[{"awards": "1744885 Moline, Mark", "bounds_geometry": ["POLYGON((-64.12 -64.76,-64.084 -64.76,-64.048 -64.76,-64.012 -64.76,-63.976 -64.76,-63.94 -64.76,-63.904 -64.76,-63.868 -64.76,-63.832 -64.76,-63.796 -64.76,-63.76 -64.76,-63.76 -64.77300000000001,-63.76 -64.786,-63.76 -64.799,-63.76 -64.812,-63.76 -64.825,-63.76 -64.83800000000001,-63.76 -64.851,-63.76 -64.864,-63.76 -64.877,-63.76 -64.89,-63.796 -64.89,-63.832 -64.89,-63.868 -64.89,-63.904 -64.89,-63.94 -64.89,-63.976 -64.89,-64.012 -64.89,-64.048 -64.89,-64.084 -64.89,-64.12 -64.89,-64.12 -64.877,-64.12 -64.864,-64.12 -64.851,-64.12 -64.83800000000001,-64.12 -64.825,-64.12 -64.812,-64.12 -64.799,-64.12 -64.786,-64.12 -64.77300000000001,-64.12 -64.76))"], "date_created": "Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "During the 2022-2023 Antarctic penguin breeding season, we used a newly developed echosounder payload on autonomous underwater vehicles as part of this program to sample krill at fine resolution. Diving as deep as 75m and then utilizing a triangle depth pattern near the highest densities, the AUVs sampled the oceanography within the prey fields. Twenty-four AUV science sampling missions took place during the 2022-23 field season in various environments and conditions. These observations were paired with new video recording tags carried by the penguins to provide a unique in situ perspective on the Antarctic habitat. These observations reveal an abundance of small-scale krill patches in the habitat that were used by foraging penguins. These krill patches would likely be missed from surface-based observations. \r\n\u003cbr/\u003eThese fine scale observations were only possible during one field season because of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-21 ), pier construction at Palmer Station (2021-22) and subsequent heat-loop project (2023-24). To provide context to these detailed observations and in a separate effort, our team is analyzed echosounder data collected over a number of years (2018-2024) from a surface RHIB as part of the Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research program. These data were collected by the LTER team within habitat zones used by foraging penguins during the breeding season designed to elucidate linkages between the predators and prey. The LTER has lacked dedicated personnel with the expertise to analyze and interpret these particular results over the full time-series, so this analysis was conducted as part of this project in lieu of the single field season at Palmer Station for reasons stated above.", "east": -63.76, "geometry": ["POINT(-63.94 -64.825)"], "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; Palmer Station", "locations": "Palmer Station; Antarctica", "north": -64.76, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Integrated System Science", "persons": "Moline, Mark", "project_titles": "Collaborative Research: Linking Predator Behavior and Resource Distributions: Penguin-directed Exploration of an Ecological Hotspot", "projects": [{"proj_uid": "p0010347", "repository": "USAP-DC", "title": "Collaborative Research: Linking Predator Behavior and Resource Distributions: Penguin-directed Exploration of an Ecological Hotspot"}], "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -64.89, "title": "Ancillary Instrument measures via AUV - Palmer Summer 2022-2023 B-308-P", "uid": "602056", "west": -64.12}, {"awards": "1341513 Maksym, Edward", "bounds_geometry": ["POLYGON((-180 -68,-179 -68,-178 -68,-177 -68,-176 -68,-175 -68,-174 -68,-173 -68,-172 -68,-171 -68,-170 -68,-170 -68.8,-170 -69.6,-170 -70.4,-170 -71.2,-170 -72,-170 -72.8,-170 -73.6,-170 -74.4,-170 -75.2,-170 -76,-171 -76,-172 -76,-173 -76,-174 -76,-175 -76,-176 -76,-177 -76,-178 -76,-179 -76,180 -76,179 -76,178 -76,177 -76,176 -76,175 -76,174 -76,173 -76,172 -76,171 -76,170 -76,170 -75.2,170 -74.4,170 -73.6,170 -72.8,170 -72,170 -71.2,170 -70.4,170 -69.6,170 -68.8,170 -68,171 -68,172 -68,173 -68,174 -68,175 -68,176 -68,177 -68,178 -68,179 -68,-180 -68))"], "date_created": "Fri, 30 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Layer Cakes for the PIPERS ice stations 4, 7, 8 and 9 (05/24, 05/29, 05/31, 06/02) with snow depth (both raw and interpolated), surface lidar scan and ice draft AUV scan aligned onto a common 100m x 100m grid, binned at 0.2m resolution.", "east": -170.0, "geometry": ["POINT(180 -72)"], "keywords": "Antarctica; Digital Elevation Model; Glaciology; Ice; Ice Thickness; Ice Thickness Distribution; LIDAR; NBP1704; PIPERS; Ross Sea; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Sea Ice; Snow; Snow Depth; Surface Elevation", "locations": "Ross Sea; Antarctica", "north": -68.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Integrated System Science", "persons": "Mei, M. Jeffrey; Maksym, Edward; Jeffrey Mei, M.", "project_titles": "Collaborative Research: Seasonal Sea Ice Production in the Ross Sea, Antarctica", "projects": [{"proj_uid": "p0010032", "repository": "USAP-DC", "title": "Collaborative Research: Seasonal Sea Ice Production in the Ross Sea, Antarctica"}], "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -76.0, "title": "Sea Ice Layer Cakes, PIPERS 2017", "uid": "601207", "west": 170.0}, {"awards": "1019838 Wendt, Dean", "bounds_geometry": null, "date_created": "Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The Antarctic Peninsula is among the most rapidly warming regions on earth. Increased heat from the Antarctic Circumpolar Current has elevated the temperature of the 300 m of shelf water below the permanent pycnocline by 0.7 degrees C. This trend has displaced the once dominant cold, dry continental Antarctic climate, and is causing multi-level responses in the marine ecosystem. One striking example of the ecosystem response to warming has been the local declines in ice-dependent Ad\u00e9lie penguins. The changes in these apex predators are thought to be driven by alterations in phytoplankton and zooplankton community composition, and the foraging limitations and diet differences between these species. One of the most elusive questions facing researchers interested in the foraging ecology of the Ad\u00e9lie penguin, namely, what are the biophysical properties that characterize the three dimensional foraging space of this top predator? The research will combine the real-time site and diving information from the Ad\u00e9lie penguin satellite tags with the full characterization of the oceanography and the penguins prey field using an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). While some of these changes have been documented over large spatial scales of the WAP, it is now thought that the causal mechanisms that favor of one life history strategy over another may actually operate over much smaller scales than previously thought, specifically on the scale of local breeding sites and over-wintering areas. Characterization of prey fields on these local scales has yet to be done and one that the AUV is ideally suited. The results will have a direct tie to the climate induced changes that are occurring in the West Antarctic Peninsula. This study will also highlight a new approach to linking an autonomous platform to bird behavior that could be expanded to include the other two species of penguins and examine the seasonal differences in their foraging behavior and prey selection. From a vehicle perspective, this effort will inform the AUV user community of new sensor suites and/or data processing approaches that are required to better evaluate foraging habitat. The project also will help transition AUV platforms into routine investigative tools for this region, which is chronically under sampled and will remain difficult to access\n", "east": null, "geometry": null, "keywords": "Biota; Oceans; Southern Ocean", "locations": "Southern Ocean", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": null, "persons": "Wendt, Dean; Moline, Mark", "project_titles": "Real-Time Characterization of Adelie Penguin Foraging Environment Using an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle", "projects": [{"proj_uid": "p0000662", "repository": "USAP-DC", "title": "Real-Time Characterization of Adelie Penguin Foraging Environment Using an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle"}], "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Real-Time Characterization of Adelie Penguin Foraging Environment Using an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle", "uid": "600120", "west": null}]

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Dataset Title/Abstract/Map	NSF Award(s)	Date Created	PIs / Scientists	Project Links	Abstract	Bounds Geometry	Geometry	Selected	Visible
Ancillary Instrument measures via AUV - Palmer Summer 2022-2023 B-308-P	1744885	2026-05-11	Moline, Mark	Collaborative Research: Linking Predator Behavior and Resource Distributions: Penguin-directed Exploration of an Ecological Hotspot	During the 2022-2023 Antarctic penguin breeding season, we used a newly developed echosounder payload on autonomous underwater vehicles as part of this program to sample krill at fine resolution. Diving as deep as 75m and then utilizing a triangle depth pattern near the highest densities, the AUVs sampled the oceanography within the prey fields. Twenty-four AUV science sampling missions took place during the 2022-23 field season in various environments and conditions. These observations were paired with new video recording tags carried by the penguins to provide a unique in situ perspective on the Antarctic habitat. These observations reveal an abundance of small-scale krill patches in the habitat that were used by foraging penguins. These krill patches would likely be missed from surface-based observations. <br/>These fine scale observations were only possible during one field season because of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-21 ), pier construction at Palmer Station (2021-22) and subsequent heat-loop project (2023-24). To provide context to these detailed observations and in a separate effort, our team is analyzed echosounder data collected over a number of years (2018-2024) from a surface RHIB as part of the Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research program. These data were collected by the LTER team within habitat zones used by foraging penguins during the breeding season designed to elucidate linkages between the predators and prey. The LTER has lacked dedicated personnel with the expertise to analyze and interpret these particular results over the full time-series, so this analysis was conducted as part of this project in lieu of the single field season at Palmer Station for reasons stated above.	["POLYGON((-64.12 -64.76,-64.084 -64.76,-64.048 -64.76,-64.012 -64.76,-63.976 -64.76,-63.94 -64.76,-63.904 -64.76,-63.868 -64.76,-63.832 -64.76,-63.796 -64.76,-63.76 -64.76,-63.76 -64.77300000000001,-63.76 -64.786,-63.76 -64.799,-63.76 -64.812,-63.76 -64.825,-63.76 -64.83800000000001,-63.76 -64.851,-63.76 -64.864,-63.76 -64.877,-63.76 -64.89,-63.796 -64.89,-63.832 -64.89,-63.868 -64.89,-63.904 -64.89,-63.94 -64.89,-63.976 -64.89,-64.012 -64.89,-64.048 -64.89,-64.084 -64.89,-64.12 -64.89,-64.12 -64.877,-64.12 -64.864,-64.12 -64.851,-64.12 -64.83800000000001,-64.12 -64.825,-64.12 -64.812,-64.12 -64.799,-64.12 -64.786,-64.12 -64.77300000000001,-64.12 -64.76))"]	["POINT(-63.94 -64.825)"]	false	false
Sea Ice Layer Cakes, PIPERS 2017	1341513	2019-08-30	Mei, M. Jeffrey; Maksym, Edward; Jeffrey Mei, M.	Collaborative Research: Seasonal Sea Ice Production in the Ross Sea, Antarctica	Layer Cakes for the PIPERS ice stations 4, 7, 8 and 9 (05/24, 05/29, 05/31, 06/02) with snow depth (both raw and interpolated), surface lidar scan and ice draft AUV scan aligned onto a common 100m x 100m grid, binned at 0.2m resolution.	["POLYGON((-180 -68,-179 -68,-178 -68,-177 -68,-176 -68,-175 -68,-174 -68,-173 -68,-172 -68,-171 -68,-170 -68,-170 -68.8,-170 -69.6,-170 -70.4,-170 -71.2,-170 -72,-170 -72.8,-170 -73.6,-170 -74.4,-170 -75.2,-170 -76,-171 -76,-172 -76,-173 -76,-174 -76,-175 -76,-176 -76,-177 -76,-178 -76,-179 -76,180 -76,179 -76,178 -76,177 -76,176 -76,175 -76,174 -76,173 -76,172 -76,171 -76,170 -76,170 -75.2,170 -74.4,170 -73.6,170 -72.8,170 -72,170 -71.2,170 -70.4,170 -69.6,170 -68.8,170 -68,171 -68,172 -68,173 -68,174 -68,175 -68,176 -68,177 -68,178 -68,179 -68,-180 -68))"]	["POINT(180 -72)"]	false	false
Real-Time Characterization of Adelie Penguin Foraging Environment Using an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle	1019838	2013-01-01	Wendt, Dean; Moline, Mark	Real-Time Characterization of Adelie Penguin Foraging Environment Using an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle	The Antarctic Peninsula is among the most rapidly warming regions on earth. Increased heat from the Antarctic Circumpolar Current has elevated the temperature of the 300 m of shelf water below the permanent pycnocline by 0.7 degrees C. This trend has displaced the once dominant cold, dry continental Antarctic climate, and is causing multi-level responses in the marine ecosystem. One striking example of the ecosystem response to warming has been the local declines in ice-dependent Adélie penguins. The changes in these apex predators are thought to be driven by alterations in phytoplankton and zooplankton community composition, and the foraging limitations and diet differences between these species. One of the most elusive questions facing researchers interested in the foraging ecology of the Adélie penguin, namely, what are the biophysical properties that characterize the three dimensional foraging space of this top predator? The research will combine the real-time site and diving information from the Adélie penguin satellite tags with the full characterization of the oceanography and the penguins prey field using an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). While some of these changes have been documented over large spatial scales of the WAP, it is now thought that the causal mechanisms that favor of one life history strategy over another may actually operate over much smaller scales than previously thought, specifically on the scale of local breeding sites and over-wintering areas. Characterization of prey fields on these local scales has yet to be done and one that the AUV is ideally suited. The results will have a direct tie to the climate induced changes that are occurring in the West Antarctic Peninsula. This study will also highlight a new approach to linking an autonomous platform to bird behavior that could be expanded to include the other two species of penguins and examine the seasonal differences in their foraging behavior and prey selection. From a vehicle perspective, this effort will inform the AUV user community of new sensor suites and/or data processing approaches that are required to better evaluate foraging habitat. The project also will help transition AUV platforms into routine investigative tools for this region, which is chronically under sampled and will remain difficult to access	[]	[]	false	false

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