The National Scientific and Technical Research Council, known as CONICET, launched on Tuesday a new joint scientific project in the Beagle Channel to analyze acidification and hypoxia in marine ecosystems, phenomena closely linked to climate change. 

Participating in the project are: from Argentina, the Austral Centre for Scientific Research (CADIC-CONICET) and the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (INIDEP); and from Chile, the Austral University, the University of Concepción, the University of Magallanes, and the Research Centre on the Dynamics of High Latitude Marine Ecosystems (IDEAL). 

The Argentine vessel, the Víctor Angelescu, which belongs to INIDEP, left the city of Ushuaia in the country's southernmost province of Tierra del Fuego, with a crew of 16 scientists and students from both countries.

The researchers will study the waters in the Beagle Channel and the Drake Passage (Sea of Hoces) to measure acidification and hypoxia in the waters and carbon flows that are exported to deep sea areas. They will also examine the potential effect of these phenomena on the behaviour of certain important species in the local ecosystem.

The campaign is part of the Pampa Azul interministerial initiative, promoted by Argentina's Secretariat for Science, Technology and Productive Innovation.