Voyage news

The most comprehensive scientific voyage ever undertaken to study the largest creature on Earth and its food source is on its way to the Antarctic ice edge.

As the RV Investigator heads south to find blue whales and krill swarms, members of the science team have been towing an ingenious plankton sampling device.

The science team on RV Investigator is using underwater listening devices originally developed to track submarines to find ‘hotspots’ of Antarctic blue whales.

For the first time on an Australian research vessel, giant krill swarms are being captured in 3D using state-of-the-art echosounder technology in the Southern Ocean.

Antarctic blue whales are rare and sparsely distributed across the vast Southern Ocean, so finding them can be a challenge. The ENRICH voyage on CSIRO research vessel Investigator is mastering the use of sonobuoys.

Australian Antarctic Program scientists have used innovative technologies, including drones, to shed new light on the distribution of endangered Antarctic blue whales and their food source krill.