Icy continent holds echoes of the past

Geologist Jane Francis is on her latest expedition to Antarctica to study climate changes that occurred millions of years ago, using fossilised plants buried in the icy terrain.

She is recording a video diary of her experiences that will be broadcast on the University’s website when she returns home. “It can be breathtakingly beautiful and there’s a tranquility there that is mesmerising,” she said before leaving.

Professor Francis heads the Leeds Centre for Polar Research, which is helping with activities organised for the International Polar Year 2007-2008, being launched on March 1. The north and south poles are recognised as sensitive barometers of environmental change, and the year will provide a focus for intensive scientific research. For details see www.ipy.org

Her work, funded by the National Environmental Research Council, is crucial to predicting future climate changes. As the Antarctic ice sheet gradually melts in response to global warming, scientists are uncovering more fossils than ever before.

“The East Antarctic ice sheet is 3km thick and generally thought to be very stable, but we don’t know this for certain,” she said. “If it melted completely we’d see sea levels rise by around 50 metres, and that would be globally devastating.”

Photo: Left) Professor Jane Francis uses fossils to study climate change in Antarctica