Specialist ice core facility to measure concentration and isotopic composition of greenhouse gases
Archives: Facilities
The Discovery Building
The Discovery Building will be a new world-class scientific support and operations facility at Rothera Research Station in Antarctica.
Protected: RRS Sir David Attenborough science users’ workshop – November 2020
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Rothera IT facilities
Herbarium
Explore the plant specimens held in the herbarium.
Rothera medical facility
Rothera operates a fully equipped surgery.
Snow gauge
This instrument is designed to measure the amount of precipitation. It is based on a rain gauge but has been adapted to work in low temperatures with solid precipitation.
Tide gauge
There is a well located at the wharf containing two tide gauges. One is based on a pressure sensor, the second uses a wave guided radar. These tide gauges make …
SAOZ
SAOZ measures sunlight scattered from the overhead sky in a way that allows us to calculate how much of the atmospheric gases ozone and nitrogen dioxide the light has passed …
Cloudbase Recorder
At the base of the met tower is a white box housing a laser. It fires a beam straight up and measures the time delay on the return beam to …
Sky Photometer
The sky radiometer: an instrument that measures the extent to which light from the Sun is scattered as it travels through the Earth’s atmosphere. This allows us to calculate the …
Weather balloons
Weather balloons are launched four times a week at 11UTC. A device called a radiosonde hangs beneath the helium-filled balloon and measures temperature, pressure and humidity. From GPS we can …
Meteorological measurements
Meteorological measurements have been collected at Rothera since 1976, first with manual instruments and then more recently with automated sensors. The meteorological data are use in real time for aircraft …
SAOZ
SAOZ measures sunlight scattered from the overhead sky in a way that allows us to calculate how much of the atmospheric gases ozone and nitrogen dioxide the light has passed …
Dobson Spectrophotometer
The Dobson spectrophotometer measures the amount of column ozone above the measurement site.
Cloudbase Recorder
On the roof of the science module is a white box housing a laser. It fires a beam straight up and measures the time delay on the return beam to …
Sky Photometer
The sky radiometer: an instrument that measures the extent to which light from the Sun is scattered as it travels through the Earth’s atmosphere. This allows us to calculate the …
Meteorological measurements
Meteorological measurements have been collected at Halley since 1957, first with manual instruments and then more recently with automated sensors. The meteorological data are use in real time for aircraft …
BSA1 (Horseshoe Bay)
The cameras records daily images, providing annual data on Adélie and chinstrap penguin population size, phenology and breeding success: essential BAS ecosystems LTMS data and core CCAMLR deliverable. This data …
BSA2 (Cornish Island)
The cameras records daily images, providing annual data on Adélie and chinstrap penguin population size, phenology and breeding success: essential BAS ecosystems LTMS data and core CCAMLR deliverable. This data …
BREN (Brenekke Nunatak GPS)
The cameras records daily images, providing annual data on Adélie and chinstrap penguin population size, phenology and breeding success: essential BAS ecosystems LTMS data and core CCAMLR deliverable. This data …
HTON (Hutton Mtns GPS)
The cameras records daily images, providing annual data on Adélie and chinstrap penguin population size, phenology and breeding success: essential BAS ecosystems LTMS data and core CCAMLR deliverable. This data …
BEAN (Bean Peaks GPS)
The cameras records daily images, providing annual data on Adélie and chinstrap penguin population size, phenology and breeding success: essential BAS ecosystems LTMS data and core CCAMLR deliverable. This data …
FOS1 (Fossil Bluff GPS)
The cameras records daily images, providing annual data on Adélie and chinstrap penguin population size, phenology and breeding success: essential BAS ecosystems LTMS data and core CCAMLR deliverable. This data …
GMEZ (Gomez Nunatak GPS)
The cameras records daily images, providing annual data on Adélie and chinstrap penguin population size, phenology and breeding success: essential BAS ecosystems LTMS data and core CCAMLR deliverable. This data …
JNSN (Jensen Nunatak GPS)
The cameras records daily images, providing annual data on Adélie and chinstrap penguin population size, phenology and breeding success: essential BAS ecosystems LTMS data and core CCAMLR deliverable. This data …
LNTK (Lyon Nunatak GPS)
The cameras records daily images, providing annual data on Adélie and chinstrap penguin population size, phenology and breeding success: essential BAS ecosystems LTMS data and core CCAMLR deliverable. This data …
TRVE (Traverse Mtns GPS)
The cameras records daily images, providing annual data on Adélie and chinstrap penguin population size, phenology and breeding success: essential BAS ecosystems LTMS data and core CCAMLR deliverable. This data …
MKIB (Mt McKibben GPS)
The cameras records daily images, providing annual data on Adélie and chinstrap penguin population size, phenology and breeding success: essential BAS ecosystems LTMS data and core CCAMLR deliverable. This data …
WLCH (Welch Mtns GPS)
Measuring accurate location to quantify Glacial Isostatic Adjustment response.
ROTH (Rothera GPS)
Measuring accurate location to quantify Glacial Isostatic Adjustment response.
Riometer (Relative Ionospheric Opacity Meter)
The riometer at Halley measures the radiowave noise at 30MHz coming from the Galaxy. Typically there is a gentle variation of the noise during each day as the Earth turns …
SkiYMET
A meteor radar that uses the scatter from meteor trails to estimate horizontal neutral winds between 80 and 110 km
Rothera MF (Medium Frequency) Radar
The MF radar measures an altitude profile of the horizontal wind in the mesosphere, between 55 and 95 km. This is the region where breaking gravity waves drive a pole-to-pole …
Halley MF (Medium Frequency) Radar
The MF radar measures an altitude profile of the horizontal wind in the mesosphere, between 55 and 95 km. This is the region where breaking gravity waves drive a pole-to-pole …
SuperDARN (Super Dual Auroral Radar Network) Halley Radar
The Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) has been operating as an international co-operative organisation for over 20 years, and has proved to be one of the most successful tools …
Low volume aerosol sampler
High volume aerosol sampler
Draws large volumes of air through filters to collect particles in the atmosphere for chemical analysis.
Surface ozone monitor Tei 49i
Measures surface ozone, indicative of fast photochemistry.
Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) TSI 3772
Measures the number of particles in the atmosphere with radius greater than 10 nm.
LGR CO/N2O
Measures atmospheric carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide.
Picarro 2301
Measures atmospheric carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapour.
Aethalometer AE-33
Measures particulate carbon in the atmosphere that derives from combustion.
Ship-borne imager system
This system is comprised of three 1 degree field of view instruments that measure the OH airglow emission at ~87 km altitude. The are fixes to the top deck of …
all-sky infrared airglow imager
This instrument observes the all-sky airglow emission from OH at ~87 km altitude. This data is then used to study the properties of the short scale gravity wave field in …
all-sky multi spectral airglow imager
This instrument observes the all-sky airglow emission from OH, Na, O1 around the mesopause (~90km altitude). This data is then used to study the properties of the short scale gravity …
All sky camera (colour)
This instrument produces an all-sky image in visible light. Used for cloud detection and studying the properties of clouds. It can also be used for studying aurora.
All sky camera (black and white)
This instrument produces an all-sky image in visible light. Used for cloud detection and studying the properties of clouds.
All sky camera (black and white)
This instrument produces an all-sky image in visible light. Used for cloud detection and studying the properties of clouds.
Andor Airglow Spectrometer
This instrument observes the spectra of OH airglow emission from ~87 km altitude. This data is then used to calculate the temperature of this region of the atmosphere and the …
Andor Airglow Spectrometer
This instrument observes the spectra of OH airglow emission from ~87 km altitude. This data is then used to calculate the temperature of this region of the atmosphere and the …
Signy MET Station
The MET station records daily data (temp, wind speed, etc).
Bird Island Penguin weighbridge
The weighbridge collects demographic, body mass and foraging frequency/duration data for Macaroni penguins on a daily basis throughout the breeding season. This data cannot otherwise be collected and is essential …
Signy Southern giant petrel time lapse camera (x1)
The camera records daily images, providing annual data on southern giant petrel population size, phenology and breeding success: essential BAS ecosystems LTMS data and core CCAMLR deliverable. This data cannot …
Signy penguin time lapse camera (x1)
The camera records daily images, providing annual data on gentoo penguin population size, phenology and breeding success: essential BAS ecosystems LTMS data and core CCAMLR deliverable. This data cannot be …
Signy penguin time lapse cameras (x3)
The cameras records daily images, providing annual data on Adélie and chinstrap penguin population size, phenology and breeding success: essential BAS ecosystems LTMS data and core CCAMLR deliverable. This data …
Signy sea ice Timelapse camera (x1)
The camera records daily images, providing annual data on presence/absence of sea ice: utilised by various ecosystems science projects and BAS Ops group for logistical planning.
Aurora events
Please note that due to current Covid19 restrictions most of our events have been moved, or are being held virtually
Aurora venue hire
We hire out our state-of-the-art conference and meeting facilities and exhibition spaces.
Aurora Collaboration Space
Find out more about the Aurora Collaboration Space memberships, and what we have to offer.
Aerial photography camera
Aerial photography at the British Antarctic Survey The British Antarctic Survey owns and operates a Zeiss RMK large format aerial photography camera. The camera can be fitted to two of …
Aurora Innovation Centre
Read more about what the Aurora Innovation Centre can offer.
Rock drilling capability
Sampling seafloor bedrock
Science facilities – RRS Sir David Attenborough
Scientific facilities and capability
Operational facilities – RRS Sir David Attenborough
Boats, cargo, helideck and hangar
Air and aerosol sampling facilities
Sampling clean air
Net, trawl and sledge system capability
Equipment for sampling and observing the seafloor
ICT facilities
Real-time transfer of data
Accommodation
Facilities for sleeping and living
Living onboard
Accommodation, dining, medical and recreation
Design & engineering features
The Polar Code and green technologies
Recreational facilities
Taking time to relax
Acoustic instruments
Technology and equipment for biological and geophysical studies
Oceanographic facilities
Interactions of ocean and atmosphere
Biological sampling gear
Discovering ocean life
Scientific winches
Deploying scientific equipment into the ocean
Labs and workshops
Innovative solutions to meet the changing needs of science
Geology and geophysical facilities
Exploring the seafloor
Marine robotics capability
Exploring the ocean
Scientific moon pool
Subsea exploration
RRS Sir David Attenborough
The RRS Sir David Attenborough, commissioned by NERC, built by Cammell Laird for operation by British Antarctic Survey, is one of the most advanced polar research vessels in the world.
Instrument: Phase-sensitive radar (ApRES)
Research teams use phase-sensitive radars for determining ice shelf basal melt rates. Data is used to enhance climate models. The ApRES instruments yield time series of ice shelf thickness change …
Hot Water Drilling
Accessing subglacial environments
Halley Research Station – module layout
Halley Research Station – Module Layout
Airborne science and technology
Discover the UK’s national capability to support science from the air
Cambridge garage and mechanical workshop
Getting vehicles ready for Antarctic service
Halley garage and mechanical workshop
Halley Research Station is the British Antarctic Survey’s most southerly Research Station and is built on a floating ice shelf. All the vehicles at Halley are tracked and can be …
Rothera garage and mechanical workshop
Ensuring our Antarctic vehicles fleet performs in extreme conditions
Tractor train traverse system
Supporting large-scale science missions across the ice
Vehicle and mechanical engineering workshop
Discover how our vehicle fleet is prepared for polar service
Rothera Air Facility
Supporting deep-field science
Underwater camera systems
Shallow UW Camera System can work to depth up to 1000m, showing a black and white live low resolution video stream and can take colour high resolution stills. The system consists …
scientific mooring winch
The RRS James Clark Ross has a purpose build scientific mooring winch, which is capable of deploying mooring of up to 4000m length of 14mm rope diameter. The winch has a …
Multibeam echosounder
shipborne science
Aerogravity system
BAS has developed aerogravity systems that can be mounted in its geophysical survey aircraft, or in a UAV. Over 100,000 km of gravity data has been collected since such systems …
Polarimetric Radar
The radar system is composed of a complex waveform generator, signal processor, data handler and data store. It includes a high power transmitter (up to 66dBm or 4kW), a low …
Airborne Remote Sensing
Two of the four BAS Twin Otters are equipped with a full remote sensing capability, providing scientists with data on land, ice and sea. This includes VNIR & SWIR hyperspectral …
Airborne Geophysics
Enabling ice observation programmes
Arctic Station laboratory
During the early part of the 2019 season, the Station laboratory underwent a major upgrade. This multipurpose facility comprises four separate laboratory spaces: Large main laboratory with wide benching and …