Abstract: The southern westerly winds (SWW) play a major role in climate variability in Southern Hemisphere mid- and high-latitudes, regulating rainfall, ocean circulation, and the Southern Ocean carbon sink. Despite their importance, little is known about millennial scale changes in the SWW and how they have influenced the climate system in the past and interacted with the Earth’s surface elements, such as dust, nutrients and carbon. Here we present a dust record from a 6.6 kyr old peat core in Amsterdam Island (AMS) situated at the northern edge of the SWW (37°S) in the Southern Indian Ocean. Mineral dust flux was used to track atmospheric dust production, long-distance transport and subsequent deposition. Dust provenance was determined from rare earth element (REE) and Nd isotopic signatures (εNd) in the peat core, compared with a reference dataset of Southern Hemisphere dust sources. Using a multi-proxy mixing model, the εNd and REE ratios show a relatively uniform mixture of ca. 40% local, 15% Southern African and 45% Southern South American dust sources since 6.6 cal kyr BP. However, from 1910 AD onwards, there is a doubling in the contribution from Southern Africa (32%). Two mineral dust flux minima occur at 6.2–4.9 cal kyr BP and 3.9–2.7 cal kyr BP, interpreted as periods with equatorward-shifted and/or strengthened SWW at the northern edge of the wind belt. Conversely, periods of higher dust flux at 6.6–6.2 cal kyr BP, 4.9–3.9 cal kyr BP, and 1.4 cal kyr BP onwards are interpreted as poleward-shifted and/or weakened SWW. These interpretations are based on the findings that higher (lower) wind speeds lead to enhanced (less) removal of distal dust on the way to AMS, by wet deposition and turbulence. Published Holocene SWW records at the northern edge of the wind belt (33–41°S) covering South-America, Southern-Africa and Australia, show much variability over the last 6.6 kyr. We suggest this reflects complex regional climate variability in the different SH longitudinal sectors, indicating that SWW are not zonally homogeneous at the northern edge of the wind belt. The recent shift in dust provenance is not accompanied by enhanced total dust deposition at AMS. We therefore suggest that human impact (e.g., land use changes) and drier climate conditions in Southern Africa have led to enhanced dust mobilization.

Abstract: Dome C, Antarctica is unique in particular for long-duration astronomical observations due to the excellent weather conditions and nearly uninterrupted nights during the Southern winter period. The 40 cm telescope ASTEP has been operating successfully at the Concordia base, at Dome C, since 2010. We describe the new ASTEP+, a major upgrade of its camera box which will allow it to observe simultaneously in two colors. Approximately three times more photons will be collected for science, yielding more sensitive and accurate observations. The southern location of the telescope means that it is ideally located to follow-up exoplanetary targets in preparation for the future JWST and Ariel observations, in particular when located in the southern continuous viewing zones of these space-based telescopes.

Abstract: Much of our understanding of gas giant exoplanets come from those transiting in front of bright stars at short orbital separations (P ~ 3 days, a ~ 0.05 au). However, these

Abstract: We present a reanalysis of several years of DIMM data at the site of Dome C, Antarctica, to provide measurements of the coherence time $\tau0$. Statistics and seasonal behaviour of $\tau0$ are given at two heights above the ground, 3m and 8m, for the wavelength $\lambda=500$nm. We found an annual median value of $2.9$ms at the height of 8m. A few measurements could also be obtained at the height of 20m and give a median value of 6ms during the period June--September. For the first time, we provide measurements of $\tau0$ in daytime during the summer, which appears to show the same time dependence as the seeing with a sharp maximum at 5pm local time. Exceptional values of $\tau0$ above 10ms are met at this particular moment. The continuous slow variations of turbulence conditions during the day offers a natural test bed for a solar adaptive optics system.