While the team is working during the field season they will be checking in with the Museum of Science several times each week to bring us up to date on their progress. They will also be answering questions from our visitors about living and working in Antarctica. Here are some of the latest answers we've received.

Nick from White Haven, Pennsylvania writes: Hi. I have been watching your web page because I have to do a report on your expedition. It's for my science teacher Mr. Genero. He says he knows some of the people up there. Well I have two questions. 1) When will you start the drill to get the core? and 2) Do you think you will hit the bedrock?

For your reports, you may also want to check the Climate Change Research Center web page. We will be drilling a number of shallow cores on ITASE down to about 200 meters. Our schedule has been slightly altered but the first core should be started tomorrow. The ice cap is about 2 miles deep so we will not reach bedrock.

 

Chris from White Haven, Pennsylvania writes: Does the team ever see any kind of animals, if so what kind and do they ever attack the team or is the team friendly with the animals?

No, there are no animals at Byrd camp or in the interior of Antarctica. Along the coast there are various birds, seals, and penguins. There are also Orca and other types of whales in the ocean surrounding Antarctica. None of the animals would present a problem to scientists as long as we do not bother them.

 

Mary Theresa from Sugarloaf, Pennsylvania writes: What is the geology of Antarctica like?

Antarctica is the size of the United States plus Alaska so it is difficult to describe its geology in a few sentences. All of the typical rock types (igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary) are present in Antarctica. For example, there are many volcanoes in Antarctica that have produced tephra (volcanic material ejected during eruptions). Many scientists, including Dr. Greg Zielinski from the University of New Hampshire, are currently in Antarctica doing research on tephra. There have also been fossils found in parts of Antarctica in sedimentary rock. As the result of continental drift, West Antarctica is composed of pieces of various other land masses while East Antarctica seems to be one land mass that once was part of Gondwanaland. The Trans-Antarctic mountains form the boundary between West and East Antarctica.

What do you do if you need more supplies than you already have?

We can radio for more supplies from McMurdo Station and they can be "dropped" by airplane. Our science camps have plenty of supplies for the amount of time we expect to be out working. We may tend to eat some of the tasty foods first but there is no lack of food here.

 

Mark from Bristol, New Hampshire writes: Do the cores indicate climate/seismic disasters such as volcanic eruptions or asteroid collisions? How far back in time do the cores stretch? Also, what sort of electromagnetic effects are a result of your location (i.e. any local problems, sunspots, etc.)? What frequencies are you broadcasting?

Ice cores drilled at Vostok, Antarctica record paleo-environments from the present back to 400,000 years ago. Ice cores can indicate "disasters" when the event produced dust or chemicals that can be contained in ice and snow. We find numerous volcanic events from many parts of the world in Antarctica ice cores. There are not any noticeable electromagnetic effects at our location. The closer you get to the geomagnetic pole the greater the declination changes on a compass. The aurora australis is an obvious effect of the ionization of particles in the atmosphere. Although the aurora is not visible during the polar day, during the polar night the aurora is a visible effect of electromagnetic disturbance. We have not had any problems with our Iridium phone calls to the United States or our communication with other Antarctic stations.

 

Becky from Eagle Rock, Pennsylvania writes: Do you guys ever get homesick? Can you call home? How many times do you go back home?

Homesick? A little. We miss our friends and hot showers but we are only here for a short time and there is a lot of work to be done. Now for the first time, thanks to Motorola and our Iridium phones, we can call home. So far we have only done it once and that was on Thanksgiving. We only go home at the end our expedition in Antarctica.

What animals do you see? Did you ever get to pet any of them?

Along the coast near McMurdo we might see seals and penguins but it is illegal to touch or bother the animals in Antarctica.

 

Mr. Foley's class from Northfield, Minnesota writes: What if you get out on to the ice and then find out that your scientific equipment does not work?

Well, that happens. Our equipment is tested thoroughly before we even get to Antarctica. Once in Antarctica equipment sometimes has a mind of its own or is not suited to the rigors of the Antarctic conditions. In that case you fix what you can and work with what you have.

 

Mike from Epping, New Hampshire writes: Are there any signs of the depletion of ice cores or do they regenerate themselves in the natural processes? (I had heard about some W.W.II aircraft that had gone down in Iceland and 50 years later they were found beneath 250 feet of ice).

In many parts of the globe, glaciers are melting away faster than they can be recharged from fresh snow accumulation. Glaciers do "regenerate" themselves naturally if climatic conditions are favorable. Currently, most glaciers in the world are receding. Besides your example of the WW II airplane, South Pole station and other "camps" in Antarctica are being continually buried by blowing and drifting snow.

 

Brian from Northfield, Minnesota writes: How deep is the ice?

The ice here is about 2600 meters thick. The thickness may vary by hundreds of meters depending on your location.

 

Jan from Cincinnati, Ohio writes: This is for Gordan Hamilton: greetings from Cincinnati Country Day School. We are looking forward to your visit and hope your data collecting is going well. The web site says that you will be collecting ice cores "down to a depth to 160-230 feet, which reflects the 200 year ice depth." It seems like this would mean that there would be about 1 foot of snow accumulation/year. This can't be possible since Antarctica is a desert and has less than 2" of snow/year. Could you clear up our confusion? Also, we'd like to know exactly what your particular research is, what you miss most about home right now, and if there are times you get bored. We were also wondering how you can communicate in remote areas without any electricity. Good luck.

Good question. Antarctica is a desert but that is an average for the entire continent. Accumulation rates vary greatly across the continent and are much higher on the coast than at South Pole station. The accumulation rate around Byrd camp can be up to 20 centimeters per year. When you add in blowing and drifting snow the pile can become quite deep. We also drill a little deeper than our calculated depth for a 200 year record. When you get the chance to drill in Antarctica it would be a shame to not get enough samples. While in Antarctica I am working largely with the Automatic Weather Stations. Some of these stations have to be replaced and other meteorological data needs to be collected by hand while in Antarctica. On this expedition everyone helps with all of our projects so I am also involved with the snow and ice samples, using Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system to record the exact locations of sampling sites, and helping with daily chores. Certainly I miss my family most of all but also a warm shower and a pizza sound good right now. You can not get bored on these expeditions, there is so much to do. Work, eat, and sleep are the agenda each day. As for communications, we have our Iridium phones which run on their own batteries and a generator for the radios.

 

Laura from Hampton writes: For science class we are being asked to check out the site and write a report on it for extra credit. I was wondering if you could tell me some of the most interesting information you have discovered while up there.

At this point the most interesting thing we have learned is how much weather can delay the expedition. One of the most interesting things we have learned may be that changes in the chemistry of the snow relate well to known atmospheric conditions such as weather patterns. We have good records of El Nino and low pressure systems around West Antarctica.

 

Allison from Northfield writes: How do you get enough water to drink when it's cold?

The way we get water is to melt snow. It takes a couple hours a day to supply the 20 plus gallons we need each day.

 

Kim from Pennsylvania writes: Because there is practically no civilization, what food do you eat while you're there and where do you get it from or how much of it do you have to bring with you?

The food we eat is similar to what most people eat at home. Once a year a ship comes to McMurdo and brings lots of food supplies. The following year the scientist use this food for their expedition. For example we will be eating hot and cold cereal for breakfast, "snacks" for lunch such as granola, candy bars, crackers, etc. Dinners will consist of pasta dishes, fish, chicken, frozen vegetables. We can bring lots of frozen food since the outside temperatures are below freezing.

 

Katelynn from Freeland, Pennsylvania writes: What do you guys do when you get sick and can't work or when you don't feel right? Must you take alot of safety precautions?

Preparation and organization are the keys to ITASE's success. Everyone received a very thorough physical examination before they left the states. While on the expedition in Antarctica everyone will carefully monitor their own health and be aware of how their team mates are doing. If someone does become ill they need to do the best that they can as does the rest of the team.

 

Julie from Mt. Aetna, Pennsylvania writes: I was just curious to know what exactly is Tyler's role in this expedition? I saw him on the web site, and I am curious what a research technician's duties include? Also, who is responsible for updating the log, and who answers these questions?

Tyler is a doctoral student at the Climate Change Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. His area of interest is Antarctic meteorology. Most of the work that he is doing revolves around collecting meteorological data during the expedition. He is also involved with the ice core drilling and with collecting snow samples for other researchers. A research technician works as an assistant to the principle scientists on the expedition.

As for updating the log, team members call in to the University of New Hampshire with the daily information. The information is then transcribed and put into a form that creates the log book web page.

Questions are answered by all team members.

 

Courtney from Fort Collins, Colorado writes: We have been following your trip. Will the delay due to the weather cause your stay to be extended?

We plan for delays in our field plan so hopefully our luck with the weather will improve and we will get all our work done in time to make it back on schedule... but one never knows.

 

Chris from Des Moines, Iowa writes: I would like to know more about how Mark Twickler used the blankets to keep the ice cold and at a constant temperature.

The blankets are actually reflective tarps used to reflect the sunlight off the ice core boxes. This year though we are trying a new method of a large passive freezer. It is set up to allow the freezer to be closed up during the day when it is "warm" then opened when the air "cools" as the sun gets lower in the sky.

 

Mike from Etna, New Hampshire writes: Have any of the ham radio operators in the expedition had time to get on the air?

Norbert Yankielun is a ham operator and will have his radio with him in the field. His call letters in Antarctica are KC4/WA1O. Bert says for other ham operators to "watch their DX packet cluster". Give him a call!

 

Robert from Sanbornton, New Hampshire writes: My students attended the ITASE program at the Boston Museum of Science on October 11th. They got a lot out of the program, and I will forward excerpts from their reports about that field trip. Are there any surprising results or observations which the US ITASE team has made and can be reported at this early date?

No, just bad weather.

 

Ryan from Hampton, New Hampshire writes: Has it been easy to adjust to the below freezing temps and which is the best way you have found to stay warm?

It takes a few days to get used to the cold. Luckily McMurdo Station is a little warmer than where our research area is for ITASE. This allows for gradual acclimatization to the cold. The best way to stay warm is through layering of clothes. Start with some good polypro underwear, then some sort of pile pants and jacket. A vest also works well to keep the core body warm. Over this comes the wind layer to keep the warmth close to the body. If it's really cold you can put a good down coat over all your clothes. The layering also works well to be able to shed clothes as work activity increases. Sweating is a very bad thing to happen in cold places since the water has a cooling effect as it evaporates. I have also been told that your veins move further into the muscles to help prevent heat loss. The opposite occurs in warm weather. I would imagine the distance the veins move is on the order of millimeters but every little bit helps.

The Museum website has a "dressing for the weather" interactive web page that also explains how we dress. You can find it here: Dressing for the Weather

 

Erin & Ina from West Palm Beach, Florida write: What is the probability of the active Volcano Mt. Erebus erupting?

Although Mt. Erebus is an active volcano and has erupted in the past it is closely monitored for activity. There are occasions when small eruptions happen which can be seen from McMurdo with smoke rising out of the top.

How warm does it get there and when?

In the summer months (Dec-Feb) McMurdo can reach temperatures above freezing. In West Antarctica where the ITASE traverse will be working temperatures very seldom, if ever, reach above freezing.

Are there dangerous cracks in the glacier, and can they be predicted?

Cracks (called crevasses) occur on glaciers. These are usually where the glacier is moving fairly fast or when there are subglacial objects which force the ice to flow around. Where the ITASE team will be travelling crevasses should be minimal since we will be mostly working on an ice sheet, which has slower speeds. We have a radar system that can detect crevasses. We will be using this as the lead vehicle in any area we expect may possibly have crevasses.

Can you get a picture of penguins?

Penguins do not live where the ITASE team will be working. In McMurdo, which is located close to the ocean, penguins will be around by about Thanksgiving since the sea ice will start breaking up at that time.

What do you eat on a normal day?

Normally we eat cereal for breakfast. Either hot or cold. Lunches are usually snack food such as gorp, candy bars, biscuits. Dinner is the main meal and we eat "normal" food such as meat, frozen vegetables, rice, pasta, etc.

 

Magill from Newmarket, New Hampshire writes: What does Antarctica look like?

Antarctica is very large, about the size of the United States. Mostly Antarctica is very cold, windy, and snowy. It has very high mountains, valleys, and flat planes similar to the United States. The entire continent of Antarctica is surrounded by ocean though most of the ocean is frozen for some portion of the year. There are no trees or grass and rarely to you get to see any animals other than the occasional seal or penguin which tend to live together in large colonies. Antarctica is a place with a beauty all its own that is worth studying and protecting.

 

We are a group of children in Avonhead School, Christchurch, New Zealand. We would like to know how thick the ice is where you are staying? Will it get thicker or thinner over the next few weeks?

Where we will be going the glacier will be about 2000 meter thick! It may get very slightly thicker (by a few centimeters) while we are there but overall it stays about the same thickness. The sea ice (sea water that is frozen around Scott and McMurdo Bases) is about 4 meters thick now. It will gradually get thinner over the next few weeks then it will finally break apart and float out to sea allowing for seawater to be visible.

 

Adam from Texas writes: What happens if conditions are not acceptable in Antarctica and you are forced to stay on New Zealand for a longer time than expected? Is there the chance that the project could be cancelled? How long would you wait until conditions are good?

As of November 1, the ITASE team is at McMurdo Base in Antarctica. Sometimes expedition teams stay for long periods of time in New Zealand or McMurdo base before they can get into the field. The window for completing field work is limited and teams need to work with whatever time they do get. Planning is the key and limited bad weather is planned for. Projects are often delayed and field time is sometimes reduced.

 

Cheryl from British Columbia, Canada writes: I would like more information on the use of oxygen isotopes for determining climate and climate change of Antarctica, how exactly does it work?

Oxygen isotopes are used in determining climate change by measuring the oxygen 18 to oxygen 16 ratio. The proportion of O18 to O16 in the atmosphere changes due to precipitation events which carry a higher percentage of O18 out of the atmosphere. The O18/O16 ratio in the ice is measured and used as a proxy measurement for temperature. Warmer temperatures are associated with more precipitation and colder temperatures are associated with less precipitation.

 

Lars from Askim, Norway writes: Do you notice a difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures even though there are 24 hours of daylight?

There is a noticeable difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures during Antarctica's summer months. Even though the sun is visible 24 hours a day, it will dip closer to the horizon during the night. Energy from the sun in the high latitudes is already diffused since it hits the Earth's surface at an angle, but as the sun nears the horizon its rays must pass through a greater depth of atmosphere. The result is greater losses of energy as it is scattered, absorbed or reflected through the atmosphere, which results in lower temperatures.

 

BarB from Revere, Massachusetts writes: Will you see any penguins on your trip?

Many seals, penguins and other sea birds live and breed on the shores of the continent during the summer months but our expedition takes place far enough inland that we don't expect to see any penguins or other marine wildlife. We might see an occasional skua, a large gull-like bird that migrates between Antarctica and the northern hemisphere. It is the only bird species to have ever been seen at the south pole.

 

Bill from Washington writes: What happens if your equipment breaks down?

Due to the extreme conditions across Antarctica, equipment failures and mechanical breakdowns are common. We try to plan for them and that's why we travel with a mechanic. If we break down along the way, we can't go any further until things are fixed. For that reason, the mechanic is often thought of as the most important member of our team.

 

Lynn from Alaska writes: The pictures in your gallery are beautiful, often with bright, clear skies. It isn't what I expected Antarctica to look like. Is that typical?

There are not usually clouds in the skies over Antarctica because it is a polar desert so there isn't enough moisture in the atmosphere over the continent to form clouds. Still, despite the beautiful pictures, there are often strong, biting winds throughout the day.

Do you have a question for the team? Let us know!

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