Hello Everyone,
Sorry it has been a few days since I've reported to you. I've had a few problems to deal with on my project.
1. DVs
We've had another set of DVs through McMurdo - a Senator from New Jersey, and several congressional staff (one from Wisconsin!) We didn't get to talk for too long, but they were impressed with all that does go on down here!
2. Surveying the ice sheet...
There is a group of scientists here from the USGS - US Geological Survey. They are working on several projects here, including one that involves surveying the ice sheets that cover Antarctica. In conjunction with some Universities, such as Ohio State, they are learning about where the ice sheets are falling or rising. This information is valuable to know, as it is one of many indicators about the growth or lack of growth of the ice sheets. There is some concern about the possibilities of one of the ice sheets here maybe melting away. Why it is melting is not completely known. The USGS does many other tasks here too - GPS (Global Positioning System) work, Mapping Antarctica, studying gravity (you'd be amazing how much there is to know about gravity!), etc.
3. AGOs
I also wanted to tell you a little bit about the AGOs or Automated Geophyscial Observatories that the US has on the polar plateau. There are 6 of these out there, studying various geophysical phenomena, most notably is the Aurora - or he Southern Lights (just like the Northern Lights you see in the Northern Hemisphere). The AGOs are located in some of the worse weather around too - very cold, some influenced by storms from the coast, etc. We collect some meteorological from them as well (after the season is over). My roommate on station here just got back from AGO-6 (Lat:69.51 South Lon:130.01 East for those of you keeping track at home). Its over 8000 ft in elevation, and gets some nasty weather from storms that roll in from the coast. The AGO itself is a building (small), that is raised up above the ground (in attempts to keep it from being burried in the drifting snow and ice), and is heated! The LC-130s that help put in a field camp at the AGOs bring propane fuel to heat the science instruments inside. You have to be VERY careful when handling that stuff - especially so far away from anyone to help.
4. Sunday Science Lecture: Living on the Sea-Ice Edge
This past Sunday's Science Lecture was about the sea-ice and the various
life that lives in the harsh environment of constant freezing, thawing
and refreezing. The speaker was Dr. Steve Kottmeier, who is Cheif Scientist
of the Support contractor on station, and a long time scientist in the
program here. He made some interesting points about the sea-ice here in
Antarctica, verse the Arctic. The Arctic is an
ocean surrounded by continents, while Antarctica is a continent surrounded
by ocean. Nearly every year, Antartica's sea-ice nearly all melts (the
ice over the water that is), aside from the permanent ice shelves, while
the sea-ice of the Arctic doesn't melt that much from year to year. However,
as a foot note here, there is some concern about the Arctic sea ice melting
away due to either global warming or the "Arctic Oscillation"
(a distant cousin to El Nino).
The sea-ice gets athick at 2 to 3 meters (that 7 to 10 feet). There are many kinds of sea-ice too: fast or pack ice, pancake ice, "grease" ice, etc. One of the interesting parts of the sea-ice is what is happening underneath! There are ice stalagtites that can form, since when sea-ice forms, it rejects the salt/brine water and causes the ice to grow like a stalagtite that you migth see in a cave! Also, at the bottom of the ice is where you find lots and lots of growing and living creatures, including bacteria, algae, etc. Of course, this is why you find other creatures, such as krill (a shrimp like critter), and the animals that feed on krill, such as fish, and whales and seals and penguins also on the sea-ice edge. It is amazing that any of the algae, etc can even live 2 to 3 meters underneath the ice - they only get 7 precent of the sunshine that is at the surface of the earth! Another important note about ice, especially sea-ice. When it melts, if you sliced through it, it would looke like swiss cheese! There are holes, etc that form as the ice weakens. This is why being out on ice, of any kind, especially sea-ice is dangerous when it is starting to melt. It might look good on top, but maybe very weak underneath!
That's the news from here - I need to get back to the work at hand.
Talk to you all later!
Matthew