Space Place hosts Antarctic talk

Matthew Lazzara, a manager of the Antarctic Meteorological Research Center at the Space Science and Engineering Center, plans to give a free public lecture at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 9, at Space Place, 1605 South Park St.

Lazzara, who is also pursuing a Ph.D. in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, will focus on observing the weather and climate of Antarctica in his talk, “Antarctica’s Weather: Observing the Forbidding Continent from Earth and Space.”

Lazzara notes that accurate forecasting in a region as expansive and remote as Antarctica requires large amounts of informative and timely meteorological data. The Antarctic Meteorological Research Center supports advances in Antarctic meteorological research by making the necessary data readily available.

Of all airline flights throughout the world, arguably none rely more on weather forecasting than the hundreds each year to and from McMurdo Station, Antarctica. These flights transport many of the 2,500 American scientists, researchers and support staff around the harsh and unforgiving continent and its surrounding seas. Flights supporting the United States Antarctic Program operate to or from Christchurch, New Zealand, and other stations or field camps on the Antarctic continent.

The Antarctic Automatic Weather Stations project is located at the AMRC, UW–Madison. This project designs, assembles, places and maintains automated weather station units in remote areas of Antarctica to support meteorological research and operations. About 60 AWS units currently operate across Antarctica. Their data is used not only for forecasting plane and ship trips, but for research into fog detection, climate, and iceberg monitoring.

Lazzara’s talk will cover the uses of this data and give insight into working as a researcher on and for the forbidding continent. For more information, contact Jim Lattis, director, UW Space Place, (608) 263-0360.