The South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI)

Transforming, Consolidating and Strengthening Marine and Polar Research

By Shumirai Chimombe

“Through research and observation, We Discover, We learn, We change”

The South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI) was established in 2021 to maintain and support the historic and ongoing observations of marine and polar regions surrounding the country as well as in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean Islands.

The country became a founding member of the Antarctic Treaty System in 1959 which is an international agreement that governs Antarctica, dedicating it to peaceful purposes, banning military activity and nuclear testing, and establishing it as a zone for scientific cooperation. South Africa has continuously maintained research operations and stations in the region since then. Developed by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, SAPRI’s objective is to enable collaboration among the different marine and polar research initiatives and assist decision makers to formulate appropriate environmental policies that lessen the risk of global climate change.

“To observe, we journey South"

Vessels set sail from Cape Town, the only African gateway city to Antarctica, and make their way to research stations located on Prince Edward Island, Marion Island, Antarctica, Gough Island and Tristan de Cunha. Other locations include South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and the Weddell Sea.

“By exploring, we uncover”

SAPRI’s research facilitation and infrastructure support is divided into four Integrated Facilities (IFs).

The Data, Products and Society (DPS):

The Data, Products and Society (DPS) facility was established in November 2022 and is hosted by the Faculty of Science, Department of Botany and Zoology at Stellenbosch University. It integrates the SAPRI Data Centre, the various types of generated data and downstream products, and the community outreach programme.

The Data Centre plays a vital role in preserving South Africa’s marine and polar data. It ensures that data is made available to those who need it to advance their own research and scientific work.

SAPRI’s products include the Digital Antarctica Project which was launched in October 2024. The project aims to offer a detailed digital representation of the large infrastructures used within the South African marine and polar research environment.

This includes a 360-degree tour of the South African research station on Antarctica (SANAE IV). In the pipeline are more 3D/360 tours of the stations on Marion Island and Gough Island as well as the South African research and supply vessel, the S.A. Agulhas II.

Transformation remains a cornerstone of SAPRI’s mandate. This is reflected in its engagement strategy in which it actively interacts with the public and students to promote communication, awareness, and education around marine and polar research in collaboration with its stakeholders. “We are advancing our commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and future-ready research workforce by strengthening mentorship pathways and outreach activities” -SAPRI

In 2024 SAPRI successfully completed a year-long Antarctic Year Programme at Ukhanyo Primary School in Masiphumelele in Cape Town, in collaboration with the NPO Guardians of the Deep. The programme featured monthly mini-workshops aimed at sparking early interest in sciencerelated subjects by introducing learners to marine and polar science research through engaging sessions led by expert guest speakers.

SAPRI continues to collaborate with historically underrepresented institutions to open pathways into marine and polar science careers and the South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) programme. To date, visits have included the University of Limpopo, University of Venda, and Sol Plaatje University.”

The Mahlalela Mentorship Programme is co-designed by the SAPRI, the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists of South Africa (APECS SA) and the South African Network for Coastal and Oceanic Research (SANCOR). The programme works to connect postgraduate students and early career researchers with experienced mentors. It will support the career progression of emerging researchers by facilitating the sharing of best practices, innovative ideas, specialised knowledge and essential skills.

• Long-term Observations of the Land (LTO-Land):

LTO-Land works to ensure the continuity of the established long-term observation networks on the Sub-Antarctic islands, the Antarctic continent and ice shelves as well as the LTO of marine top predators and seabirds.

These three regions are:

• The Prince Edward Island system, which includes Marion and Prince Edward Islands (owned by South Africa)

• Gough Island (owned by the United Kingdom) where South Africa leases the land to undertake observations

• The Dronning Maud Land (DML) section of Antarctica where SANAE IV is located.

Hosted by the National Research Foundation - South African Environmental Observation Network (NRF-SAEON), LTOLand will enhance South Africa’s scientific research capabilities by providing a dedicated platform for monitoring and studying various aspects of the land environment in the polar regions. This will include areas such as oceans and marine ecosystems under global change, earth system observations, ecosystems, biodiversity, and biodiscovery.

Research In The Antarctic

BY SHUMIRAI CHIMOMBE

By expanding the scope of research and data collection, this integrated facility will enable South Africa to contribute even more significantly to international research initiatives and collaborations.

LTO-Land is responsible for ensuring the continuity of longterm monitoring research on seabirds and marine mammals breeding at the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward. This research has been ongoing and uninterrupted for the last four decades.

“Long-term monitoring of seabirds and marine mammals is vital for tracking ecosystem health, conserving biodiversity, managing invasive species, and studying the effects of climate change. It also contributes valuable data to global scientific research efforts.” - SAPRI

The seabird and marine mammal research programmes on Marion Island have achieved significant success in research and conservation over the past four decades, contributing to the education of numerous masters and doctoral students both in South Africa and internationally. These research programmes have been led by South African university teams including those from UCT, University of Pretoria, and the Nelson Mandela University. Such projects are funded through the National Research Foundation SANAP three-year funding cycle.

Long-term Observations Of The Ocean (LTO-Ocean)

The LTO-Ocean Integrated Facility aims to support the established long-term observation networks in the oceans surrounding South Africa, including the Southern Ocean, the South-West Indian Ocean and the South Atlantic Ocean. This includes LTO in the oceans, sea-ice, deep ocean sites, seafloor and the overlying atmosphere. The LTO-Ocean is also hosted by the NRF-SAEON.

The datasets generated will help scientists track trends in sea surface temperatures, ocean currents, sea-level rise and ocean acidification, and are crucial for determining the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems and global climate patterns.

Ocean observations also help to improve weather forecasting accuracy. Meteorologists make use of accessible datasets such as sea surface temperatures, ocean currents, and atmospheric conditions over the ocean to forecast meteorological phenomena such as tropical cyclones, devastating storm surges and extreme waves with improved accuracy.

“Our surrounding oceans are vital to the country’s economy, contributing to industries including shipping, fishing, aquaculture, tourism, and renewable energy. Long-term ocean observations help these industries in planning for potential disruptions, such as changes in ocean conditions or extreme weather events. They also provide insights into changes in phytoplankton and zooplankton populations, fish distribution, and the overall biodiversity of the ocean. These data is crucial for long-term fisheries management and conservation activities, addressing serious environmental and societal issues. They serve not only the scientific community, but also evidence-based decision-making and policy development on a national and international scale.” - SAPRI

Polar Lab

The Polar Lab was set up to create the first sub-zero, temperaturecontrolled laboratory in Africa for the simulation of the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic environment for experimental and training purposes.

Hosted by UCT, the Polar Lab will simulate the polar conditions through dedicated cold rooms and an ice-wave tank for seawater experiments. It also includes mobile polar labs that can be used in South Africa and at sea. According to SAPRI in its latest newsletter, funding has been secured for the Digital and Polar Lab building at UCT and the timeline for its construction has been set for the next five years.

The Lab will facilitate multidisciplinary, collaborative research across South Africa and Africa. It will provide an opportunity for increased exposure and training in polar science and technology for students, scientists, and technicians – eliminating the necessity of travelling to Antarctica and participating in research cruises, as this is not always feasible.

The Lab will support polar research activities across science and engineering disciplines including:

• Artificial sea ice creation in a wave tank

• Study of wave-ice interactions and damping of pancake ice and interstitial frazil ice

• Study of biological uptake, production and gas exchanges in natural and artificially created sea ice

• Study of atmosphere-ice ocean interaction in artificially created sea ice

• Sub-zero testing and analysis of physical, mechanical and biogeochemical properties of Antarctic and artificial sea ice samples

• Sub-zero testing and analysis of physical and mechanical properties of Antarctic geological samples

• Near-zero and sub-zero experiments with biological specimens from the polar ocean, sub-Antarctic islands and the Antarctic continent

This research is currently not available in South Africa or the continent, marking this project as a pioneer and trailblazer for current and future generations of researchers in Africa.

“By facilitating and supporting, we transform, we grow, we keep exploring”

View the South African Polar Research Infrastructure introductory video here and learn more more on their website

Source: The South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI)