tracking geological secrets

NYT "scientists at work" unraveling the history beneath the ice

http://scientistatwork.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/28/unraveling-the-history-beneath-the-ice/?ref=science

NYT "scientists at work" life in the deep field

http://scientistatwork.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/27/life-in-the-deep-field/?ref=science

Moraines, mountains, and ice

CTAM from a distance in the snows of the Walcott Névé


A small branch of the glacier spilling through a gap in the Transantarctic Mtns


The same glacier from another angle.


Wind blown moraine


Toe of glacier with moraine in foreground


Moraines, mountains, and ice.


Strands of sediments in a massive moraine.


Glacial clasts


Glacial clasts with cliffs of Beacon Group in background.


Moraine strands in foreground; blue ice in background.

CTAM

Some of the cargo piles at CTAM


A Bell 212 Helicopter on the pad at CTAM


The ski-way at CTAM. The groomers work this runway nearly constantly through the day.


The Twin Otter that will bring us to our remote camp.


CTAM from a distance in the snows of the Walcott Névé

CTAM and "tent city"

The two science buildings with the Galley tent in the background


The briefing in the Galley for the new arrivals.


Setting up our tents in “Tent City”




A few more of the tents. These larger tents are where the CTAM staff stays.

Arriving at CTAM

The LC-130 on the ski way at CTAM. Note the cargo drop behind the plane—released as the Herc is taxiing


CTAM from the air.


The welcoming sign at CTAM

On the ice runway at McMurdo

Loading the LC-130 on the ice runway near McMurdo


In the cabin of the LC-130. Passengers on the side; cargo in the middle.


Two of our snowmobiles were part of the cargo

"scientists at work" katabatic winds of Antarctica

http://scientistatwork.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/15/katabatic-winds-of-antarctica/

"scientists at work" an icy runway

http://scientistatwork.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/14/airplanes-and-helicopters-on-an-icy-runway/#more-5969

Tent City

"scientists at work" snowing in Antarctica

Snowing in Antarctica
http://scientistatwork.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/10/snowing-in-antarctica/?ref=science

"scientists at work" an icy challenge

http://scientistatwork.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/for-first-timer-an-icy-challenge/?ref=science

"scientists at work" on the trail of antarctica's geological secrets

http://scientistatwork.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/07/on-the-trail-of-antarcticas-geological-secrets/

Bags checked in, scheduled to fly to CTAM today

Well we did the bag drag successfully yesterday and are scheduled to fly out at noon today.  If so, this will likely be the last post for a while.  I may be able to get something posted with help from someone here in McMurdo, but even if so, they will be few and far between until we return here in early-mid January.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Getting ready to head to CTAM

We are scheduled to leave for CTAM (Central Transantarctic Mountain) base camp tomorrow morning so have one last day in McMurdo to do all the leftover business from work and our e-lives.  Our "bag drag" is scheduled for this evening.  This is when you "drag your bags" (presumably, at least) to the MCC (movement control center).  This is done the day before your flight so that it can be packed up and ready for the C-130 flight.

But today the weather is not terribly conducive to flying.  The winds are blowing out of the S at ~30-35 knots and it is condition 2 out on the sea ice.

The wind is whistling and the helos are grounded

View toward the sea ice from Crary Science building.  Note the row of snowmobiles on the bottom right.

Equipment on the sea ice obscured by the blowing snow

The Chapel of the Snows perched on the edge of a grey/white featureless background

The helos were grounded and lashed down.

Science Social at the Crary Lab.

Our schedule had us leaving for the field this morning.  Unfortunately, weather and logistics backed up our plan to leave McMurdo today.  Since we were in town, we attended the Friday night social gathering at the Crary Science Lab.  A good time was had by all.

The ceremonial making of the liquid nitrogen ice cream

The band "Condition Fun" entertained the crowd with their Antarctica/McMurdo parodies of popular songs.

Spencer Niebuhr working on satellite imagery of Antarctica--from the University of Minnesota

John Major, a photo journalist from Marquette, Michigan participating in the artist and writers program.

John Goodge and Tanya Dryer

Hubert Staudigal and Jeff Vervoort

David Elliot, Mark Fanning, and Jeff Vervoort

Freida Warra and John Major--a writer (Freida) and a photo journalist (John) from Marquette, Michigan

Jeff Vervoort and John Goodge

Freida Warra and Tanya Dryer

John Goodge and David Elliot