UK Polar Data Centre

The UK Polar Data Centre (UK PDC) is the focal point for Arctic and Antarctic environmental data management in the UK. Part of the Natural Environmental Research Council’s (NERC) Environmental Data Service and based at the British Antarctic Survey, we coordinate the management of polar data from UK-funded research and support researchers in complying with national and international data legislation and policy.

A close up of a tattoo.

Explore polar data

Encompassing datasets, specimen collections, maps, research publications and images

Colourful ripples on water

Discovery Metadata System

A web-based system to discover polar datasets collected by UK-funded scientists

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) provide a real wildlife spectacle on the island of South Georgia, where 400,000 pairs breed. These birds were photographed at Royal Bay, South Georgia.

Data citation and publishing

Publishing polar data for wider reuse and increased impact

An aurora above the Halley 6 research station

Operational data management

Providing operational data services and support from the moment of data capture

A close up of a fish.

Metadata guidance

Making data discoverable through quality metadata descriptions

Support for research grants

The UK Polar Data Centre supports research projects from the Arctic to Antarctic