Climatic Characterization of the Terra Nova Bay Region

Abstract

Italian research on Antarctic atmosphere started in a systematic way in 1986 when the Programma Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide began its activity. Studies on the atmosphere have been developed in five different projects: planetary boundary layer physics; meteorology and climatology; aerosols radiation and clouds; minor components and greenhouse gases; physics and chemistry of the stratosphere. The monitoring activity has been developed considering two different aspects: (1) the need to have continuous and reliable measurements of the meteorological parameters in the area of the Italian base and (2) the possibility to carry out some specific studies concerning the physics, the dynamics and chemistry of the atmosphere. A climatological observatory has been arranged with a network of fixed automatic weather stations, that record meteorological data throughout the year. During the summer upper level soundings are also conducted. In the present chapter the climatological data, collected in about a decade, are analyzed to give a climatic picture of Terra Nova Bay. The parameters considered are radiation, pressure, temperature, humidity and wind. The obtained results have been compared, when possible, with the data collected at foreign stations, to verify their reliability. A short discussion about Antarctica and climate change closes the work.