Kerguelen Surface Accumulation Ablation and Climate Observation 2

In 2010, the IPEV KESAACO project assessed the evolution of the glaciers of the Cook ice cap and collected samples to trace the past evolution of glaciers in Kerguelen. During this project, the Mortadelle weather station and the Diosaz river limnigraph were installed. The following year, as part of the LEFE KCRuMBLE project, the Cap Cotter, Port Christmas, Sourcils Noirs and Lac d’Armor weather stations were installed. Since the end of the programme, most of the monitoring and logistics have been carried out by VSC IPEV staff, while the IGE is responsible for purchasing equipment to keep the stations up to date. In 2024, an additional station was installed at Val Travers, providing a regional view of rainfall, temperatures and winds in the archipelago. These stations suffer enormously from wind and sea spray. A total overhaul would be really necessary, with particular thought given to the sensors and supports used to reduce breakage and ensure that they are easier to refurbish (as far as possible). This refurbishment would improve the quality of the data, an important factor at a time when discussions are underway to set up a critical zone observatory on Kerguelen. An ANR project on the links between climate and glaciers is currently in the second evaluation phase, and the ANR MARGO and the associated IPEV 1289 MARGO project are underway on related aspects. In this context, data quality monitoring and the distribution of processed data on a dedicated website are a prerequisite.
The KESAACO2 project aims to restore the network and help IPEV maintain the stations for the 4 years of the proposed project.