Modeling Potential Environmental Impacts of Science Activity in Antarctica

ABSTRACT

We use GPS data collected on science expeditions in Antarctica to estimate hiking functions for the speed at which humans traverse terrain differentiated by slope and by ground cover (moraines and rock). We use the estimated hiking functions to build weighted directed graphs as a representation of specific environments in Antarctica. From these we estimate, using a variety of graph metrics, particularly betweenness centrality, the relative potential for human environmental impacts arising from scientific activities in those environments. We also suggest a simple approach to planning science expeditions that might allow for reduced impacts in these environments.