Radiolarians (holoplanktonic Protozoa) found in marine sediments are commonly used in Southern Ocean as palaeoclimate proxies. Generating such reconstructions of past climate based on radiolarian abundances requires a spatially and environmentally comprehensive reference dataset of modern radiolarian census counts. The Southern Ocean RADiolarian (SO-RAD) dataset includes census counts for 237 radiolarian taxa from 228 surface sediment samples located in the Atlantic, Indian and South-west Pacific sectors of the Southern Ocean. This compilation is the largest radiolarian census dataset derived from surface sediment samples in the Southern Ocean. The SO-RAD dataset may be used as a reference dataset for palaeoceanographic reconstructions, or for studying modern radiolarian biogeography and species diversity. RELATED PUBLICATION: https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-5441-2021

AntAir ICE is an air temperature dataset for terrestrial Antarctica, the ice shelves, and the seasonal sea ice around Antarctica in a 1km2 spatial grid resolution and a daily temporal resolution available from 2003-2021. AntAir ICE was produced by modelling air temperature from MODIS ice surface temperature and land surface temperature using linear models. In-situ measurements of air temperature from 117 Automatic Weather Stations were used as the response variable. Each day has a bricked spatial raster with two layers, saved as a GeoTIFF format and in the Antarctic Polar Stereographic projection (EPSG 3031). The first layer is the predicted near surface air temperature for that day in degree Celsius * 10 and the second layer is the number of available MODIS scenes for that day ranging from 0 to 4. Areas with cloud contamination or without sea ice are marked with no data. Files for each year (2003-2021) are compressed with a ZIP files for each quarter. Python 3.8 was used for conversion of the MODIS products from HDF files to raster and all data handling and processing was thereafter done in R version 4.0.0. All data processing and modelling procedures are available as R scripts on a public Github repository: https://github.com/evabendix/AntAir-ICE. Using this code it is possible to download new available MODIS LST and IST scenes and apply the model to continue the near-surface air temperature dataset. Related Publication: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02720-z GET DATA: https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.954750

This metadata record represents the R phytoclass package. Determine the chlorophyll a (Chl a) biomass of different phytoplankton groups based on their pigment biomarkers. The method uses non-negative matrix factorisation and simulated annealing to minimise error between the observed and estimated values of pigment concentrations (Hayward et al. (2023) https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10541). The approach is similar to the widely used 'CHEMTAX' program (Mackey et al. 1996) https://doi.org/10.3354/meps144265), but is more straightforward, accurate, and not reliant on initial guesses for the pigment to Chl a ratios for each phytoplankton group. Further details are provided at: Hayward, A., M. H. Pinkerton, and A. Gutierrez-Rodriguez. 2023. phytoclass: A pigment-based chemotaxonomic method to determine the biomass of phytoplankton classes. Limnol. Oceanogr. Methods 21: 220–241. https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10541 GET PACKAGE: https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/phytoclass/readme/README.html

Here, we present a decadally resolved record of sea-salt sodium (a proxy for open-ocean area) and non-sea salt calcium (a proxy for continental dust) from the well-dated Roosevelt Island Climate Evolution (RICE) core, focusing on the time period between 40–26 ka BP. Drilling site coordinates: (79.364° S, 161.706°W). Further collection details can be found at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40951-1

In Antarctica, ice shelves such as the Ross Ice Shelf (RIS) fringe 75% of the coastline and cover over 1.5 million km2, creating distinct and largely unexplored marine environments. It is fundamental to characterize the communities under these shelves to understand their biogeochemical role and predict how they might respond to future ice-shelf collapse 1,2. While historical studies suggested the RIS harbors active microorganisms 3–5, nothing is known about the composition of these communities. In this study, we profiled the composition, function, and activities of microbial communities in three seawater samples (400, 550, 700 m depth) underlying the shelf interior. We combined rate measurements with multi-omics (i.e. single-cell genomics, metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and metaproteomics). Overall, below-shelf waters harbour microbial communities of comparable abundance and diversity to deep pelagic waters. Based on the meta-omic data, the community is inferred to be sustained by dark carbon fixation using ammonia, nitrite, and sulfur compounds as electron donors. In turn, these chemolithoautotrophs are predicted to support the aerobic heterotrophic majority and various trophic interactions. Consistently, this study and previous activity measurements suggest that dark carbon fixation is sufficient to sustain prokaryotic heterotrophic production, making the waters below the RIS presumably the largest chemolithotrophic system in the global ocean. Further details are provided at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27769-5 GET DATA: https://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena/browser/view/PRJEB35712 GET DATA: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/?term=PRJNA593264

Plot data Mc Nemar: To enable comparisons with the 1961 and 2004 survey results, the Lambert Conformal Conic projection from the 2004 survey was used to precisely georeference and trim the RGB image across a 1-m2 grid, generating a total of 3,458 1-m2 grid cells. For each grid cell moss, lichen, or algae/cyanobacteria cover was extracted as one of the four cover classes: Heavy (>40%), Patchy (10–40%), Scattered (less than 10%), and None (0%) for the survey years 1962, 2004 and 2018. Ground truthing: To test the overall accuracy of cover classifications and ensure consistency with 2004 survey methodologies, a ground-truthing approach was performed. Photographs were taken of individual cells along eight transects, running west to east across the plot at 0.5, 1.5, 15.5, 16.5, 28.5, 29.5, 116.5 and 117.5 m distance from the NW corner. Each grid cell could be identified individually with an x/y coordinate in the centre and was surrounded by a rectangular frame parallel to the outer edge of the plot. A total of 174 photographs were taken and archived with Antarctica New Zealand. For each photographed grid cell, the presence of each functional group of vegetation and their cover class was assessed visually. Orthomosaic image: Aerial images were obtained using a DJI Matrice 600 Pro hex-rotor remotely piloted aircraft system equipped with a Canon EOS 5Ds camera (image size: 8688×5792 pixels, focal length: 50 mm, pixel size: 4.14 μm) on November 28, 2018. The flight altitude was 30 m above ground level, and a total of 10 ground-control points were included to provide accurate geo-referencing. An orthomosaic photo and accompanying DEM was generated with the acquired aerial images using Agisoft PhotoScan (now known as Metashape by Agisoft LLC, https://www.agisoft.com/) RELATED PUBLICATION: https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EF002823 GET DATA: https://doi.org/10.7488/ds/3417

Here we provide data from the Ross Ice Shelf ocean cavity. The HWD2 Camp was established in October of 2017 at (-80 39.497, 174 27.678) where the ice is moving seaward at around ~600 m a-1 and is sourced from the Transantarctic Mountains. Profiling Instruments - Profiling was primarily conducted with an RBR Concerto CTD (conductivity-temperature depth) profiling instrument, and this was cross-calibrated against irregular profiles with an RBR Duet (pressure and temperature only), a SBE37 MicroCat CTD as well as moored SBE37 MicroCat CTDs. The RBR unit is small and has suitable sensor capability (temperature and conductivity accuracies of ±0.002°C and ±0.003 mS cm-1). Its conductivity cell design is not prone to fouling by ice crystals, making it ideal for work in the sometimes crystal-laden borehole conditions. We were inconsistent in how we mounted the CTD on its protective frame and this appeared to make small difference in the conductivity signal (resulting in an ~0.03 psu variation). This was post-corrected based on the essentially invariant mooring data from the lower water column as well as SBE37 cross-calibration profile data. Because of the potential for sediment contamination of the sensors, the profiles were mostly conservative in their proximity to the sea floor. On several occasions, profiles were conducted all the way to the sea floor. The temperature and salinity are presented in EOS-80 in order to compare with available data. Eighty-three profiles are provided here (ctd_HWD2_*.dat). In addition, limited microstructure profiling was conducted to provide insight into some of the mixing details. The profiles were conducted by lowering the instrument to the ice base then commencing a sequence of three up-down “yo-yos” before returning to the surface and downloading. A data segment is included here (VMP_HWD2.dat). There were some challenges registering the vertical coordinate for the profiles. The melting of the borehole generates a trapped pool of relatively fresh water. The interface between this and the ocean should be near the base of the hole or a little higher – with seawater intrusion. However, there were some instances where the interface was at a higher pressure (i.e. apparently in the open water column). The best explanation for this is that the water in the borehole is not at static equilibrium for some period after initial melting. We use 34.3 psu as a cut-off, in addition to a pressure criterion to identify the top of the useful oceanic profile. It is also not inconceivable that water was being ejected from the hole, but it is unlikely that this would have impacted in the consistent observed pattern. Instrumented Mooring - The mooring instruments at HWD2-A comprised 5 Nortek Aquadopp single point current meters in titanium housings reporting to the surface (30-minute interval, Table SI-Three) via an inductive modem to a Sound-9 data logger and Iridium transmitter. The current meter measurements were corrected to account for the 138° magnetic declination offset (i.e. the south magnetic pole is to the north-west of the field site). Five files are provided here (HWD2_Init_rcm*.dat4). Stevens Craig, Hulbe Christina, Brewer Mike, Stewart Craig, Robinson Natalie, Ohneiser Christian, Jendersie Stefan (2020). Ocean mixing and heat transport processes observed under the Ross Ice Shelf control its basal melting. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117 (29), 16799-16804. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1910760117

The Southern Ocean Freshwater Input from Antarctica (SOFIA) Initiative aims to improve our understanding of the simulated response to Antarctic freshwater input, and in particular the model uncertainty. The initiative has developed an experimental protocol and is engaging with modelling groups from around the world to run this common set of experiments using a variety of coupled climate and ocean-only models. Data from this international multi-model ensemble is openly shared for analysis, and is being synthesized into a series of publications by SOFIA participants. Full details are provided at https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-7289-2023 GET DATA: https://sofiamip.github.io/data-access.html

This data publication contains biostratigraphic age events for the CIROS-1 drill core, updated age ranges for a suite of samples from the McMurdo erratics sample collection, age-depth tie points for CIROS-1, CRP-2/2A, DSDP 270, DSDP 274, ANDRILL 2A and ANDRILL 1B, and glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) abundances and indices for samples from the McMurdo erratics, CIROS-1, CRP-2/2A, DSDP 270, DSDP 274, ANDRILL 2A, and ANDRILL 1B. All sample sites are in the Ross Sea region of Antarctica. The McMurdo erratics are glacial erratics collected in the McMurdo Sound region between 1991 and 1996 (Harwood and Levy, 2000). The CIROS-1 drill core was collected from McMurdo sound in 1986 with samples spanning the upper Eocene to lower Miocene. CRP-2/2A drill core was collected in 1999 from offshore Victoria Land with samples for this study from the upper Oligocene-lower Miocene. DSDP Site 270 was recovered from the Eastern Basin of the central Ross Sea in 1973, with samples spanning the upper Oligocene-lower Miocene. DSDP Site 274 was drilled on the lower continental rise in the northwestern Ross Sea in 1973, and samples for this study have been taken from the middle Miocene sections of the drill core. The ANDRILL-2A core was recovered in 2007 from Southern McMurdo Sound, samples span the lower Miocene to middle Miocene and data was originally published in Levy et al. (2016). The ANDRILL-IB core was drilled from the McMurdo Ice Shelf in 2006, samples are compiled from the Plio-Pleistocene section of the core and were originally published in McKay et al. (2012). Biostratigraphic age events are described for CIROS-1, expanding on and updating previously published age models and biostratigraphic ranges. Ages are also revised for the McMurdo erratics by updating the ages of the biostratigraphic markers described by (Harwood and Levy (2000) to more recently published age ranges. Age models for the sample sites are developed using published age datums and the Bayesian age-depth modelling functionality in the R package Bchron (Haslett and Parnell, 2008) to ensure a consistent approach for assigning ages to core depths between datums. GDGT abundances and indices for Ross Sea sites are presented to reconstruct ocean temperatures over the Cenozoic era. Detailed methodology for the processing and analysis of samples for GDGTs is described in the methods section of supplement paper.

This metadata record represents the data for generated by mining single-cell genomic, transcriptomic, and metagenomic data to uncover the viral diversity, biogeography, activity, and their role as metabolic facilitators of microbes beneath the Ross Ice Shelf. Hot drilling and seawater sampling was conducted from the sub-shelf water column in the central region of the RIS (Latitude −80.6577 N, Longitude 174.4626 W). The sampling site was located ≈300 km from the shelf front. A borehole (30 cm diameter) conducted by hot water drilling was used for direct sampling of seawater from three depths (400 m, 550 m, and 700 m from the top of the shelf, which correspond to 30 m, 180 m, and 330 m from the bottom of the ice shelf, respectively). Seawater samples were processed accordingly for single cell genomics, metagenomics, and transcriptomics as described5, and the resulting assembled and co-assembled contigs (min. length 1 kb) from single-amplified genomes, bins and transcriptomics were mined for detecting viral contigs. Further details are provided at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44028-x GET DATA: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.24581331