The Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (the forerunner of the Arctic Council) and the Northern Forum are both products of the sea change in Arctic politics occurring in the wake of the end of the Cold War. Both are soft law arrangements and both are lightly institutionalized. Yet these similarities have not provided a basis for collaboration between the Arctic Council (AC) and the Northern Forum (NF). For the most part, the two bodies have behaved like ships passing in the night. This article seeks to explain this lack of collaboration and to evaluate future prospects in this realm. The lack of collaboration is attributable in part to a number of sources of tension or fault lines, including issues relating to core-periphery relations, the concerns of indigenous peoples, divergent constituencies, the Russian connection, and bureaucratic politics and the complexities of political leadership. In part, it stems from ambiguities about the status of the AC and the NF combined with restrictions on the roles these bodies can play. There is little prospect of combining the two bodies into a more comprehensive Arctic regime. But there are opportunities to devise a realistic division of labor and to develop useful coordination mechanisms. The AC, for example, is the appropriate vehicle for efforts to strengthen the voice of the Arctic regarding global issues; the NF is well-suited to dealing with matters of community viability. Ultimately, the two bodies might consider creating a joint working group on sustainable development or organizing occasional joint meetings of the AC's Senior Arctic Officials and the NF's Executive Committee.

This paper explores Ealing Studios' cinematic production about Robert Falcon Scott and the Terra Nova expedition, released to British audiences in 1948. Under the title of Scott of the Antarctic, the film recreated the tragic failure of the expedition on its return from the South Pole. The race to the South Pole had ended with victory for Roald Amundsen and post-colonial Norway. Three decades later, Britain again found itself involved in an intense territorial competition with two post-colonial states, Argentina and Chile. In the midst of decolonisation, the postwar government under Prime Minister Clement Attlee was engaged in a ‘cold war’ in Antarctica. The Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) had been created in order to protect sovereignty claims to the Antarctic Peninsula. While some attention has been given to the cultural significance of Scott of the Antarctic, there has been little geopolitical commentary on this film. As an empty space devoid of indigenous populations, Antarctica was invitingly incomplete. Produced with the co-operation of the Scott Polar Research Institute and FIDS, this film depicted a failed imperial project at a time when Britain desperately needed scientific practices such as mapping to consolidate territorial sovereignty. The paper explores the actual filming process along with the verdicts of contemporary critics in order to make a critical appraisal of Britain's changing role in Antarctica. It is sobering to note that while FIDS was supporting the film Scott of the Antarctic, Argentina was attempting to indoctrinate a new generation of schoolchildren about the realities of the Argentine Antarctic sector.

On 16 October 1901 Otto Nordenskjöld departed from Sweden for Antarctica. According to most accounts published during the twentieth century, the Swedish Antarctic Expedition of 1901–03 planned and executed a substantial scientific programme, and made heroic efforts to overcome the adversity faced. This article investigates whether these descriptions are accurate and complete by examining both the long-established reports of Nordenskjöld's expedition and numerous rarely used primary sources, such as diaries and letters. In comparing these primary sources with narratives from various expedition members, competing versions of aspects of the expedition appear. This article particularly focuses on reports concerning sealing and whaling, and on the representation of the human frailties of the expedition members.

Radar backscatter in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions is temporally dynamic and reflects changes in sea ice, glacier facies, soil thaw state, vegetation cover, and moisture content. Wind scatterometers on the ERS-1 and ERS-2 satellites have amassed a global archive of C-band radar backscatter data since 1991. This paper derives three high temporal resolution data products from this archive that are designed to facilitate scatterometer research in high-latitude environments. Radar backscatter data have a grid spacing of 25 km and are mapped northwards from 60°N latitude over intervals of one, three, and seven days for the period 1991–2000. Data are corrected to a normalized incident angle of 40°. Animations and full-resolution data products are freely available for scientific use at http://merced.gis.ucla.edu/scatterometer/index.htm.

In recent years the concept of capacity-building or capacity development has evolved to help policymakers frame crucial questions about how sustainability can be achieved. However, like sustainable development, capacity-building proves difficult to define, as it encompasses human, technological, educational, organisational, scientific, cultural, financial, and institutional aspects. This article suggests that capacity-building is an approach to sustainable development, its main goal being to enhance the capabilities of people and institutions to improve their skills and abilities to solve problems, define their needs, and strengthen their prospects for achieving sustainable livelihoods. Capacity-building is now a key objective for the Arctic Council — indeed, the Council sees it as a necessary element for both the achievement of sustainable development and for co-operation at circumpolar and wider international levels. The Arctic Council has charged its Sustainable Development Working Group to draft a capacity-building implementation strategy. The overall aim of a capacity-building implementation strategy will be to enhance the Arctic Council's own effectiveness in managing its own structures and developing programmes and activities, and also to shape a capacitybuilding role for the Council in international affairs. This article offers some perspectives on the kinds of critical issues an Arctic Council capacity-building strategy should be concerned with, such as skills, knowledge, well-being, gender equality, and the barriers to capacity-building for sustainable livelihoods. A test of the effectiveness of such a strategy will be how far it strengthens the capacity of the peoples of the Arctic to achieve sustainable livelihoods and how the Arctic Council can build its own capacity to be an enabling environment for Arctic voices to be heard in circumpolar and international contexts.

On 5 October 1851 a balloon was found near Gloucester, England, bearing a message from one of Sir John Franklin's two ships, last seen by Europeans six years before. The Admiralty responded swiftly and investigated the circumstances for several days before announcing that the message was a fake. During their inquiries no news appeared in the press. When newspapers at last published the story, most of them called the episode a hoax, although their accounts differed from each other and from the facts in many details. The Admiralty's brief announcement late in the day on 11 October gave the impression that the incident had been trivial, but in fact they had taken it very seriously. The author suggests that the hoax was carried out with an authentic balloon made for Admiralty expeditions to the Arctic, inflated with hydrogen or coal gas.

Historical records, recent observations, and geomorphological evidence indicate that rates of retreat and downwasting of the tidewater Stephenson Glacier, and concurrent expansion of ice-marginal melt-lakes, has increased by an order of magnitude since 1987. Melt-lake expansion is partly the product of greatly accelerated ablation of older, ice-cored twentieth-century moraines. The timing of these changes broadly coincides with reported increases in atmospheric and sea-surface temperatures around other sub-Antarctic islands, but correlates less well with changes along the northern Antarctic Peninsula, where warming has been more rapid. These recent changes in landscape character and geomorphological processes have implications for geodiversity, biodiversity, and cultural heritage values in this World Heritage Area. If the causal climatic warming is anthropogenic, it reinforces the fact that even the most remote and littlevisited nature conservation reserves may be compromised by off-site human impacts, confronting management authorities with difficult philosophical and practical issues.

Although more widely known as the founder of modern embryology, Karl Ernst von Baer played a special role in the investigation of the physical geography of the Russian Empire in the nineteenth century. Baer not only conducted his own scientific research in the Arctic, he was also a key supporter and organiser of other Russian expeditions to the far north. Baer carried out the first investigations of the physical geography, flora, and fauna of Novaya Zemlya, and it was due to his work that the first precise data on the climate of the Russian Arctic appeared in the scientific literature in Europe. He can also be considered the founder of geocryology, as he not only wrote the first theoretical survey on Siberian permafrost, but was the initiator and organiser of the first expedition, under the leadership of Alexander Theodor von Middendorff, that was launched with the task of studying that phenomenon in Siberia. Baer was instrumental in the restoration of the tradition of Russian Arctic exploration, which had died out at the end of the eighteenth century; it was at his initiative that the Russian Geographical Society — which later became the leader in Russian Arctic exploration — was founded in 1845.

Antarctica and Australia share a geographical marginality, a commonality that has produced and continues to reinforce historical and political ties between the two continents. Given this close relationship, surprisingly few fulllength novels set in or concerned with the Antarctic have been produced by Australian authors. Until 1990, two latenineteenth- century Utopias, and two novels by Thomas Keneally, were (to our knowledge) the sole representatives of this category. The last decade, however, has seen an upsurge of interest in Antarctica, and a corresponding increase in fictional response. Keneally's novels are ‘literary,’ but these more recent novels cover the gamut of popular genres: science fiction, action-thriller, and romance. Furthermore, they indicate a change in the perception of Antarctica and its place within international relations. Whereas Keneally is primarily concerned with the psychology of the explorer from the ‘Heroic Age,’ these younger Australian writers are interested in contemporary political, social, and environmental issues surrounding the continent. Literary critics have hitherto said little about textual representations of Antarctica; this paper opens a space for analysis of ‘Antarctic fiction,’ and explores the changing nature of Australian-Antarctic relations as represented by Australian writers.

A list of the provisions for the second expedition led by Martin Frobisher was produced on 26 March 1577, for 115 men and 18 months. These plans contain an extraordinarily detailed food procurement list: the quantity of each food, the cost of each item, and how the rations were to be allocated. The subject of this paper is a nutritional analysis of the rations on this list. It is assumed that the March list is simply an 18-month version of what was put in place for the eventual seven-month expedition.

The individual foods for the expedition were grouped into four basic meal plans, rotated throughout the journey at four ‘meat days’ and three ‘fast days’ per week. Since the amount of each food allocated per person per day was indicated, the quantities of each were able to be converted into modern measures, based on foods thought to be near equivalents to those in Frobisher's time, and the caloric and nutrient intake calculated. The results show a fairly monotonous diet of about 4000 calories on fast days to 5000 calories on meat days. Except for a virtual absence of vitamin C, the diet seems nutritionally adequate over short runs. Inadequacies could occur quickly if some foodstuffs went bad, or if members of the crew were depleted of crucial nutrients, such as ascorbic acid, before the voyage began. On longer journeys this diet would have been inadequate, as it is doubtful if beer (29% of the calories) or butter and cheese (most of the vitamin A) could have lasted for more than six months. An examination of 18 Arctic voyages between Frobisher's first (1576) and that of James (1631–1632) demonstrates that they had similar foodstuffs on board, and that few suffered appreciable dietary problems unless they were gone for more than six months.

In a joint Nordic effort, a high-quality climate data set for the Nordic Arctic is established. The data set consists of monthly values from 20 stations in Greenland, Iceland, the Faeroes, and the Norwegian Arctic. The data set is made available on the web. Ten climate elements are included, and most of the series covers the period 1890–2000. The data series illustrate the large climatic contrasts in the Nordic Arctic, and demonstrate that parts of the region have experienced substantial climate variations during the last century. Despite increasing temperatures during recent decades, the present temperature level is still lower than in the 1930s and 1950s in large parts of the region. The pattern of long-term precipitation variations is more complicated, but in parts of the region the annual precipitation has increased substantially. At Svalbard Airport and Bjørnøya the annual precipitation has increased by more than 2.5% per decade during the twentieth century.

Variations in atmospheric circulation can account for most of the long-term positive trend in precipitation in the Norwegian Arctic, and also for the positive temperature trend from the 1960s. The positive temperature trend before 1930 and the negative trend during the following decades, are, however, not accounted for by the circulation models.

Significant deterioration to the historic expedition huts of the Ross Sea region of Antarctica has occurred during the past decades from exposure to the polar environment. One type of deterioration that has affected all of the huts is a chemical attack resulting in a defibration of wood. Wood surfaces have a rough, fuzzy appearance and consist of white to yellow-brown masses of detached fibers. The damage is commonly associated with areas where water with dissolved salts is absorbed by wood. As moisture evaporates from the wood surface, exceedingly high concentrations of salt accumulate. Chemical reactions within the wood cause a corrosive degradation on the middle lamella region of the woody cell wall (the area located between cells that cements them together) and may gradually degrade all cell-wall layers. As the deterioration progresses, cells continue to separate and the wood is converted into masses of detached and eroded wood fibers. In advanced stages of attack, the wood structure and integrity is severely compromised. This paper describes the defibration process, reports locations on Ross Island where the damage is severe, and discusses methods to control the problem. Successful preservation of these important historic structures and cultural objects depends on a more complete understanding of the unique deterioration processes underway and on implementation of effective strategies to conserve the huts.

The commercial nuclear industry is considering the Northern Sea Route (NSR) as an alternative transit route for shipments of radioactive material between Europe and Japan, and as an import$sol;export route for shipments into and out of Russia. Technologically, the NSR is a practicable route, and factors that currently make it uneconomical for most commercial cargoes do not generally apply to nuclear ones. A shorter route between Europe and Japan may reduce operating costs and could enhance the safety and security of nuclearmaterial. Shippers are also attracted by the prospect of reducing political opposition along current routes. These advantages are offset by the cost of building specialised ships, uncertainties associated with Russia and its icebreaker fleet, and uncertainties regarding the risk and effects of a severe transport accident involving radioactive material. The likelihood of using the NSR for nuclear transport remains uncertain. Transit use is unlikely without a basis for long-term transport between Europe and east Asia. Russia's plans to expand its nuclear services industry are not dependent on using the NSR: the Arctic alternative via the port of Dudinka is only one of several suggested routes. Whether it is selected will depend upon whom Russia gains as customers and whether it provides the most convenient, cost-efficient option.

An extensive terrestrial drainage system, centred on Algae Lake in southern Bunger Hills, is described. The 25-km-long Algae River is the third longest known in Antarctica after Onyx River (Wright Valley, Victoria Land) and Druzhby River (Vestfold Hills, Queen Elizabeth Land). Algae River receives meltwater from the Antarctic ice sheet, Apfel Glacier, and ephemeral and permanent snow banks in the ice-free area of the Bunger Hills. Water flows through a series of epiglacial lakes before reaching the extensive Algae Lake, which in turn has an outlet to Transkriptsii Gulf, a largely fresh-water, tidal epishelf lake connected to the ocean under the Edisto Ice Tongue and Shackleton Ice Shelf. Total flow from Algae Lake was estimated to be greater than 1 x 107 m3 a-1 from data collected in the 1986/87 summer. Some portions of the drainage system that were flowing during the 1946/47,1985/86, 1986/87, 1994/95, 1995/96, and 1998/99 summers were not flowing during the 1999/2000 summer, indicating the variable nature of discharge in the river and emphasising that parts of the drainage network may become disconnected readily.

A study was made of methanol-extractable UV-B-absorbing pigments under enhanced UV-B treatment. UV-B-absorbing pigments in two common ectohydric mosses showed seasonal variation during the summer months. Pigment contents were highest in June, decreased in July, and thereafter remained unchanged until September. In Hylocomium splendens, a significant increase of pigments was observed at the end of the experiment. The intracellular localization of caffeine-stabilized flavonoids was manifested as dark electron-dense deposits in the cell walls and intracellular dark deposits in the cell plasma. The dark deposits in the cell walls of Pleurozium schreberi were located either in the outer part of the cell wall or in the middle lamellae of the wall structures. Hylocomium splendens had a stratified cell-wall structure, in which three dark electron-dense cell layers could be identified. Intracellular deposits were located in different parts of the cell, but electron-dense deposits were observed at the cell margins and in the proximity of the nucleus. Although certain cell ultrastructural disturbances (for example, lipid accumulation, chloroplast disintegration) in moss leaf cells were observed, the short-term UV-B treatment did not increase the intensity of the dark deposits.

This note considers the recent developments in Anglo–Argentine relations vis-à-vis the overseas territories of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. The construction of the research station in South Georgia is considered significant because it signals the ending of the 19-year British military presence on the island. The Falkland Islands elections of November 2001 have shown that public opinion is still divided over the provisions of the Anglo- Argentine Joint Statement of 14 July 1999, which inter alia removed restrictions on Argentine passport holders entering the Falklands. Finally, the prospects for further rapprochement between Britain and Argentina are considered, and it is noted that these outstanding territorial disputes will continue to demand careful management notwithstanding the presence of the ‘sovereignty umbrella’ in the case of the Falklands.

A comparison of the population genetic structure of Armeria maritima in Iceland with an earlier study in Denmark was undertaken. Ten populations were sampled in Iceland for isozyme analysis. Most populations showed Hardy-Weinberg proportions, but a higher number than statistically expected possessed too many homozygotes. This could indicate a breakdown of the self-incompatibility system in some cases. Statistically significant differences in allelic frequencies among populations were observed but no positive correlation between genetic distance and geographic position was found. Gene diversity in Iceland was lower than in Denmark although the alleles occurring in Iceland were the same as those found in Denmark. Missing alleles were those found with lowest frequency in Denmark. It is suggested that A. maritima in Iceland has immigrated from the southern part of the distribution post-glacially, leaving behind the rare alleles.

Further details regarding the landing made by Klarius Mikkelsen in the Tryne Islands, Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica, are given, being derived mainly from newspaper accounts made by Leif S0rsdal. All involved in the landing on 20 February 1935 have been identified, details of material left in the depot under the raised flag are given, and more extended information relating to the voyage to and from the site and the area generally are presented. Some comparison is made between Sørsdal's accounts and others. While the national importance of the landing was commented on, only S0rsdal apparently realised (but did not state) the insular nature of the site. Recent observations at the site suggest that its location is 68°22′38.22″S, 78°24′50.10″E, rather than that previously stated; bracing of the flagpole itself has been modified at some stage since its erection. Finally, some discussion is made regarding on-going questions relating to the accepted time on board ship, and possible consequences of errors.

In the article by Hall and others (1995), a topographic correction factor (C) was developed for estimating actual land area by taking into account the effect of sloping terrain. An error that was made during image processing resulted in values of C being exaggerated. For this note, values of C for the example landscape in Glacier National Park were recalculated, and the results with and without the error are compared. It is shown that the error caused the mean value of C reported for the example landscape to be exaggerated by a factor of 2.62 times.