ONC opens access to CARE 2025 data, advancing global Antarctic research
Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) has taken a major step for Canadian and global ocean science by making the data from the country’s first all-Canadian-led Antarctic expedition publicly available. The Canadian Antarctic Research Expedition (CARE 2025), conducted in February and March aboard the Royal Canadian Navy’s HMCS Margaret Brooke, brought together 15 scientists to investigate how climate change is reshaping one of the world’s most rapidly changing regions.
As a University of Victoria initiative, ONC was charged with managing and processing the expedition’s oceanographic data. Researchers collected temperature, salinity, and depth measurements from 22 locations across the Drake Passage near the Antarctic Peninsula. In the coming months, the dataset will be accessible through ONC’s Oceans 3.0 data portal and the Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System (CIOOS), inviting researchers worldwide to analyze and re-use the information.
The role of ONC in Antarctic data infrastructure
Kate Moran, president and CEO of ONC, highlighted the organization’s broader mission: to operate large ocean infrastructure and observatories across Canada, with continued expansion abroad. “Ocean Networks Canada, based here in Victoria, is one of Canada’s six major research facilities,” she noted. Two years ago, ONC helped install a coastal observatory in Antarctica in partnership with Spain, underscoring Canada’s growing presence in polar science.
The coastal observatory, positioned off the South Shetland Islands, now feeds real-time data on ocean conditions and sea ice in one of the planet’s most climate-sensitive regions. During CARE 2025, ONC scientists explained how the data pipeline connects field measurements—such as conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) rosette samples—to long-term, real-time monitoring at the coastal observatory. A map of the study area showed a network of orange circles marking CTD sampling sites, with a white dot indicating the cabled, real-time observatory.
What CARE 2025 sought to uncover
The expedition was led by Natural Resources Canada scientist Dr. Thomas James and pursued three research themes: oceanography, geoscience, and contaminants. Researchers examined how melting Antarctic glaciers influence ocean chemistry, marine ecosystems, and sea-level rise. Early indicators from the data hint at important trends, including changes in salinity and freshwater input from melting ice—signals that feed into the longer-term climate narrative of the Southern Ocean.
Ben Biffard, ONC’s director of observatory digital operations, emphasized the value of continuous, long-term observations in Antarctica. “There are almost no 24/7, 365 observations in Antarctica,” he said. “So this coastal observatory and data pipeline will help researchers understand how the Southern Ocean is changing over time.” He added that Canada’s expanding network of Antarctic observatories will support ongoing climate science and forecasting efforts for decades to come.
From voyage data to global science
The CARE 2025 dataset is being released as an open-access resource, enabling scientists worldwide to analyze how glacier melt, warming seas, and shifting ocean dynamics in Antarctica influence global climate patterns. ONC researchers are currently processing raw voyage data, turning it into a standardized, citable dataset suitable for integration into international data ecosystems. The data release aligns with Canada’s broader strategy to strengthen its scientific footprint under the United Nations Antarctic Treaty, by providing a robust physical presence and contributing to policy dialogue on climate resilience.
Implications for policy and research
Beyond advancing coastal and polar science, the CARE 2025 data release supports Canada’s mission to engage with international partners and stakeholders on climate issues. Moran emphasized the value of collaboration among the Navy, government, and universities in building a strong national capability to study and respond to Antarctic climate change. The openly available CARE 2025 dataset will serve researchers and policymakers alike, informing models of sea-level rise, ocean circulation, and ecosystem responses in a rapidly changing Southern Ocean.
What’s next
ONC and CIOOS will continue to expand access to CARE 2025 data over the coming months, with additional analyses and datasets anticipated as researchers dig into the information collected during the expedition. As more Antarctic observations are integrated into Oceans 3.0 and the broader data ecosystem, Canada’s capacity to monitor climate-driven changes in one of the planet’s most dynamic regions will only grow stronger.
