The Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI) is a centre for research into the polar regions and glaciology worldwide. Earth's polar regions are the areas of the globe surrounding the poles also known as frigid zones. Glaciology (from Middle French dialect (Franco-Provençal glace, "ice" or Latin glacies, "frost ice" and Greek λόγος It is a sub-department of the Department of Geography in the University of Cambridge, England. Geography (from Greek γεωγραφία - geografia) is the study of the Earth and its lands features inhabitants and phenomena The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University) located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland
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Purpose
SPRI was founded in 1920 as the national memorial to Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his companions, who died on their return journey from the South Pole in 1912. The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth. It investigates issues relevant to the Arctic and Antarctic in the environmental sciences, social sciences and humanities. The Arctic is the Region around the Earth 's North Pole, opposite the Antarctic region around the South Pole. Environmental science is the study of interactions among physical chemical and biological components of the environment. The social sciences comprise academic disciplines concerned with the study of the social life of human groups and individuals including Anthropology, Communication studies The humanities are academic disciplines which study the Human condition, using methods that are primarily Analytic, Critical, or Speculative The institute has some 60 personnel, consisting of academic, library and support staff plus postgraduate students, associates and fellows attached to research programmes. [1]
The institute also hosts the secretariats of the International Glaciological Society and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, and is part of the NERC Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling. The International Glaciological Society (IGS was founded in 1936 to provide a focus for individuals interested in Glaciology, practical and scientific aspects of Snow The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR is a committee of the International Council for Science. The Natural Environment Research Council ( NERC) is a British research council that supports research training and
Resources
SPRI claims to have the most comprehensive polar library and archives in the world. [2] In addition to scholarly books and journals, the library has an exceptional collection of archives on polar exploration. Its work includes an oral history programme which interviews people who have worked in the polar regions over the years. Oral history can be defined as the recording preservation and interpretation of historical information, based on the personal experiences and opinions of the speaker It is home to the ICSU's World Data Centre for Glaciology, Cambridge (WDCGC), funded by the Royal Society. The International Council for Science (ICSU formerly called the International Council of Scientific Unions, was founded in 1931 as an international non-governmental organization The Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, known simply as The Royal Society, is a Learned society for science that was founded in 1660
Since 1998, the collection has been housed in the Shackleton Memorial Library, which in 1999 won a regional award from the Royal Institute of British Architects. Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, CVO, OBE, (15 February 1874 – 5 January 1922 was an Anglo-Irish explorer who was one of the principal figures of the period The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA is a Professional body for Architects in the United Kingdom. [3]
SPRI also has a museum holding artefacts (particularly from the Heroic Age of Exploration), paintings, drawings, photographs (which includes cinematographic film, lantern slides, and daguerreotypes), and other material relating to polar history, exploration, science and art. The Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration (1895–1917 was a period of time at the beginning of the 20th century when explorers set out for the Antarctic. See also Filmmaking Cinematography (from Greek: kinesis κινησις (movement and grapho γραφω (to record is the discipline The magic lantern or Lanterna Magica was the ancestor of the modern Slide projector. The daguerreotype (original French daguerréotype) is an early type of Photograph, developed by Louis Daguerre, in which the image is exposed directly The museum is open to the public about 20 hours a week. [4]
Research
SPRI has several research groups.
Glaciology and Climate Change Group
This group's work involves quantifying the state of the cryosphere using remote sensing by satellites, plus accurate field measurements and computer simulations, to understand the processes in detail. The cryosphere, derived from the Greek word kryo for " Cold " or "too cold" is the term which collectively describes the portions of In particular, the group has been able to observe the melting of the Larsen Ice Shelf, the rapid retreat of ice in western Antarctica, and increased summer melting in northern Canada. The Larsen Ice Shelf is a long fringing Ice shelf in the northwest part of the Weddell Sea, extending along the east coast of Antarctic Peninsula from This work has contributed greatly to understanding climate change. Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the
Glacimarine Environments Group
This group's work focuses on the dynamics of ice-sheets and delivery of sediment to the marine environment. The group uses geophysical and geological evidence gathered by icebreakers in the polar seas. An icebreaker is a special purpose Ship or Boat designed to move and navigate through Ice -covered waters
Polar Landscape and Remote Sensing Group
This group's work focuses on the processes which modify the polar and sub-polar environments, such as Arctic vegetation, and snow and ice cover. Improving techniques for measuring vegetation from satellite data is an important part of the work.
Polar Social Science and Humanities Group
This is an interdisciplinary group covering the anthropology, history and art of the Arctic. Its work includes looking at politics and environmental management in the polar regions, with particular expertise in the religion, culture and politics of the Russian North. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending
See also
References
- ^ Welcome to SPRI Scott Polar Research Institute. The British Antarctic Survey (BAS is the United Kingdom 's national Antarctic operator and has an active role in Antarctic affairs The World Data Center (WDC system was created to archive and distribute data collected from the observational programs of the 1957-1958 International Geophysical Year. The National Snow and Ice Data Center, or NSIDC, is a United States information and referral center in support of polar and cryospheric Accessed 2007-12-28.
- ^ Library and Archives Scott Polar Research Institute. Accessed 2007-12-28.
- ^ The Shackleton Memorial Library Scott Polar Research Institute. Accessed 2007-12-28.
- ^ Museum Scott Polar Research Institute. Accessed 2007-12-29.
External links
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