TravelStream™ news feed for member i-wander on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/i-wander en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:40:56 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1232127420/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1232127420/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1232127420/tpod.html Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:40:56 -0500 Antarctica, Season 2

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McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica

It is hard to believe that our season is almost finished...only 4 more weeks to go!

Right before the madness begins we have one last town event - the USA vs NZ Rugby match. This tradition has been going on for over 50 years! The teams practice for several months before the big day and really give it their all. Sadly, the US has yet to win, but our team keeps trying...and one day will be successful!

January tends to be a busy month as the scientists begin to wrap up their projects and the field camps begin to close. The end of the month is especially busy since this is when all of the vessels arrive. The icebreaker, Oden, comes at the beginning of the month slowly cutting through the thick ice making way for the fuel vessel, Gianella, and the re-supply vessel, American Tern. As we prepare for the vessels to arrive there is a lot of activity going on around town to prepare for the fuel transfer and getting all of the cargo and waste ready to be put on the Tern, while also making room for all of the new cargo.

Michelle has already been extremely busy this month with NSF Staff and Distinguished Visitors arriving several times a week. Preparing for the DV's and escorting them while they are in town keeps her busy, but it is worth all of the work to get the opportunity to meet some of the prominent guests we receive. Some of our most recent prominent DV's included, Rudolf Schuster, the former President of Slovakia, and H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco and his party! With a few more DV events to go she will be busy right up until the time we leave!

Aaron has also been rather busy with several large construction and painting projects. Soon he will be heading out to the WAIS Divide field camp to help break down the camp and prepare the area for the winter. It will be an exciting 10 days out in a remote area of Antarctica, where a lot of amazing science takes place, surrounded by desolation and the bitter cold!

With the season starting to wrap up we have started to think about our plans for after we get off the Ice...the last flight of the season is on February 23 and we are anticipated to fly out on Feb 13. Our plans include some time in California as well as Hawaii before heading back to Florida. We aren't quite sure where the summer will take us, but we hope to visit with all of you soon!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1230786000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1230786000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1230786000/tpod.html Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:38:32 -0500 Antarctica, Season 2

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McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica

...3, 2, 1, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We rang in the New Year Antarctica style - standing outside in the cold, huddled together with friends, with a Sawbucks drink in our hand, singing and dancing to our favorite bands at IceStock! (Be sure to check out the awesome banners that Aaron made!)

This year they decided to have IceStock on New Years Eve instead of New Years Day. We think it went much better this way since it gave everyone a place gather together and celebrate instead of having small gatherings all over town. We stayed up late ringing in the New Year and spent the next afternoon sleeping and relaxing...the perfect way to start the year! Especially since January will be complete madness!

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1230261480/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1230261480/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1230261480/tpod.html Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:17:48 -0500 Antarctica, Season 2

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McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica

The holidays are here and everyone is spreading good cheer!

We recently hosted a holiday party for all of our close friends. It's hard to get everyone together at times because of our different work schedules, but since most of us are off on Sunday's we decided to have a casual Christmas gathering in one of the dorm lounges. We made some Barbee original stockings (tube socks & tye-dye paint) and filled them with goodies, trinkets from Skua (our free good-will), and candies that had been mailed from home. We wrote up little cards expressing our appreciation for their friendship and wishing them a happy holiday. We spent the afternoon eating yummy snacks - Michelle made fresh baked chocolate chip cookies in the bakery to go along with the real milk she had secretly delivered from Christchurch - we also had chips & dip, cheese & crackers and few other treats; and watched A White Christmas to get us in the spirit of Christmas!

This season we also had the first production of the Charlie Brown Christmas play! Members of the community got together and learned all of the lines from the story, made costumes and performed it in front of a crowded audience! It was a great addition to the holiday events and brought a good humored reminder of the true meaning of Christmas.

A favorite Christmas holiday event is the 'Acoustic Christmas' performance held in the Waste barn. They clean up all of the recycling materials and sorting machines and fill the area with a small stage and tons of couches. Throughout the evening 8-10 individuals or bands perform everything from original pieces to customized holiday songs for an enthusiastic audience. It is a night that will surely bring some laughs and maybe even a few tears.

Santarctica is another fun holiday activity! What is Santarctica you ask? Just imagine 20-50 Santa's, Elves and the occasional reindeer running around station, into work centers, and anywhere they can think of, dancing, singing and spreading holiday cheer! We were involved in other activities so we didn't get the chance to participate, but it looks like everyone had a good time.

The Town Holiday Party was held in the Big Gym this year instead of in the VMF like it has been in the past. It was decorated with various Christmas trees, large ornaments hanging from the ceiling, and even Santa's Antarctic sleigh! There was a seating area to hang out by the faux fireplace and catch up with friends, a slide show of community members and their favorite holiday moments (on & off Ice), the famous reindeer photo booth, "professional" photos with Santa and of course tons of yummy snacks!

Christmas dinner was another superb meal served on linen tables in a well decorated dining room! We again chose to eat at the earlier meal to avoid the crowd and enjoy spending the rest of the day with close friends. To no surprise, all of the food was delicious and well prepared. Our Christmas dinner menu is as follows:

Roast Prime Rib of Beef ~served with Au Jus and Creamy Horseradish Sauce
Grilled Balsamic Apricot Duck Breast
Sautéed Shrimp and Jumbo Scallops ~ in a Basil Cream Sauce
New Zealand Pumpkin Soup
Mushroom and Tofu Strudel over Bulgur Pilaf
Baked Nadine Potatoes ~ baked in their jackets with New Zealand Sea Salt and Served with Fresh Sour cream, Chives and Bacon Bits
Herbed Wild Rice Blend
Fresh Steamed Asparagus
Gourmet Relish Tray
Tossed Green Salad ~ with Toppings and Homemade Dressings
Marinated Alaskan King Crab Legs ~ served with Cocktail Sauce


After getting our fill we headed over to Quinn & Keri's room to play a few games and spend the rest of the afternoon watching Christmas movies and eating left-overs! Talk about a relaxing day! Sadly we did not get snow this Christmas; in fact it was one of the nicest and warmest days of the season...if you can consider 35F warm!

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1229334480/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1229334480/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1229334480/tpod.html Sat, 03 Jan 2009 04:49:49 -0500 Antarctica, Season 2

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McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica

Aaron Says:

I have been very fortunate to be in the paint department this year! At some point last year it was decided by management that several of the field camp facilities would need to be repaired and re-painted this season. Viola! I was the lucky one chosen to head out to several of the field camps to do some painting and small repairs. Over the next few weeks in addition to my usual work around town I will get the chance to travel out to various deep field camps to complete these tasks. This week I got the chance to head out to the Dry Valleys - a very coveted place to visit!

The Dry Valleys are divided into two main geographical areas: The Wright Valley which lies between the Olympus and Asgard Mountain ranges and Taylor Valley which rests between the Asgard Mountains and the Kukri Hills.

I took a helo flight into Wright Valley to spend three days repairing and re-painting a small 8x12 hut located in Bull Pass. I was accompanied by Galin, a carpenter, which will makes us the only two people who will be out at Bull Pass! This was the first time either of us had been out to Bull Pass, which is one of the rare sights to visit due to its remote location. This was also my first time to set foot on the actual Antarctic continent, since I spent all of last season on Ross Island just off the coast.

My day began with hauling all of our food and supplies down to the helo hanger only to be told to "stand by" until the weather cleared. At about 12:30 pm the skies turned a beautiful blue and we climbed into the Bell 212 helicopter and took off across the frozen surface of the Ross Sea. We were accompanied by a cook catching a ride to another camp, Marble Point, which was on our way. After we dropped her off the helo began its flight into the mountains by passing directly over the Wright Lower Glacier, a massive field of ice with huge vertical face walls and deep crevasses. We gained elevation quickly and before we knew it we were landing on top of Mt. Newall, which has a remote hut and radio repeater. Galin and I climbed out of the helo and did a quickly looked for items that needed repair, checked on emergency food and fuel caches, and took pictures of the hut to bring back to the managers so they could decide whether painting would be needed in the future. We then climbed back into the helo and dropped down into the Wright Valley and after about ten minuets of fly time set down at the Bull Pass hut. Once everything was unloaded and the helicopter had taken off I finally got the chance to stop and absorb where I was.

One of the reasons that NASA and other scientists are so interested in the Dry Valley region is because it is earth's best environment to simulate the surface of the planet Mars. In every direction there is nothing but stones and sand, which at first look seems pretty dull. However when you stop and look closely at all of the geological formations and changes that occur in such a close proximity it is really amazing! In several areas we found stones called venifax, which are basalt rocks that the wind and sand have worn down into remarkable formations. We also saw fields of large granite blocks that has been warn smooth and shaped by the wind. It truly is an amazing area where very few humans have been!

Much of the time spent around the hut was similar to any basic camping trip. Instead of fussing with putting up a tent we decided to just sleep inside the 8x12 hut, which for perspective is the same size as a competition pool table! But Galin is a great laid-back guy and sharing the space was never a problem. We also shared the same opinion as far as accomplishing the work; we figured it best to work hard the first few days so that we could have some time left to do some exploring. The first day the wind was howling so we worked on the tasks inside the hut. Then that night around 11:00 pm the wind suddenly stopped, so we rushed outside and painted the first coat on the exterior of the hut. We finished the painting and finally headed to bed around 3:00 am! We woke up around 8:00 am and Galin made our safety call back to town before he started to finish the carpentry work while I applied the second coat of paint to the hut and out-house. We finally finished all of the projects around 2:00 pm and took a brief nap before cooking dinner and heading out for a short hike. We spent several hours wandering around looking at all of the unique rocks and formations before heading back to the hut to get some sleep.

We woke up the next morning, packed all of our gear, and made it ready to load on the helo. After a nice hot breakfast we took another short hike to do a bit more exploring before heading out. We got back to the hut we made sure we had all of our gear ready and set it outside the hut so we could paint a quick coat on the inside floor to complete the project. We had some time before the helo would arrive to pick us up so we decided to lay down outside in the sun with the hut shielding us from the wind and take a little nap while we waited.

The flight back to McMurdo was absolutely breathtaking! The clouds that had hidden the mountains on the flight out were gone and we had unlimited visibility. We passed over the Asgard Mountains and Taylor Valley where we saw several more glaciers, and then we flew over the frozen Ross Sea and back to McMurdo. This was an amazing trip! Definitely one of the most unique experiences that I've ever had!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1228986780/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1228986780/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1228986780/tpod.html Sat, 03 Jan 2009 04:14:57 -0500 Antarctica, Season 2

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McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica

Well we have talked a lot about work, science and other major events, but we haven't said much about the times when we just hang out with our friends! The friends that we have made here in Antarctica are one of the main reasons we came back, and will probably continue to return. Living and working in the same environment can be a challenge, but having good friends to get you through the hard times and laugh with you during the good times is what it is all about! Over the past few weeks we have had several occasions to get together and celebrate or just hang out and be lazy!

Having a birthday down here is a good reason to have a party! (not that we need a reason to party!) Keri, a good friend of ours, had her birthday a few weeks ago at Hut 10 and we were happy to celebrate this special day with her for the second time (we celebrated with her last season as well). The festivities included good food (homemade pizza), good company, lots of gifts (people are very creative down here), dancing and of course a one-eyed purple octopus piñata! We all had a great time just hanging out and celebrating a good friend's birthday!

We even celebrate un-birthday's down here! Last season our friend Quinn decided to have a party for everyone whose birthday is in the summer and would not be celebrated on the Ice - hence the un-birthday party tradition began! This year we decided to surprise Quinn with a un-birthday party just for her. We all showed up at her room with a banner, streamers and noise makers singing happy birthday as loudly as possible! She was definitely surprised and delighted by our thoughtfulness. We spent the rest of the night watching her open our creative gifts, snacking on yummy treats, and reminiscing about all the good times we have had together over the past 2 years.

Sadly, we also have going away parties. Usually these occur at the end of the season when everyone is leaving in which case it is a slightly happier occasion...but when a good friend leaves mid-season it can be a bit of a bummer. Although we are very happy for our friend Ryan, who we knew from last season as well, because he was leaving us to achieve his dream of becoming a famous comedian! Ryan had been dabbling in comedy in LA during the summer before coming down to the Ice and was actually called back to LA to open for Dane Cook and live the life of a star! We will miss him, but hope to see him on our travels back from the Ice.

Besides all of the parties we have had a few other fun activities...

Some of you may recall Michelle announcing her winning bowling score of 142 on her Facebook page! She was quite excited to not only bowl over 100 (the first time ever in her life...sad, I know!) but she also won the game that night! The evening was quite fun! Our good friends Matt, Quinn, and Keri joined us for a night of Cosmic Bowling. We cranked up the tunes, had fun drawing on ourselves with highlighter so it would show up in the dark, and laughed as we tried to 'bowl like professionals'! Our pin setters were great at cheering us on and sending inspirational notes back in the balls as they set up the next round of pins. What good times!

We also just had our annual Women's Soiree. The soiree is a production put on by the women in the community to raise money for a women's charity in New Zealand. All of the community comes out to see the various talents of the performers which include singing, guitar playing, cabaret dancing, poetry reading, story telling, belly dancing, poi spinning, and much more! Some of the acts are so amazing it is hard to believe that you are still in Antarctica and not at some theater in LA or New York!

There are a lot of sports activities to get involved in down here including volleyball, basketball, dodge ball, and soccer. Sadly, we have not participated in any of the league sports this season. Michelle was going to play volleyball, but found her work schedule too sporadic and busy to participate. Although, Aaron did get a chance to play in the McMurdo co-ed softball tournament which apparently hasn't been played in several years. After 2 exciting games the Carp Shop (his team) won the tournament! He has also enjoyed many beautiful days playing a round or two of Frisbee golf on our 18-hole course!

The community also has a great range of artistic and cultural activities. Several times during the season there are art & craft fairs where people can buy handcrafted goods, art, photos, jewelry and clothing items made by members of the community. We also have Travelogues once a week where someone from the community will give a presentation on a place they have visited or a cool place they have volunteered or worked. It is a great way to learn about cool places to visit or volunteer, such as traveling to Africa or volunteering with the Peace Corps!

We also keep ourselves busy with 'part-time jobs' which are paid side jobs that also include tips. Aaron is a bartender at Southern, and Michelle is a cashier at the Burger Bar which is open 2 nights a week and serves hamburgers, patty melts & grilled cheese with fries.

So as you can see we have quite a bit to keep us occupied...besides working 6 days a week/10 hours a day!

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1228743360/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1228743360/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1228743360/tpod.html Sat, 03 Jan 2009 03:52:01 -0500 Antarctica, Season 2

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McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica

Michelle says:

I took an exciting trip out to see the Pressure Ridges located on the Sea Ice right in front of Scott Base, Kiwi station, a few miles from McMurdo Station. We received a quick briefing and then boarded into a van and headed over to Scott Base to start our tour.

The weather was absolutely perfect that day - sunny, clear skies with barely any wind! It took us a leisurely 2 hour walk to get around the Pressure Ridges, with lots of stops for photos of course! The Pressure Ridges form when the ice is broken by pressure and thrusts up into a chaotic pattern of elevations and depressions, thus creating fascinating formations.

There were so many amazing formations and astounding colors of blue and green in the ice it was hard to keep walking! We had to be sure to pay attention to our path though, because there were several large melt pools already forming from the warm climates that could be dangerous if not avoided. Once the ice melts a little more and creates bigger pockets we should be able to see more seals come up onto the ice to relax in the sun! Unfortunately we did not see any wildlife on our tour, but we did see several areas of penguin tracks slipping and sliding over the Pressure Ridges as if it were body boarding on the ice!

It was a beautiful day to get some fresh air and be surrounded by naturally magnificent creations!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1260016800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1260016800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1260016800/tpod.html Sat, 03 Jan 2009 02:41:13 -0500 Antarctica, Season 2

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McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica

Since the main reason that we are here in Antarctica is to support the scientists and their research we thought we would share some information on a few of the projects that are currently being studied. The various ongoing scientific research in Antarctica includes the study of: ocean currents, marine ecosystem, Sea Ice, ozone hole, weather & climate, Ice sheets & Ice shelves, global warming, astronomy, astrophysics, meteorites, and Mount Erebus (the world's southern-most active volcano)

*The following information is taken from the USAP 2008-2009 Season Summary and Background publication

The U.S. Antarctic Program research projects and related activities in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean include the following area: McMurdo Station and field camps, South Pole, Palmer Station, and Research Vessels. Projects range in size from one person to tens of people, and time in the Antarctic ranges from a few days to years. Some of these 118 science and technical projects are active at more than one location. A few of the projects are described below.

10-meter Telescope - Construction of the 10-meter telescope, or South Pole Telescope (SPT), was completed as planned with the first light achieved in February 2007. The first winter of observations has proven the operational capabilities of the telescope and first observations of early galaxy clusters with the S-Z effect were achieved. The SPT will investigate properties of the dark energy that pervades the universe and accelerates expansion, to search for the signature of primordial gravitational waves in the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation, and to test cosmological models aimed at explaining the origin of the Universe.

IceCube - Work continues on the world's largest neutrino detector, which-after 6 years of work-will occupy a cubic kilometer of ice beneath the South Pole Station on Antarctica, deploying 4,800 photomultiplier tubes into holes that a hot water drill will make in the ice. Neutrinos are special, but hard to detect, astronomical messengers that can carry information from violent cosmological events at the edge of the universe or from the hearts of black holes.(http://astro.uchicago.edu/scoara/may2004workshop/TALKS/spt-carlstrom)

Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) - Two sites in Antarctica - the McMurdo Dry Valleys and the marine environment on the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula - are among 26 NSF-sponsored LTER sites dedicated to understanding ecological phenomena over long temporal and large spatial scales (most of the other sites are in the continental United States). (www.icecube.wisc.ed)

Weddell Seal Population Dynamics - Weddell seals in McMurdo Sound have been studied since 1968 - providing one of the longest intensive field investigations of long-lived mammals in the world. More than 15,000 animals have been tagged, and 145,000 re-sightings have been recorded. The project is a resource for understanding the life history and population dynamics of not only Weddell seals, but also other species of terrestrial and marine mammals. New work this season includes assessing the role of food resources in limiting the populations. (LTER network: http://lternet.edu/; McMurdo LTER: http://huey.colorado.edu/LTER/)

Adelie Penguin Populations and Climate Change - The Adelie penguin is tied to sea ice, a key environmental variable affected by rapid climate change. Researchers investigate the populations of Adelie penguins on Ross and Beaufort Islands, where colonies have recently expanded, relative to colonies at Cape Crozier that declined during the 1960's and 1970's. The information will be related to sea ice, as quantified by satellite images. Understanding the mechanisms behind this sensitivity will contribute greatly to predicting the effects of climate change on Antarctic marine organisms.

Ocean Acidification and Marine Ecosystems - As global carbon dioxide levels rise, the acidity of the southern ocean will increase. Excessive acidity in the marine environment can negatively affect the metabolism of planktonic marine organisms, including the ability to form shells. Researchers will evaluate the impact of elevated carbon dioxide on calcification, metabolic physiology, and organismal performance in Antarctic pteropods, an abundant, butterfly-like snail that lives in the southern ocean waters. They will begin to evaluate how impacts on the pteropod population affect the function of the larger marine ecosystem.(www.homepage.montana.edu/~rgarrott/index.htm)

Protein Function in Cold-Adapted Fish - Antarctic fish live in an unusually cold environment where basic processes such as protein synthesis are thermodynamically challenging. Researchers are examining whether Antarctic fish have unique adaptations for making proteins and are uncovering the genetic basis for these functions. Comparative studies with temperate fish will help to illuminate the evolutionary pathways of cold-adaptation and life in extreme environments. (www.csusm.edu/Biology/bios/fabry.htm)

Influence of Light, Iron and Carbon Dioxide on Ross Sea Productivity and Biogeochemical Cycling - The Ross Sea is a region of intense biological productivity, where phytoplankton biomass is dominated by two main taxonomic groups: Diatoms and Phaeocystis. It is well known that these two phytoplankton groups have different impacts on biogeochemical cycles in the Ross Sea, but the factors that control their relative abundance are not well understood. Researchers will investigate the effects of iron, carbon dioxide, and light levels in the Ross Sea on phytoplankton community structure. These studies will contribute to a broader understanding of carbon and sulfur cycling in the Southern Ocean. (www.whoi.edu/sites/corsacs)

LARISSA (Larsen Ice Shelf System Antarctica) - Is a multidisciplinary project to study the region of the spectacular Larsen Ice Shelf collapse in 2002. The project combines ice-core paleoclimate science, marine geology, glaciology, oceanography, and marine ecology to address the changing environment in the past and present with an eye to understanding what lies ahead in the rapidly warming Antarctic Peninsula region. The emplacement of high-precision GPS stations in the bedrock at locations on the western side of the Peninsula this year will set the stage for a major ship- and aircraft-based field effort next year. Data from the GPS stations will allow determination of the rates of rebound of the Earth's surface since the large glacial mass believed to have been centered on the Peninsula has retreated. This, in turn, will aid in understanding the past climate of the region in addition to reducing uncertainties in GRACE satellite gravity-based measurements of current ice loss from the region that contributes to sea-level rise. This element of the LARISSA project is synergistic with the international POLENET project. (www.hamilton.edu/news/exp/LARISSA/index.html)

Seismograph - The world's quietest location for an earthquake detector is 8 kilometers from the South Pole, 300 meters beneath the ice sheet surface. Completed in 2002, the station is detecting vibrations four times smaller than those recorded previously. Other seismographs have been in place since 1957, and long-term, high-latitude data have helped to prove that the Earth's solid inner core spins faster than the rest of the planet. Also, Antarctica is the continent with the fewest earthquakes, so the new station will record small regional earthquakes, leading to new insights into the Antarctic Plate. (www.iris.washington.edu/about/GSN/)

West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) Divide - This project, a collaboration among several research teams, will collect a 3,400-meter-deep ice core in West Antarctica. The main objectives are to develop the most detailed record of greenhouse gases possible for the last 100,000 years; to determine if the climate changes during the last 100,000 years were initiated by changes in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere; investigate the past and future stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet; and to investigate the biology of deep ice. This is the second season of deep drilling with the DISC Drill. The project will drill 24 hours per day, 6 days per week. The project team will resume drilling 580 meters and must get through all the brittle ice by the end of the season. This requires reaching a depth of at least 1,400 meters. (http://waisdivide.unh.edu)

U.S.-Norway Scientific Traverse - In the second year of this 2-year International Polar Year project, U.S. and Norwegian investigators will make an overland traverse to the Norwegian Troll Station from the U.S. Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. Scientists will investigate climate variability in Queen Maude Land on time scales of years to centuries; establish spatial and temporal impact of atmospheric and oceanic variability on the chemical composition of firn and ice in this region; and revisit areas and sites first explored during 1960s-era traverses to look for changes and establish benchmark data sets. This project is a genuine collaboration between nations; the scientists involved have complementary expertise, and the logistics relies on assets unique to each nation. It is truly an endeavor that neither nation could accomplish alone. (http://traverse.npolar.no)

The Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) - is a multi-year program designed to develop special sensors and research platforms for investigating ice thickness and to use these sensors and platforms to produce ice-thickness data. Researchers will survey along and across the Thwaites Glacier flow in three regions of interest - the transition from interior ice-sheet flow to rapid basal sliding; one or two locations in the main body of the glacier; and at the grounding line of the glacier. They also will conduct high-resolution, three-dimensional surveys above the transition and within the main body of the glacier. These surveys will be repeated within a season and, if possible, repeated after 1 year to monitor changes in bed properties. Researchers will also study the englacial, bed, and subglacial properties at the WAIS ice divide using active-source seismic techniques. (https://www.cresis.ku.edu)

Old Buried Ice - Ice has covered Antarctica for 34 million years, but the ice is not that old. Most of it arrives as snow and leaves as icebergs within a few hundred thousand years. Buried in the McMurdo Dry Valleys is a rare ice that offers an archive of atmosphere and climate extending back millions of years. These records are important to understanding climate in a warming world. This season sees the testing of new drilling system to core the ice. (http://people.bu.edu/marchant/themesBuriedIce2.htm)

AGAP (Antarctica's Gamburtsev Province) - This project explores the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains, the world's last unknown mountain range. Buried beneath miles-thick East Antarctic Ice Sheet, the mountains will be mapped and characterized with aerogeophysical and seismic methods. The project's goal is to understand how the mountains formed and their relationship to development of the ice sheet. The project is led by the United States and involves scientists and logistics support from the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, China, and Japan. (http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/research/marine-geology-geophysics/agap-exploring-gamburtsev-subglacial-mountains-antarctica-during)

PoleNet (Polar Observing Network) - This project measures current motion of the Antarctic plate in response to tectonic forces and ice sheet loading. The project will ultimately lead to more precise measurement of the changes in the mass of the Antarctic ice sheet in response to global warming. The project is led by the United States and involves scientists and logistics support from 20 other countries including New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Italy, China, and Germany. (www.polenet.org)

Infrared Measurement of the Atmosphere - Winter measurements of atmospheric chemistry are providing data for predicting ozone depletion and climate change. Since most satellites do not sample polar regions in winter, these ground-based measurements are expected to make important contributions. (www.fastlane.nsf.gov/servlet/showaward?award=0230370)

Surface Carbon Dioxide in the Drake Passage - The Southern Ocean is an important part of the global carbon budget, and the Drake Passage is the narrowest place through which the Antarctic Circumpolar Current travels. This chokepoint is an efficient site to measure the latitudinal gradients of gas exchange, and the research icebreaker Laurence M. Gould will support a project to measure dissolved and total CO2, providing data that, with satellite images, will enable estimates of the net production and export of carbon by oceanic biota. (www.ldeo.columbia.edu/res/pi/CO2)

Ice Coring Drilling Services - This project, one of the technical services in support of Antarctic science, provides ice core drilling to the U.S. Antarctic Program and NSF's Arctic Research Program. (www.nsf.gov/od/opp/antarct/artist_writer/fy07awards.jsp)


It is such an amazing experience to be in the midst of science and new discovery! We are lucky to be able to learn about what projects and scientists we are supporting by attending the weekly lectures given by the scientists and the opportunity to assist them in their work by going out into the field with them when possible. A few of the projects we going on right in town and we got a chance to go out and see and experience them for ourselves!


SCINI (pronounced 'skinny') Submersible Capable of under Ice Navigation and Imaging

Remotely Operated Vehicles or ROVs, are underwater robots that are vastly expanding the scope of marine science, allowing us to do research at greater depths and in more remote regions. SCINI, the Submersible Capable of under Ice Navigation and Imaging, is specifically built to operate through the frozen ocean surface in polar regions. By being "skinny" SCINI needs only a small hole in the ice to reach the sea, freeing science from dependence on substantial logistic support needed to make large holes in the ice. The increase in location and scope to perform science is immensely valuable!

Marine ecological research has focused on the most easily accessible areas of the ocean, the shallow seafloor and surface layers that are within range of Scuba divers. But this thin rind is less than 2 percent of the World Ocean. Greater depths remain relatively unexplored, especially in regions where ice cover makes them doubly inaccessible, especially to our existing robotic tools that are the size of small cars.

ROVs are controlled from the surface via a joystick and tether. The tether carries information up to the pilot (for example, images of the seafloor, navigational data) and commands from the pilot to the robot (such as turn right, or move forward). ROVs come in a range of sizes from the micro class VideoRay to heavy work class ROVs that can weigh 4 tons. The remote presence allows us to explore and research inaccessible habitats that are too dangerous for direct human presence - places like deep water under the ice in Antarctica.

To learn more about the SCINI and their research go to: http://scini.mlml.calstate.edu


Long Duration Balloon - LDB (Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility Antarctic Operations)

Balloons have been used for decades to conduct scientific studies. While the basics of ballooning have not changed, balloon capabilities have increased and their dependability has improved greatly.
Scientific Balloons can be launched from locations worldwide to support scientific needs, offer a low-cost method of conducting science investigations, provide a stable platform for longer flight durations and can be readied for flight in as little as six months.

Scientists use scientific data collected during balloon flights to help answer important questions about the universe, atmosphere, the Sun and the space environment. The scientific balloons are used to research: Cosmic Ray studies,
Gamma Ray and X-Ray Astronomy, Optical and Ultra-Violet Astronomy, Infrared Astronomy, Atmospheric Sciences, Magnetospherics, Micrometeorite Particles, and Cosmic Microwave Background Studies

Standard NASA scientific balloons are constructed of polyethylene film; the same type material used for plastic bags. This material is only 0.002 centimeters (0.0008 inches) thick, about the same as an ordinary sandwich wrap. The film is cut into banana-peel shaped sections called gores and heat sealed together to form the balloon. Up to 180 gores are used to make NASA's largest balloons. These standard zero-pressure balloons are open to the atmosphere at the bottom to equalize the internal pressure with the surroundings. The balloon system includes the balloon, the parachute and a payload that holds instruments to conduct scientific measurements.

Helium, the same gas used to fill party balloons, is used in NASA balloons. These very large balloons can carry a payload weighing as much as 3,600 kilograms (8,000 pounds), about the weight of three small cars. They can fly up to 42 kilometers (26 miles) high and stay there for up to two weeks.

The balloon is launched by partially filling it with helium and launched with the payload section suspended beneath it. As the balloon rises, the helium expands, filling the balloon until it reaches float altitude in two to three hours. After the science measurements are complete, flight controllers send a radio command that separates the payload from the balloon. The payload floats back to the ground on a parachute where it can be retrieved and flown again. Payload separation creates a large tear in the balloon material, which releases any remaining helium. The balloon also falls to the ground, where it s retrieved and discarded. The balloon and payload land approximately 45 minutes after separation.

The Balloon Program's capabilities are being expanded with the development of an Ultra Long Duration Balloon (ULDB). The ULDB is made of advanced materials and uses a new pumpkin-shaped balloon design to achieve flights of up to 100 days. The ULDB is completely sealed and pressurized in order to maintain constant altitude night and day. The ULDB payload consists of a solar power system, radio receivers and transmitters, computers, batteries and other systems required for science experiments.

There are three LDB's that are being launched this season: CREAM, ANITA and ULDB

To learn more about the Long Duration Balloon project or to view their circumnavigation go to: http://www.csbf.nasa.gov/antarctica/ice0809.htm or http://www.csbf.nasa.gov/mission.html


We also had the incredible and rare opportunity to meet several members of Shackleton's Centenary Expedition as they spent the night at Hut Point before continuing on their journey. *Information listed below was taken from the Matrix Shackleton's Centenary Expedition website. For more information on their journey and to see their route go to http://www.shackletoncentenary.org

"Shackleton's Centenary Expedition team sets out to finish the task Shackleton and his men set out to achieve, one hundred years (to the day) later. We will conquer the Pole, on foot. We will take the route taken in 1908, and we will complete the mission. Midday in Midwinter, EA Wilson (1902) where the original team was forced back by hunger and cold, we hope and intend to continue onwards. The modern team will be comprised of descendents and relatives of Shackleton's own adventurers. In this project, we are honored to have the kind support of both HRH The Princess Royal and Robert Swan OBE, the only modern explorer to have followed in Shackleton's footsteps in Antarctica, and the first man to have conquered both North and South Poles on foot.

Following intensive ice training in Norway, Baffin Island and Greenland, with fitness program assistance from the OMI (Olympic Medical Institute, London) the team will follow the same route to the Pole as Shackleton's Nimrod Expedition of 1908-9. We fly in from Punto Arenas, Chile. Having refueled at Patriot Hills base, we will be dropped on Ross Island, at the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf. As befits a modern expedition, our trip will be entirely carbon-neutral, with all CO2 emissions offset.

The team will first climb Mount Erebus, the world's most southerly volcano. We then intend to depart from the Shackleton Hut at Cape Royds on October 29th 2008 at 10am, exactly a hundred years to the day since Shackleton and his men set out. Travelling unguided on skis, we will cross the Ross Ice Shelf, individually hauling our expedition supplies in sledges.

We then ascend the seldom-crossed Beardmore Glacier, en route collecting blue ice samples for scientific analysis back in the UK. Then it's on to the Polar plateau, 400 miles towards the Pole itself. It will be a long, hard march from here to the 97-mile point, which we intend to reach exactly on the centenary of the original team's achievement. Instead of turning back, as they were then forced to, we will reach the South Pole, and thereby complete unfinished business. The total distance we expect to cover is 900 miles, and journey time is around eighty days."

Meet the Team

Henry Worsley has been in the British Army for 25 years, and is searching for a link with Frank Worsley, Shackleton's skipper on the Endurance. He has wide expedition experience, and has completed the Haute Route and Yukon Arctic Ultra. This journey will fulfill a lifelong ambition.

Will Gow is related to Shackleton by marriage. The Centenary Expedition combines his desire to travel in the last great wilderness and reunite Shackleton's descendents at the Pole.

Henry Adams is a shipping lawyer and the great-grandson of Jameson Boyd Adams. Since boyhood he has dreamed of reliving his great-grandfather's Polar experience.

Patrick Bergel works in advertising. He is the great-grandson of Shackleton. Patrick will support the fundraising effort and intends to meet the ice team at the Furthest Southerly Point reached in 1909, from there to complete the last 97 miles to the Pole.

Tim Fright is the great-great-nephew of Frank Wild, the only explorer to accompany Shackleton on all his missions. Tim will also complete the final 97 miles from the Furthest Point.

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1228371840/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1228371840/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1228371840/tpod.html Sat, 03 Jan 2009 01:26:51 -0500 Antarctica, Season 2

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McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica

Michelle says:

I got to take a Helo ride to Bratina Island for my Boondoggle trip! (A Boondoggle is a recreational morale trip) I was SO excited!

Bratina Island is a small island 31 km south of McMurdo Station (on the continental side of McMurdo Sound), at the tip of Brown Peninsula. It is located at 78° 00' S latitude, 165° 32' E longitude in the Ross Sea area of Antarctica. The island was named after Joseph Henry Bratina, ACDS, US Navy in 1964. He was given this honor due to his heroism, risking his life going down into a crevasse to help save someone who had fallen.

I went out to Bratina Island with science group B-518 (Andrew Klein, Terry Palmer, Jennifer Pollack, and Stephen Sweet) from Texas A&M University who are taking part in a long-term environmental monitoring program. Here is a brief description of what their project is about:

"Humans have occupied the McMurdo Sound area of Antarctica for over 100 years. Over the years humans have altered the environment and introduced substances and pollutants not previously found in the area. Because of the ongoing human occupation of the McMurdo Sound area, it is important to conduct long-term monitoring to measure human-caused changes to the environment. We are collecting samples from sites on land and in the marine environment adjacent to McMurdo Station. The samples are analyzed for chemicals, benthic organisms, and toxicity. The information we collect is then used to provide guidance for management decisions and USA treaty obligations."

(For more information on their research go to http://psp.tamu.edu/signature-programs/mcmurdo-station-monitoring/read-more.html and to read more about their time in Antarctica, including our trip to Bratina Island go to http://falcon.tamucc.edu/~tpalmer/islandtoice2008/journal/4Dec.htm)

We got all of our equipment together and went down to the helo hangar where we weighed in for the flight and received all of our safety instructions. We then loaded into the Bell 212 helicopter and flew off to Bratina Island. The helo seats 8 passengers in the back, with the pilot and helo technician up front. I was lucky enough to get a window seat and was happily snapping photos the entire flight!

The helicopter trip was a short 20 minute ride across McMurdo Sound. Once we landed, we quickly unloaded the sampling equipment and our personal gear while the pilot kept the helicopter running. We checked with the pilot to make sure we knew our pickup time, and then we waved goodbye and began our 5 hour sampling trip and exploration of the island.

We hiked half way around the island to begin taking sediment samples at predetermined locations using a GPS locator. I took photos of the scientists doing their work - finding the location, measuring and photographing the area, and taking samples of the sediment for further analysis. After a while they noticed I was eager to help and let me use the GPS locator to find the sample areas. It was a bit tricky to get the GPS to point in the right direction instead of making me walk in circles!

Once we finished collecting the 25 samples we needed, we grabbed our bag lunches and hiked to the top of a hill to eat and enjoy the beautiful views of McMurdo Sound and Ross Island in the distance. It was a much longer hike than I had anticipated because once we got up to the top of the hill, which we thought was the top, we noticed that we had to go back down into a valley and then up another steep hill before we were actually at the "top" of the hill! But the views from the top made it all worth it!

After we finished eating lunch, we had another hour or so before the helicopter was to return. We decided to hike around the outside edge of the island and check out the interesting pressure ridges that have formed in the ice. Dripping down from some of the pressure ridges were stalactites of salty sea water that had been brought up with the ridges when the ridges were formed. We also discovered many small frozen ponds around the island. Many of the ponds had very deep cracks on the surface, and the ice below was a beautiful blue.

Sadly, our exploration had to come to an end, and we needed to hike back to the helicopter pad to meet our ride home. After a few minutes of gathering all of our equipment and a couple of mugs of hot cocoa, we were ready to go. We were able to hear the helicopter before we could actually see it, and then before we knew it, we were on board and heading back to McMurdo.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1227885900/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1227885900/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1227885900/tpod.html Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:27:49 -0500 Antarctica, Season 2

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McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica

Thanksgiving is always one of our favorite holidays mostly because of all the good food and extra time to be lazy and watch football...and we definitely took advantage of it all! The night before the holiday was the Freezing Man event so we enjoyed sleeping in a bit before getting ready to eat Thanksgiving dinner with our friends. Just like last season the holiday meal is divided into 4 reserved seating's: 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm, 7:00 pm and Midnight (for the night shift). The Galley is decorated with nice linens and holiday decorations to make it a special occasion. And of course there was a lot of delicious food! Our Thanksgiving Holiday menu consisted of:

Herb Roasted Turkey ~ Roasted turkey rubbed with sage, thyme and parsley served with Turkey Gravy
Herb Crusted Tenderloin of Beef ~ Served with Mushroom Demi-Glace and Horseradish Sauce
Savory Vegetable Napoleons with Tofu ~ Served over Apricot Quinoa
Baked Potatoes ~ Baked with New Zealand Sea Salt and Served with Sour Cream, Chives & Bacon Bits
Whipped Sweet Potato Soufflé
Traditional Sage Dressing (with Turkey)
Vegetarian Stuffing
Green Bean Casserole
Honey Glazed Baby Carrots
Spicy Shrimp Cocktail
Gourmet Relish Tray
Assortment of Domestic Cheeses
Sweet Dinner Rolls

And of course everyone's favorite - Dessert!

Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Tarts
White Chocolate Pistachio Cheesecake
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Vanilla Crème Brulee
Raspberry White Chocolate Victoria Pastry
Assorted Truffles

As you can imagine we were completely stuffed by the time the meal was over! It was nice to be able to enjoy the meal with friends and not have to rush off to work afterwards...a much different experience from being a DA last year. But we did our duty and volunteered to adopt other DA's so they could enjoy a break and we could have some fun in the dish room burning off some of those extra calories!

Another way to burn off some calories during the holiday is to participate in the Turkey Trot 5k Marathon...although it is usually held in the morning before the meal. Neither of us participated in the marathon, but we give props to those who get up early and run 5k across the sea ice in order to "win" a cool t-shirt! Maybe someday we will be inspired to participate...but I wouldn't hold your breath!

After our DA duty we gathered at a friend's room to watch some football, play some games, and enjoy the rest of the day just being lazy! We spent the rest of the evening snacking on left-over Thanksgiving dinner treats and planning on how lazy we were going to be on the second day of our holiday weekend!

(This season Thanksgiving will be our only 2 day holiday since Christmas will be celebrated on the actual day instead of over a 2 day weekend.)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1227299580/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1227299580/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/i-wander/3/1227299580/tpod.html Sun, 30 Nov 2008 19:39:49 -0500 Antarctica, Season 2

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McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica

After work we headed out on a Rec trip to see the Ice Caves. We were both pretty tired from a long week of work, and actually considered not going, but thankfully we did because the Ice Caves were AMAZING! We met up with the rest of the group at the galley and then boarded a Delta to head out to see the Ice Caves. It was nice to have a small group, only 12 of us, so we had extra room to spread out in the Delta and could take our time enjoying the Ice Caves without feeling rushed. Kris Kornegay, our guide, gave us a great explanation and description of the Ice Caves on our ride out there. Here is a bit of what she had to say about the Ice Caves in the Antarctic Sun publication:

"It's been seven years since the residents of McMurdo Station had the opportunity to explore the beautiful formations within the ice caves located at the edge of the Erebus Glacier Tongue. The caves have not existed since the summer season of 2001 due to the dynamic changes in the sea ice surrounding the edge of the glacier tongue, a long and narrow sheet of ice jutting out from the coast. The "caves" are not really caves per say, but instead are crevasses that are covered by snow bridges with a re-frozen seawater floor. The Erebus Glacier had been held back from surging at a steady pace toward the sea by the frozen sea ice surrounding it. This increasingly built up the potential energy of the glacier tongue. Finally, this past season, when the sea ice edge started to recede south toward the glacier tongue, the energy was released and the glacier surged forward, causing large chunks of glacier ice to break off the edge of the tongue. Once the movement had settled, the tip of the Erebus Glacier Tongue was left as the vertical blue wall of ice that can now be seen. A small portion of the edge folded forward to create the crevasse that is now accessible to enter."

Once we arrived we got all bundled up in our ECW gear and huddled outside of the Delta to wait our turn to go inside the Ice Caves. The wind was brutal out there because there isn't anything to directly obstruct its path. We headed into the Ice Caves in two groups of 6 people. The walk from the Delta to the entrance of the Caves was a bit tricky since the wind was howling and the ice was very slick. The Sea Ice is slowly starting to melt and will only be strong enough to withstand travel for a few more weeks. Apparently the Ice Caves have already melted quite a bit since the first tour several weeks ago!

Once we got up to the entrance we had to sit down and slide down into the cave for about 30 ft. until we were at the bottom and could stand up. The thought of Alice in Wonderland instantly came to mind! Once at the bottom we were able to stand up and turn sideways to squeeze through the slender opening of the main cave. It was so amazing! It is hard to describe it in words, and the photos hardly do it any justice! Thankfully the weather remained clear and sunny so the light penetrated through the top of the cave and lit up all of the stalagmites! Seeing the Ice Caves was completely breathtaking! We were so happy that we were able to get the opportunity to experience this rare occurrence. Seeing something like this really makes you stop and look at the details and beauty of nature!

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