plant. Results show that the drinking water meets New Zealand Drinking Water Standards (Ministry of Health, 2008).

The thesis analyses the expedition (TAE) led by Dr.Vivian Fuchs and Sir Edmund Hillary from three vantage points: 1)the years from 1948 to 1955 leading up to the expedition 2) the interaction between the IGY and the TAE projects and 3) the role of the US Navy as the expedition unfolded. The thesis also investigates key events including the purchase of the ship Endeavour from Britain, the competition for leadership of the UK and NZ parties, the 'dash to the Pole' by Hillary, and the search for base sites and routes to the Polar Plateau. The thesis contains an overview historical introduction, a comprehensive literature review as well as a broad-based set of conclusions.

Thesis (M.E.)--University of Canterbury, 2006. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 139-141). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Gravity waves have a significant dynamic effect in the mesosphere. In particular, they drive the mesospheric circulation and are the reason that the summer polar mesosphere is cooler than the winter polar mesosphere. This thesis examines whether the effects of gravity waves are largely determined by filtering effects which allow only gravity waves with certain properties to propagate into the atmosphere. The filtering of gravity waves above Scott Base, Antarctica is examined using a radiosonde derived gravity wave source function, an MF-radar derived mesospheric gravity wave climatology, and a model derived filtering function. Least squares fitting of the source function and filtering function to the observed mesospheric gravity wave climatology allows us to determine which gravity wave phase velocities and propagation direction are likely to be present in the mesosphere and the relative importance of filtering and sources in this region. It is concluded the blocking of eastward gravity waves is important in winter and westward waves in summer.

Gravity waves have a significant dynamic effect in the mesosphere. In particular, they drive the mesospheric circulation and are the reason that the summer polar mesosphere is cooler than the winter polar mesosphere. This thesis examines whether the effects of gravity waves are largely determined by filtering effects which allow only gravity waves with certain properties to propagate into the atmosphere. The filtering of gravity waves above Scott Base, Antarctica is examined using a radiosonde derived gravity wave source function, an MF-radar derived mesospheric gravity wave climatology, and a model derived filtering function. Least squares fitting of the source function and filtering function to the observed mesospheric gravity wave climatology allows us to determine which gravity wave phase velocities and propagation direction are likely to be present in the mesosphere and the relative importance of filtering and sources in this region. It is concluded the blocking of eastward gravity waves is important in winter and westward waves in summer.