tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56648286172423959852024-03-19T10:15:43.100+00:00Øystein in AntarcticaØysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-43772929387374178432008-04-01T20:26:00.006+01:002008-12-09T01:22:23.134+00:00Leaving before nightfallAs you probably guessed, I'm now back from Antarctica. The mite samples have been carefully delivered in Stellenbosch.<br /><br />To compensate for the extreme delay in posting this final entry, I present you with some photos from the russian Novolazarevskaya station from the flight out. Antarctica offers some interesting human landscapes as well.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7am0cnZ8Yq8Cz-JFMMZqJUgqkzKfmxQrNSjRi0LmJyWYrx2KFAeP8UJ6XNxWejmHtErOIcWN-MRJ84cPKA1j3YHogdKlOqm_stkN7WM4cM_yt5VIDN5MjNQ-1lj1f9mkJLqyjPPuXZE/s400/SNC14262.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184362717977450082" /><br /><br />There were some amazing vehicles lying around the "transit terminal" - the friendly tent camp where we were served excellent russian soup while waiting for our flight off the continent.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBaGmVlY5WnJiqChxyBUdN8SGx9Qqzce12UrKUhD20cCzpO6sazbNVWzt2bh67IAlKSsFnDfRFmIebRFAhM1bkEtEIuzWJJKgyEs_d49Tfql9s9pbIAwsEk8_II1IsJPCUw6BAOFrug4/s400/SNC14267.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184362722272417394" /><br /><br />Monstertruck Breshnev-style.<br />(If anyone knows the history of this bubble-tyred snowmobile, please let me know!)<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9GzxeVxtWNzROMRJ2RUK0TTnEgcuklAzqAv36E2Xuv7jPbTtEd4UD5T3_SseAEjxnYRQ5nZZmi8zwgo8Jer1cTSABFW-rV9UcS6Ib66KZe2y-EHYWlTvCGYMRfGosefbo_t2xmD-sC8/s400/SNC14243.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184362056552486418" /><br /><br />Funky skidoo.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cRRyG1wMCXqsc44Zo49Ctd1CEZ85MSjz78o35zk5aniU0XaHOEpzA10ZG1ZdSnOEWWZ0tq8uaT3i5Am5YgL207j-MMo3iEXJf-T59m6LpTiBtDOY7dflEnZKmQTKn8LEJdY88jVZcmU/s400/SNC14258.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184362069437388370" /><br /><br />Winter warrior.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0-7kSujy0v0lg-trMzKbWG_hygSCmXTZYZegLfv4yE3RzLxcvfW7H7l5HZU8y2RavTkabCtiTNxaWqvkRWiGwjvCjaqI5AJL_8PWVWVGkw4jS6VIlVViOrGwYGsCPBz4VKtnfMOqX8E/s400/SNC14251.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184362069437388354" /><br /><br />The pet south polar skua in camp, regularly fed foodscraps by the russian crewmembers.<br />Not strictly in tune with environmental protocol, but who am I to pass judgement on russian station workers who in some cases have spent 10 (ten!) years - straight - on the ice. Domestifying a hungry bird for company can't be the worst outlet for that length of ice-solation.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTi5avcauk54ZTQ9ReNdRTrMnPBpj3hulvDoaHybzEh7_BDbMCIHIAOu73FA5d-tDYnZf6h8X93MjVwPA8JLvR9yd9eBIBrByhGTKJP5r7nitBEcAFTzPLeqS3Nqo3tGd-pwmHYYwPX4/s400/SNC14201.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184362735157319314" /><br /><br />At least these guys can go home next november.<br />This is the norwegian overwintering crew, picture taken on the day we flew out.<br />It's an impressive gang, and I wish them all the best in the cold and progressively darker months to come.<br />(from the left:)<br />Heidi, cook.<br />Sigurd, mechanic.<br />Annika, my excellent replacement, the overwintering doctor, gynecologist back home.<br />Geir, station technician, plumber back home.<br />Atle, station chief and research technician, travelling satelite antenna engineer back home.<br />Vidar, electrician.<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Qp3kasQ4gT8YI9FdSqU-FKw-DRBBhH6TopGKfUX9H_w_Ld27cE4D7qfMGBPYZq7LLUq6hum4fcRD-hT_u4CkdUkdFQwbXJHNzzxNUCbL_DoJWu0b7j0mEthiny1GuwHIhXwuD3cy2d4/s400/SNC14220.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184362739452286626" /><br /><br />Goodbye to Troll station and the Ice planet.<br /><br />I could say a lot about what my stay at the station and the explorations of the surrounding icescapes meant to me - what a profound experience it was. Going through my blog, I realize it is all those little things I have written about along the way, combined, that best describe my love and enthusiasm for the place and the landscape, and for the people and creatures that make it their brief and permanent home.<br /> <br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwn1D70TdG0fRMWbAEUAVg1VTilIx3LUV13xxIuUVDH_9HCCDIETFcvBGar_oAHHD8tBnXNOvItiFnp9EtEy4WfYdY1z2LjqGsvZ_Ud2dCvvstetpuN7FxsPv9pHOiqb_25yLitGEc_wg/s400/SNC14189.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5184362730862352002" />Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-11219465395439156132008-02-26T18:47:00.012+00:002008-12-09T01:22:24.770+00:00Lucky last trip<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMLQYhwzl9gBZPfKJFC8pUb4F-UFroE5d3O-IO4Km-HMVtUq-ffOMnGqun2wPoeEdgMnp9CBirfZxwKwjeC0E-DazeZbl35KoQlMi89HwcSeozJsQHpFCUljNVGgeszWQ-bE1oMfoRJo/s1600-h/SNC14150.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMLQYhwzl9gBZPfKJFC8pUb4F-UFroE5d3O-IO4Km-HMVtUq-ffOMnGqun2wPoeEdgMnp9CBirfZxwKwjeC0E-DazeZbl35KoQlMi89HwcSeozJsQHpFCUljNVGgeszWQ-bE1oMfoRJo/s400/SNC14150.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171367189111864434" /></a><br /><br />Out again, looking for any non-bird animals I could find. I took the snowmobile roughly 8 km into the relatively warm area on the north side of the Jutulsessen massive,well shaded from the catabatic winds coming down from the plateau. There's two big frozen "lakes" here, never fully in a liquid state, still flattened over time because of partial icemelt and small creeks forming right below the blue ice surface. It's autumn now, never above freezing even at ground level, and I couldn't see any liquid water anywhere.<br /><br />The picture shows the most sheltered bay in the lake.<br />I went to this particular spot because a norwegian biologist found some mites here in 1977.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8y-E06tkJ85iC5DrHzmm5D3aT6AVywR9MsAWedPjrdQg1UJwMduG6pULzSdWPzjcyhZVNuyyZ_2zS8xLDWXhLzX31Gvp9byR9pQ26HLXwcqpoG-1dBlVRmMK9CTT4wD_giDPcMRyjZig/s400/SNC14141.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171366596406377554" /><br /><br />Initially there was no sign of any vegetation, but I found two big garnet crystals instead. <br />When biology fails, geology comes to the rescue.<br /> <br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bATYxkEpvWPwi9qCp17Hp9gzd51fh2wWttlEAGLCMQDn2Trhh6JMvqc3KvGzNDOshyphenhyphenWAGdwVE8vbxkrRW3POxISuznTOj7vp7qZwei4R0wEYywsaZObCLDannW730jqIQoRZPhX3Qdg/s400/SNC14147.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171366845514480738" /><br /><br />The whole area was covered in moraine, with some larger boulders in between. This lone sentry is a south polar skua, several of which were nesting in the area. Further down the slope I saw a skua chick, as big as its parents, just more fluffy, and still not able to fly, running off in panic as I closed in. The adults took turns screeching and charging towards me until I moved to a respectful distance.<br /><br />I found some tiny patches of green algae under the rocks in the area, but no mites.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzSEBIDGtv61PrSY_Y42bNCQ-dcZwgCzvoWaqDzzpYREJhomKd06gUfEg1QSSNDxsObPNcBOFY6DXksY6t26I6helBrfxcxNHm6zxJ3voJifvFLtqPAgidgrQc5Lp69PPpKoLbk-SqyI/s400/SNC14156.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171366106780105778" /><br /><br />The search continued. I went on to the eastern lake, going all the way to into a narrow bay, surrounded by steep cliffs on three sides.<br /> <br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3c3UHXPRVnfm_mLE-VZLIU-A0rcP3GSJ6rZoNWtG9dXIH9nojR_JqX2YkRiR8HqVSyPB7UCU75wazwSlyCA1Tw0FsVUwQ2wb1S2l8cEnZYeFrYFEkM-JnvNZd8Q6oOL5tu-TqLAxfj4/s400/SNC14169.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171365574204161042" /><br /><br />Here too I was greeted by skuas (one sitting on the big boulder in the distance), but this time I think they were mainly curious (/hungry - most of the antarctic petrels - their food - have left for the ocean already). I started climbind the scree slope, targeting the solid bedrock surface higher up the mountainside.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGKD40WCEUT3PekdSR7ZWfRleGVSb1TsC16AOFhKUexMG9I7bIqfSFCS0MpYwLe1e_9xovpmO1ROeUJHD8QsBIDY-AtC3k5J8G4fHf-et13ULjgCgsOyGzW0w9vWUf4moQTIvqSCj8uU/s400/SNC14163.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171365814722329634" /><br /><br />As the boulders grew bigger I discovered several small patces of moss (black dry dots in the picture. No, really!). This should be premium habitat for mites and springtails. 15 rocks and 2 wet eyes later - still nothing. Same with the next 5 moss fields. Where were the animals hiding? I had gone to the possibly most sheltered location in all of Jutulsessen, on a sunny day - extensive vegetation all over the place, at least by East Antarctic standards - and not a single mite.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMy7f0OIdJJCzszf8i49wJ2vwfXtsQrHxPWyWvaBiLKp2vgD5LszXPLp44TdwZllL-66tsA_JZD6I6oAzU7hu3J_vHKYEAQ7pEeaLJ727IfC-h9L78bG49d6USfcMiKlNqvUOTmgtT7o/s400/SNC14173.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171364620721421298" /><br /><br />I stepped on and broke a particularly crumbly rock, frost thaw being more to blame, and saw this green line extending 1 cm into the rock: algae following in the footsteps of the water.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFrb9POZIzYmQu5u2iy_pkv8Xped9o__k5WBp0dNjRZW-MP9Qc6ffDoVEsE6rAoZHKcfiZI7kdg4PKFV8pYObHYCVuc4o2GlUn6LcbbzO0DpYfUdn-cJZy_uP01809_hMLUPJxLumiF0/s400/SNC14170.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171364921369132034" /><br /><br />100m up the cliffside, scree gave way to solid gneissic bedrock (dark rocks on the left). The barren slope above would not yield much vegetation, but here, at the very edge, I found what appeared to be the last patch of moss, and halfheartedly started flipping rocks over. <br /><br />First and second rock - nothing. Third time lucky: as I turned it over, I immediately noticed something moving: a single mite trying to escape towards - who knows what, as I had just ruined it's whole world anyway. No time to worry about ethics - I quickly threw it into the etanol vial. 7 more mites (family? neighbours?) went the same way, and no more mites were to be found - not there or anywhere else in the area.<br /><br />It kind of felt like I just discovered - then quickly wiped out - a single newfound colony of Martians.<br /><br />Hopefully I won't feel the same way about eradicationg microscopic lifeforms back home, as being a doctor could turn into more of a moral dilemma than it really needs to.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZAVuOXBcRkzSo0tefc-vt0LE8JR4-inoX-d12USXpWrBn6P9cw6Zsde-KOmk54D169obOXZqFNl_DCISfrK85-e21DbphtRXyXBSdZgQHJlU88SGgjMTLmtVjJliNixw2qUs_trjvOOU/s400/SNC14177.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171364410268023778" />Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-427271413654991172008-02-25T21:04:00.006+00:002008-12-09T01:22:25.428+00:00A nice but completely miteless walk<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYee1FEJVGs9kep4dWD9RvMFvcXAM7wMEx8ve9l01lBZVqMmBP9b_6iZOgK_JKROO92MkQM6S6q4SeRZzTLKfan1zFea-C26FLIFPA3fU38qoXUpj0HMxSTamImvJ4UwWHZNubfxP02r4/s400/SNC14129.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171027534508161970" /><br /><br />Heading up the sunny slope of Grjotlia, feeling very optimistic about finding some neat terrestrial invertebrate lifeforms to sample.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwwJ2DQY9xBhYpDlcR5qSpCv0ZS_fRixutOdbgCAxw8EeCbMYV7ZDQepuAidhl2GTRJLiqS4jEpZa5O-avPpdedCxIw7or90N_s1oq3uIQTAXW3ec4Ztq1Kpl7EeIMicK5OMgL8n037A/s400/SNC14123.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171027989774695378" /><br /><br />I know from earlier walks that this particular slope has a rich lichen vegetation, amongst them the black kind that the mites supposedly like best. It's also a sunny day - warm mites move quicker and should be easier to spot.<br /><br />Apparently not my lucky day: no movement what so ever - in, under, or anywhere within 2 meters of the lichen.<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiy0P6Cx7K-od4g9Dp-1rDvsJ00s3OhM1DMgVm5il1WE7odaG5I8bSZIR70RtYzEqwwqmOUuA1RrgB1QxN2I4dq1u6bvEkuOlWiJFkT_yP2v01LVJuXzuMj1q1Fh72c7WmNUnuruO9USQ/s400/SNC14131.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171027259630255010" /><br /><br />The dominant lichen on this hill is the orange crustose type. It seems to prefer cracks on top of big, flat boulders. Absolutely no sign of mites, though. Getting slightly frustrated now.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpv0zGzk4454bI_3N70ynK0zfb2TuXE0bEMafl21Je5GlKqMmMEgpB1EFvTENjmaKdAsLdaTcdYAwlyKpEfUPcT6ze5mn7thKcj2M6iR046Tnp0FbzxTIPtIvRKjwT-QsHHaB_c1dAv8/s400/SNC14127.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171027775026330562" /><br /><br />This snow petrel chick cheers me up, and I start digging around the guano and algae piling up underneath the nest, but to no avail- absolutely nothing that even resembles a small creep.<br /> <br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNralrNGryGlp8siT5w_JNZUsWe-D1A5woimedZmtfW43dbKFvIIn1Uf7uR-ypZlgpBIsCKTpE6qFfUUSuVoZ5vgOA4WykGHFuKWyrPd1H2JY8S5S1a0FOWCeAAp_TEfcsYlZtPR_DMto/s400/SNC14137.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171026954687576978" /><br /><br />One of many empty-handed returns to the snowmobile. Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-51054633397134095692008-02-25T20:41:00.006+00:002008-12-09T01:22:25.540+00:00The last party<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBAytLSu2kd9GDPWdHTG42A79DSx89ziQE_2HZTVoe9OkpGnHqn7j0FJS9z_WLwzskOnMEveu1zHbPKhqgKTb4d7s7JBh9DiXiyz-bq4AX5I1h5ExegA5f0gvkUVnTBJLFqrSeY03eAU/s400/IMG_4987.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171023299670408066" /><br /><br />Saturday we had a big party to mark the end of the summer season. In 2 days only 6 will stay behind. We marked the occasion by setting two new Jakuzzi records - 19 people in the hot tub at the same time, and around 17 of them stayed in the tub for 7 hours straight. Personal space requirements went out as 8 bottles of champagne went in.<br /><br />I chose this particularly blurry picture in case anyone from the team wants to go for american president.Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-36633920833294147312008-02-24T20:43:00.015+00:002008-12-09T01:22:26.680+00:00Walk with a purpose<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FCv2rDuccwqj5IUK8l0rpA9ahBjOCoCngA4eqoqrJBy02au1Je5E3kfAslFcqf4Wd6BbR5muLBcV3ggkwqU4m3jTA9hBjETB1D9L-S6dy4Smz6VukvN91_v9Ufw6gB7aFVYPMZqstt0/s1600-h/SNC14087-1.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FCv2rDuccwqj5IUK8l0rpA9ahBjOCoCngA4eqoqrJBy02au1Je5E3kfAslFcqf4Wd6BbR5muLBcV3ggkwqU4m3jTA9hBjETB1D9L-S6dy4Smz6VukvN91_v9Ufw6gB7aFVYPMZqstt0/s400/SNC14087-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170655848038366066" /></a><br /><br />I'm about 4 km from Troll, looking back towards the station from within a lowlying moraine field. It's a partially overcast day, relatively warm at -6 degrees, but it feels colder because of the wind. Walking amongst these boulders for half an hour, there's no sign of what I'm looking for. I've chosen this site because the northwest-facing location gives maximum exposure to sunlight, hence more heat, more snowmelt and humidity, and more chance of finding life.<br /><br />Even still - the rocks, the patches of sand between them, the gravel, the small shelters underneath the bigger rocks, the small meltponds forming there - all seem lifeless.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKCN7fc_WR45mi-yacjrzbCL8B6bXllBth94pZWZHLbK5TpqKOI-mpIBExbByD9Y7gWPu2IqZxQBlk6sO4zVQHOv_rDnG-ZktLgTa7Yh-EDJNEcC5jQOTK4kErtle_UJEoHIPQdJKC_3o/s400/SNC14086-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170653490101320450" /><br /><br />I decide to try try for slightly higher ground, and head towards the moraine-covered slope below the small glacier cap. As I approach the hillside, the winds drop, and there's less snow cover.<br /><br />Happy with this decision, I start searching for the largest boulders, because bigger boulders means more stability, and more stability means sufficient time for lichen to grow and establish itself.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpShr4-_-GImpqWLD_L_fQopviII4uMyPKdIGagyeQN-mCEpAK282mlzCXDKvl2LYTR5ejaWTAzBFWqTblHPQcw7YFjhW7eMS6fn_Mbs44Y8-cAN487WdQooxXELxKtqF_DPbVJ5qrnw/s400/SNC14088-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170655564570524514" /><br /><br />Finally - a small patch of lichen of <i>just</i> the right type - leafy, black, and crumbly - an "epilithic foliose lichen". To speciate it properly, someone with more than a hobby-based interest in biology would have to examine it under microscope.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUDodiRkeXNBtEMdSDki-aH_aFdUbLVPoLDYgu6YmJ93bLcvl-urpHmA3VGt4vu8UEdCPjNOO2qCbzbD1N-wM5P13ceoWPiQ-sXW-7O744GRJADTIO2GNsHMnUGnS2mit9MZmQdlE6iU/s1600-h/SNC14089-1.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUDodiRkeXNBtEMdSDki-aH_aFdUbLVPoLDYgu6YmJ93bLcvl-urpHmA3VGt4vu8UEdCPjNOO2qCbzbD1N-wM5P13ceoWPiQ-sXW-7O744GRJADTIO2GNsHMnUGnS2mit9MZmQdlE6iU/s400/SNC14089-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170654958980135762" /></a><br /><br />Even still (I enjoy guessing) - I think this lichen might be called <i>Umbilicaria decussata</i>. It's not restricted to the Antarctic - cousins of this lichen actually grow back in Norway, and can be used as emergency food if you just happen to be stranded on a barren island or mountain without provisions, and are feeling desperate, adventurous, or both.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihKcMdUEbb0UffFKPocc6KKWEkt1784W0FxIFAkZ_RbwLc99t4B_psCq57PXQeJYOR52UQuYassuxKuyVWqN8eB3ez5IGJGMreAkZVSiJggmu-_kD0JA8EPSDsSNPCrF4xdCyXr_yt2mo/s400/SNC14090-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170654735641836354" /><br /><br />In any case, lichen tasting is not what I've come for, either, but the small patch of lichen means I'm at least in the right <i>microhabitat</i> now.<br /><br />I start turning rocks over, inspecting their undersides carefully with my hand lens, small brush and vial of ethanol at the ready. First rock: nothing. Second: is that something moving? Yes - along a small crack in the rock, a tiny creature, red legs and black body, barely half a millimetre across, walking sluggishly along, it's world suddenly (and literally) turned upside down. With shaking hands I scrape it up with the brush, and condemn it to quick death by alcohol. Success!<br /><br />This is what I've come for - in this case I've found a tiny mite, but actually anything small that moves would be interesting. After collecting two vials of 10 mites each, I head back to station and put one under the microscope.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_B8NnIrsjP3onca8GlplYZn-LSxVZWQOiIGY1XCYyN2UIOooeE2PVBHe5FcWglIm-nOWuZlXuqlnvk_Hpjeq9PR-JQtK0Evl1b96od95vS7OwestusjVBfVDpsZ2m1hexPosFQBS7DE/s400/SNC14114.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170654185886022434" /><br /><br />Most probably this is mite is called <i>Eupodes angardi</i>. It's one of 10 or so species of mites in all of Dronning Maud Land. In addition there are 2 species of springtails, another group of terrestrial microarthropods.<br /><br />So - have I gone crazy in my search for life in an apparently lifeless place? Regulations about wildlife collection tossed out the window, just to satisfy my own overgrown curiosity?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmTaT0dfuNU-VmgPyyxnsqNvkLTH9WKPajdgDlDQwQJT1fc_UBNceRaw9se4SEjCB4xWJKurzunPqAQ58Y3_j4SwVPYJHddQqRxjtqnEZwTJ0ivVMmwWMVOlO8_Nr7xfbAprYGreSbFA/s1600-h/SNC14115.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmTaT0dfuNU-VmgPyyxnsqNvkLTH9WKPajdgDlDQwQJT1fc_UBNceRaw9se4SEjCB4xWJKurzunPqAQ58Y3_j4SwVPYJHddQqRxjtqnEZwTJ0ivVMmwWMVOlO8_Nr7xfbAprYGreSbFA/s400/SNC14115.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170654443584060210" /></a><br /><br />Actually, I'm allowed.<br />This mite is going to the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa, for closer examination and DNA analysis. Through a happy mix of coincidence and me not being able to keep my mouth shut, I've managed to recruit myself as assistant microarthropod collector on behalf of Jen Lee, a South African biologist who has been sampling mites and springtails around SANAE station this summer.<br /><br />Her project is part of a big International Polar Year research project called "Aliens in Antarctica". The project wants to assess the risks to Antarctic biodiversity with increasing human traffic around the continent.<br /><br />The mite above is not an alien, but a resident mite carefully adapted to the freezing environment, living off the sparse detritus from the black lichen. But, theoretically, mites could get transported between nunataks on the clothes and shoes of researchers or adventure tourists, and both inter-nunatak and intra-species biodiversity could be at risk.<br /><br />Before someone goes out and examines these fragile ecosystems, by physically sampling these tiny animals from different locations, and by genetic analysis calculates their relatedness, we don't know much about this risk at all.<br /><br />I'll be on the search for mites and springtails in the areas around Troll up until leaving (running out of time!).<br />Nothing better than having a good, even scientitic, excuse for goofing around with my magnifying glass. Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-52961220295820267062008-02-18T20:53:00.009+00:002008-12-09T01:22:27.459+00:00Autumn<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXB821g1d_0RrCQHNRIREU2Zan9c3Slqxq8FpRstw-2Nu6j6oQeL8LTHn7FQSGLe_BjAQgBbM-3gyZ1VUFM2uJIt3RJQzRdHbFTmXjI7mN83f3Qw0PQb_Zm9QhJGmPycaVHpIJ5rtHVlo/s400/SNC14058-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168432738606217970" /><br /><br />Yesterday I was exploring Nonshøgda, the low mountain immediately to our north, looking for life both tiny and small. The weather was splendid - blue skies and around -7 degrees, slightly unexpected because over the last weeks we've have had a gradual yet marked change in light and temperature: we have sunsets now, night temperatures drop below -20, and most of our bird neighbours seem to have left us. <br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeR4IT754r4RChofECVV8hYRF22P6c3ACxgomrqA2_5z3v7sPe5SsvfpSO6F7OV7uU2dgiLn45uTJZovUsRw-rMbuEXLH531_XYQVQBk2h0_kAqoO-Cc3pgcjiPPRV3odsMVyHvPxiUfU/s400/SNC14061-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168431776533543634" /><br /><br />The last transport train, number 8, approaching Troll. Every last container has now been shipped to station from the ice shelf. Fuel, food and other supplies for the 6 overwinterers - it's all in place. The main mission for the summer season has been accomplished. We're now wrapping up for the season, doing building repairs and improvements, and in my case the overlap period with my replacement, the overwintering doctor, has begun.<br /><br />In 10 days I'll be back in Cape Town with the rest of the summer team.<br />It's been a fantastic 3 months, possibly life-changing, and I can't believe how fast it all went.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05RQNpUo37tJFWVqUfioYw9V4mHKaSdD2vAAH7GtetB0b_0cX-Ng4q_dPBGvD37sYjWQRD7fJabYEtG0gxFjc60NuzKxPYdkMaWodDsa24G_Jq2NWq-laKnlkBOeeL879EkEpYB12pgs/s400/SNC14063-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168431557490211522" /><br /><i><br /></i>Climbing the hill further, I came upon a small patch of green, almost salady stuff, scattered amongst the rubble beneath some big boulders. This is a multicellular algae, I think belonging to the genus <i>Prasiola</i>. It usually grows in small cracks like this, small wind-deposits of snow providing liquid water for the brief summer months.<br /><br />Suddenly - a thin creak, sounding like old scissors, just 1 meter further up, from between the boulders:<br /> <br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVnPgOS-cpQbiwyKdLkZddrG0a0n_LdVy7IWiUs95g5E5oZ1vpRFIdQaQzvzm4WW33nvKwNFhotnahkL5f4wKGdZw1aA8njbZkcRU6EpIEGKNErymfTalJeE5tEA1Jtv7MZdU6iVFk6g/s400/SNC14065-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168432124425894626" /><br /><br />They're not easy to spot, these tiny snow petrel chicks. He was sitting in a small "cave", generations of guano piled up by the entrance, small bits of which provide plenty of fertilization for the Prasiolas below.<br /> <br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLM1Blnwnn5L5vVPKp_Pd7gQVPVZy4tRk3G55jrrEfvl1SfJvBAupw66NIAaxVKEj9GuBO_JIJgIC5DQdcnnQC8HWv6zIrvN9dHXxl2miMCmehrZk3ch7RxNtEpLwJiyybqaRoVKUHps/s400/SNC14066-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168431243957598898" /><br /> <br />No sign of parents. With a healthy-looking chick like this, they are probably not far away, either on their way to, or coming back from the ocean, crops bulging with supernutritious krill-oil. The skuas will not be able to pull the chick out of his narrow hiding place.<br /><br />In a few years this chick might be greeting newly arrived station crew members, while busily squabbling for the best nest site and some female attention - warm childhood memories coupled with genetic conditioning will have brought him back here, to within meters of his own birthplace.Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-76608273297715847902008-02-18T20:07:00.009+00:002008-12-09T01:22:28.144+00:00Aggregation<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQV3Coyfi6Y_mcDwPpRLyMMHlFIl3hZCzcvOl88d87Xbc5pnFPD8vZUVGF7sEnmwxNBcO48gQq_r9wofdu3LDU9HVnXg0JQ7O6Pw_gZSNUC7WFodvbRoXPguWRs75ApkrO8ef08UfszsI/s400/SNC13851-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168415356873570946" /><br /><br />4 km north of the station is the low hill called Klovningen. The area north of it is heavily crevassed because of a glacier fall squeezing by. Immediately before the cliff face lies a massive wind-hole, called "Klovningsdella". It's not visible before the ice practically disappears under your feet (belts, in our case). You can enter this "secret valley" on foot from the south side only, elsewhere you would need climbing gear. It's a beautiful spot, with a flat blue ice "lake" glimmering on the valley floor, and a sizeable colony of snow petrels in the sunbathed and wind-protected scree slope.<br /> <br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUxd8TCT0XvUxuDS8nzA83kyoaBopG-xT9DNKJHZ0AsQ60Z1JnmQr9IVSZ-8qt-NHNRrY-jitr6NeCn9tuIUEL7Frvq_g_Abx2PXyxyf9wEK-IgyTAr0XnNOpGz6iVKFy1-tIn6to3uM/s400/SNC13855-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168416198687160994" /><br /><br />These are not snow petrels. <br /> <br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiot_nEGDlEfVUPoOIso63wDwUQS9L6jwI0cMPO1-ZTOvttkXtKynEkT2nEJ8n4ufUPn9UnCOEf6qBFaxWq4nV6KXJFwUw49tRR8ipvXs_g7u0goVjRtwacP3OtM0G3KzThu761hcu-dig/s400/SNC13856-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168415086290631282" /><br /><br />We found a total of 54 empty fuel drums in the wind-hole - all of them blown here across the blue ice from the station during the november hurricane. Most of the barrels had aggregated in heaps under big rocks like this one. The rock seems to be resting on a pedestal, because the ice column immediately beneath it is shaded from the melting rays of the sun.<br /> <br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi95uwVDdDi6F2xwMCq47xLgBa4KYDDRPr-Tp2PGInxzFGT3m0x_IAcTG-LTQ_eOW4Zsi8MWRTmhIx4Zfh14_vyy1wu0afjtrD2rD4FhQZRKYjxWudBDDye10hl8MCJD-9KQqvJCXwsl0/s400/SNC13864-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168414746988214882" /><br /><br />We stuffed the barrels into a net, and pulled it up the steep slope by belt wagon. <br /><br />2 seconds after this picture was taken, as the net was hanging right under the edge, the rope gave in to the snow friction. Ken, our expedition leader (small figure in the bottom right corner) turned his head, saw 30 barrels tumbling down the slope towards him, and ran for it.<br /><br />Next attempt, using a pulley system with 2 belt wagons and a crane on the edge, went without unpleasant surprises.Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-66622389500467785852008-02-16T19:16:00.015+00:002008-12-09T01:22:29.841+00:00More pictures, slightly more talkFour of us decided to hike the steep north-eastern side of Stabben, the square-topped syenite landmark that should be well-known from previous blog entries.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3upem7RBxvz1QcnNVppRdzky0nearkLqDmyqDzjoXJ2_oYjdrxM23ahodoPk0qmid6QUlQZUnZfjdjmwf1_CMlINjsSZzhkfvtR-1E3Z_zk5k7eCpmlajuNPbmrJ720SxMgAQ3AydUYk/s400/SNC13764-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167662251538086466" /><br /> <br />Joining us was Sune, the swedish/english field guide who just came back from a 2 month geological sampling expedition in our "local" mountain area.<br /><br />Yes, it's the 2-man team from the "Field trip" entry in december, finally back from the wilderness! The shower at Troll was put to good use.<br /><br />The expedition was rewarded with several hundred kilos of specimens for Horst to blast with his radiometric guns back at the University of Bristol. Particularly interesting are the samples from a <i>supposedly</i> 3 billion year old nunatak east of Jutulstraumen("Annendagstoppen") - measuring the age of this particular rock, using the latest methods (hafnium isotope analysis, to be exact), has the potential to shake the foundations of the Gonwanaland supercontinent theory (at least the part of it that claims East Antarctica was connected to Africa and India). <br /><br />I've always been a fan of paradigm-shattering.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRDXOV2EdrzUE9jKDkwLMso4mfeDQYl5RzS9RqulaRpCDezkghC_kDM8a6JhQmd2UBzFKlskX-yhzjVGl8ODDjyeC3TlplWU5QVCoyhIUrtiEnoCEBLGg-vFnY_CuIPZsRyhTuOktZEY/s400/SNC13768.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167661813451422258" /><br /><br />On the sunny side of the mountain.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgTOQ3pE8VUfkzGN_nYPwn2cL0JYQXCVOTBbc4TAv1LDMUv9FVGHx6zjGWWFSLuZapSeYN-E53LBakSCa1svhi7Qno-Bbd7wb1dhOkTatsOmXI-Ha1rw3v6O9wfwoh09ptw_Na3MXI5k/s400/SNC13788.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167660482011560434" /><br /><br />Highest form of botanical life around here: a moss cushion. Sunwarmed cliff providing heat; snowflake on the left providing water; weathered crumbly rock below providing nutrients. What more can you ask for?<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZx05LBsHazxOCZO6D-A_jy975sJnxAzo6tK-go9I8hOb1FptNfPNQC9IlcslgksQWiwPCiNCS7S92SHwNYGJprXflNQhqC_hsmhVRHMP-lAChSB3tgUSw_zlAarjPQejVLmVb9ne73A/s400/SNC13769.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167661517098678818" /><br /><br />A small snowhill had formed along the side of the cliff.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjucA6sLJTIVG5HI0QWZ7ZRaoz9O-Wk855437l1wtPRyU5djq3Er-y5teCjb8ST6si13zSKcuqylzgz1WlPq2xge09xILFd7-EEUb0xyPAdU-wONFuhK7-xOIpVibGQq036F1Jf42MIdLI/s400/SNC13817.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167659403974769090" /><br /><br />Sculptures in the ice.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-C-nsfXdJOWfOvrukxvFFWG2IH0kOMq363vfN_ds3oE5qyPTtDCsse4mtw2__lzhEkwcJBZhmtLA7G_8sYw50qBq3UE6p5tSEnxxp3VnEgo6PZbMlTQnT4VBRTH4LgMTP_ODHjNxrtSY/s400/SNC13780.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167661160616393234" /><br /><br />Looking back down to where we started from. Heavy crevassing apparent on the bordering ice sheet.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2p2rkXN_sC5JdnFUWM7QvNsTcbrQEbfFM-u0dpXefHMwq-xZofXR92T94PPvuqwXuFyMtk2Ana1C4zVcMThw9qZT4cU4Fe05Ah_NMzbYyVjrvjuAnftjf-dhOL1O8KwiVK99Ca4h48w4/s1600-h/SNC13785.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2p2rkXN_sC5JdnFUWM7QvNsTcbrQEbfFM-u0dpXefHMwq-xZofXR92T94PPvuqwXuFyMtk2Ana1C4zVcMThw9qZT4cU4Fe05Ah_NMzbYyVjrvjuAnftjf-dhOL1O8KwiVK99Ca4h48w4/s400/SNC13785.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167660877148551682" /></a><br /><br />We followed the narrow edge as far up as we could.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYVyrY2nEs8p6WL3pa990KTqEAZFVZRXiMa68w_Zoo9oYhEcKd2M-6wfIpitj0iQX74lsXRsQV5-rOL2kfGrVa28tgndSrL5le1JJy8f3egPz0Za5Z2wsJ6dPItBTANdkMn2zIwUxYUg/s1600-h/SNC13791.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYVyrY2nEs8p6WL3pa990KTqEAZFVZRXiMa68w_Zoo9oYhEcKd2M-6wfIpitj0iQX74lsXRsQV5-rOL2kfGrVa28tgndSrL5le1JJy8f3egPz0Za5Z2wsJ6dPItBTANdkMn2zIwUxYUg/s400/SNC13791.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167660181363849698" /></a><br /><br />Approaching Stabben from behind. The ice ridge turned out to be an effective route across. We carried ice-axes -useful to brake potential unwanted rides down the slippery snow surface.<br /><br />At the foot of the mountain we couldn't get any further without climbing the sheer rock face, something we were not equipped or in any case mentally prepared for.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLvRQj5e_TRkypZZNqrBS74YMp-rzhPYkZ5h0WMb8_GFaRtxzSwReDBVwDI8GwFdQp_pp9QMnRi4bmb8gCgkx0F9xilue_u332Gk6L0erxoMR4VrBpWTQGU9tnaLBeoV67n9oYaaYTEs/s400/SNC13795.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167659932255746514" /><br /><br />Sune, the professional mountain and climbing guide, getting lost in his own thoughts as he gazes up the sheer cliff surface, criss-crossed by massive granitic intrusions.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23cpEFyM4j00HVY_wDxVhPTKZVHKI8bvvm7U0Tv5w7jSKO-fanmR_MFfqtpH7HtLSzIc27zI7kl0Y5FhCe6vOdGBZEyoLDXJWXlk20F3kUiInr9ZM9QvROrZLsNXUbz8tfgJ2EuLxeBo/s400/SNC13782.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167662818473769554" />Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-21355945047566885652008-02-15T20:32:00.014+00:002008-12-09T01:22:41.474+00:00More pictures, less talk<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBVsbxPxny7Drk5hoNjpGlQeAIf3A1vM7JM_y9eL3oAz7USdSIGe9-r4p82N2oFc_TuDPIczSwjChMoMLiQXY8Jeujm2T7zQ1l7XSOT-XQQd_3AShfd9Vje4RKNJsosrgYHZDNu9OWgI/s400/SNC13735.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167311765026863538" /><br /><br />Atle and I had a day off, and decided to try for the summit of Buddhamagen - the Belly of Buddha. It's part of the vertical, almost overhanging cliff of Jutulhogget, 900m from bottom to top.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiselZ_PUQBffNHpRH1cQ3wuc31-pUnomn7IZsZ6AEpUxTFgmSb3xfyzxfx_IfSrjzOKPUgt1r7F7MAoDOfZ9O28TTtVus6JENDY_EzujRmtZVwWweoXvIMkTDFRi-yinds1lKdzb8v_4A/s400/SNC13656.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167308805794396450" /><br /><br />Snowmobiles parked by a small bay in the ice lake at the foot of the mountain.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_rxK-2-KTVl6LJceewgUWcKsilI4WOwsEDWQQwGMLDYMVkR8RKAQMeMJEtqoNfYxbxlloJVkr12V1ni3JFeY99IZUYMWnuP3nQdw1B-DwnSgjooTMEQy5gFy7xot8kUYV96kLPD2dQc/s400/SNC13662.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167309523053934914" /><br /><br />Atle, ready to shoot, as we start climbing the seemingly endless scree slope. The structure in the background is formally called "Tommelen" (The Thumb). Before the names committee got their hands on it, it was known as "Jøtulkuken".<br />I'll leave that particular joke for the norwegians only.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgbG2iJZ_kz-eF3tMghHRuUJ4GA7N8B0WKAYA7-zP1ZfRX_E67M23qpW6WidAkCr0_hE6cj0xrCjvywnNii05eIoNCyLyUTNPALIog4fBbkBeeos7lDx4DDQWVwzTXfqizJPC0CMT4roE/s400/SNC13659.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167309153686747442" /><br /><br />Intelligent Design.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqhH99fca4X2ooQOixOHLPcaHB213cn9ZNBuYAV05r24TMPWXX2jWmU14ZCLAh-o39fSzAA8TGEZtb3FsMb4oq9IXkOjv-8lr_5kPCm1MAWJMnFqaNpXvZd_LcuTNl7Kq__3KSi-Br0yk/s400/SNC13670.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167309845176482130" /><br /><br />Scree giving way to the solid migmatite bedrock underneath.<br />You can tell it's migmatite from the thin, alternating, white and black stripes.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5nENLOrXag9fXH0pOBqkixJrZvHM5-UeBOp04cFxg9SlhoWSusVH9_XhsSDPpoRRUmSifhmbszRosoJPxZ9ymP3J3YagWB18wF3zVKckVGG-dhACMMcMbWaXwCTQZgi6de-rWL8t5x4/s400/SNC13685.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167310545256151410" /><br /><br />Approaching the summit. Severely weathered migmatite.<br />You can tell it's weathered from the reddish color (oxidized iron) and generally messy surface, caused by frost-thaw and wind erosion.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSaoPjZKX2ldBItmjtn_jtgSKuoixuIAdgnThqsDOFA_uq2zIZgS3z_bpJGRfYEp2_X-gz_G7l1WPCWsKHdX_NaJzWCCDcfxUczD6XHM3hUQIPZgcv4qv7KrZrHw5qaUr5t1aODKjxZA/s400/SNC13675.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167310304737982818" /><br /><br />Never forget to give credit to the locals.<br />This is a patch of foliose black lichen. Mites often live off the detritus. Couldn't find any. (They're 0.1mm long)<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9uDK-Zadyxzxz8tryrxa7n2c47s86ic42s9GYUvC5a59GqUmQwNS9j7Sn4-PmmyQMvFpaZ8OyiUR4FvPNZjIZU0tyUJ2ws7UkzpgbLT1fwtQ5Tm5grsvUJbwjLaFN-4WvuOnj0HVbcU/s400/SNC13707.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167311576048302498" /><br /><br />View from the summit, according to the GPS quite exactly 2000 m high. Stabben, our most prominent landmark, in the background.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkpqgRIRYJ0Vf0VcfeI9baUmqlrfotU97J20daAYaT5zUbLR9WbSkWJfRJLhuYC8VJy3Cm1FnaMo3cQLI5EtovuyjRsA56bwbmJRhU4Cn7a-SR_CZ8WmSK57NE8kBqwBlkLjwoXTjB-g4/s400/SNC13698.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167311103601899922" /><br /><br />Looking down the 900m cliff, with a very un-Buddha-like tremor in my legs.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbkUOS7jtdX6yRI6hqz-iN5gA0EI6AYv0O6bQCo7Uj4vvUYoZM8Q1ZSGiXVFHv3OVeMSntOq-0ZuiSk4S0fEtnIqCuu9ke6m44qSF5rvIh7VDnNSovnoNsPmwjTmg0oBKqkZaNMfjCx4/s400/SNC13694.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167310837313927554" /><br /><br />Heading back down, after enjoying our (liquid and solid) chocolate on the summit.Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-8320887303633866692008-02-05T09:06:00.000+00:002008-12-09T01:22:41.711+00:00Drop-in visitSitting in my office, hammering away at the medical inventory database, my main project these days, Atle suddenly knocked on the door. This is not unusual. Unusual, though, was the <span style="font-style: italic;">stranger </span>following him into the room.<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span>Startled, I quickly turned down the early 70's german psychedelic music klinging and klonging through the sickbay, and feebly tried to rearrange the heap of non-medical articles and empty coffecups looming on my desk.<br />People don't just drop in on an Antarctic station.<br /><br />The night before we had seen <span style="font-style: italic;">"The Thing"</span>, the quintessential Antarctic movie, about a shapeshifting bodysnatching mutant-alien invading an American base on the ice. The classic opening scene involves a crazy Norwegian helicopter pilot, chasing a dog (the <span style="font-style: italic;">thing!</span>) into the station, waving his gun at Kurt Russell while shouting incomprehensible threats in anglo-norwegian, before getting shot in self-defense.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd06aQNG7PupTO4D69Ua2JVzxMbL4C7OpqMjzhiwzmfNUF5cupNyxwEw-LUOpXO2VbSVTdobgUs3kX8awEg3WOLh4kIAXlzLhCzmC4i5cqmn2uA2EYfgohWL_TznRlfpgr0rBCJrwmRvE/s1600-h/SNC13594.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd06aQNG7PupTO4D69Ua2JVzxMbL4C7OpqMjzhiwzmfNUF5cupNyxwEw-LUOpXO2VbSVTdobgUs3kX8awEg3WOLh4kIAXlzLhCzmC4i5cqmn2uA2EYfgohWL_TznRlfpgr0rBCJrwmRvE/s400/SNC13594.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163606087255795506" border="0" /></a>Aliens.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hSfK8jTtW5agCqb1WqUG9MZadZFiCFNd9I5UhvT_Hv4OzD2bohrAM2tIIyBQ3vLg3__UqgA7X5oWZPBuyo489k9-Nx6Ne8OvzqrVv5xBIrebkyA3HiB4FhUpshMa5j5ImzwhEJlbceU/s1600-h/SNC13591.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hSfK8jTtW5agCqb1WqUG9MZadZFiCFNd9I5UhvT_Hv4OzD2bohrAM2tIIyBQ3vLg3__UqgA7X5oWZPBuyo489k9-Nx6Ne8OvzqrVv5xBIrebkyA3HiB4FhUpshMa5j5ImzwhEJlbceU/s400/SNC13591.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163605743658411810" border="0" /></a> Helicopter. Luckily - not Norwegian, and not chasing a dog.<br />Flamethrower not called for.<br /><br />17 South Africans had suddenly decided to pay us a visit, by helicopter, from their own SANAE station. Reason for visit was to pick up some equipment, but the 4 crewmenbers weren't able to find room enough to bring the crates home, because of the 13 tag-along visitors, all keen to expand their antarctic horizons. Because of this incident, they left after just 30 minutes, and had to return the following day.<br />Good for us, as we could then get mentally prepared.<br />(The <span style="font-style: italic;">stranger</span> turned out to be the doctor at SANAE base, actually a very nice fellow - see link above)Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-11991880085889139142008-02-05T07:41:00.001+00:002008-12-09T01:22:42.105+00:00Sustainable energy...maybeAll the power at Troll is generated from diesel. The diesel needs to be shipped in from the shelf by vehicles running on diesel, and before that, by ships running on even worse stuff.<br /><br />What about renewable energy? The most obvious options are wind and solar energy. Solar energy could be a good option - we have lots of ice to put panels on, and excellent semi-desert cloud conditions, but the main drawback is that the sun is hiding - completely - for at least 2 months during mid-winter.<br /><br />Wind is more reliable, mainly due to "katabatic winds". These winds are caused by cold air rushing down from the polar plateau, increasing in intensity and speed as the air is forced through narrow nunatak corridors to our south.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTmhSbJzM83denW8Vpwx8aBdOijmFgpCGfZo5EhMw-RCQkgGPVruasgymP32ppyy3ojivgDmbsWezJyrkicwn4xQFAy0RIgkIthykjbwbeW_yk9AKQkYEbw6xCYYhuDzdlOpi7Y_fZc0/s1600-h/SNC13598.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTmhSbJzM83denW8Vpwx8aBdOijmFgpCGfZo5EhMw-RCQkgGPVruasgymP32ppyy3ojivgDmbsWezJyrkicwn4xQFAy0RIgkIthykjbwbeW_yk9AKQkYEbw6xCYYhuDzdlOpi7Y_fZc0/s400/SNC13598.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163586240211920658" border="0" /></a>As a first step towards harnessing the katabatic power, we raised a "measuring mast" on the windward side of the station. Every 5 m or so up the mast there are small wind propellers for measuring wind speed. The measurments will be stored on a chip at the base of the mast, and will eventually be sent to the windmill constructors, who will process the data to find out how high to build the mast, and to decide if we should rather try another location (or stick to diesel).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkEjESOrSM9QKZMmOdw-T2ZCOmXSmNT8b7ePpelLYn76pViA1l-XkizVX3k2g7M7vez9yo-Gk3qT129e6FmFDdnMgNBrLToxkfvqldx9tV1q5D_-oMNOTbjy5JigNjpyKGgbnFGkiqoI/s1600-h/SNC13595.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkEjESOrSM9QKZMmOdw-T2ZCOmXSmNT8b7ePpelLYn76pViA1l-XkizVX3k2g7M7vez9yo-Gk3qT129e6FmFDdnMgNBrLToxkfvqldx9tV1q5D_-oMNOTbjy5JigNjpyKGgbnFGkiqoI/s400/SNC13595.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163585591671858930" border="0" /></a>Most of the station crew helped out at raising, as all the wires supporting the mast had to be kept tight at all times to keep the whole thing from toppling sideways, or back down.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy60QF2uSjMaZtcvqlTN6jI_0HLAkUV_7CGyj4x1Vnq69gSAhYp5dMPXJexYB-oBd8xo7i5svQfrL1Kxnbny9gJySEJxn44i4pOHkdP-r84I7kx9H3WDrv_AZOkGJuth3JodyZXlzr040/s1600-h/SNC13592.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy60QF2uSjMaZtcvqlTN6jI_0HLAkUV_7CGyj4x1Vnq69gSAhYp5dMPXJexYB-oBd8xo7i5svQfrL1Kxnbny9gJySEJxn44i4pOHkdP-r84I7kx9H3WDrv_AZOkGJuth3JodyZXlzr040/s400/SNC13592.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163585355448657634" border="0" /></a>As a warning to approaching aircraft or helicopters, we made a half-hearted attempt to paint the mast red.Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-70734807486657902512008-01-28T08:06:00.000+00:002008-12-09T01:22:42.566+00:00AirScientists at the British Halley station - here in Dronning Maud Land - discovered the ozone hole in 1985. More precisely, what they discovered was a severe drop in stratospheric concentrations of ozone in the antarctic spring.<br /><br />Further research revealed the likely mechanisms involved - in the cold antarctic winter so-called "polar stratospheric clouds" form. These clouds often look eerily reddish/blue in colour at dawn and dusk, and are familiar to most norwegians by appearance if not by name. They are packed with tiny, crisp ice crystals. These ice crystals act as catalysts and surface for the chemical reactions breaking down ozone in the upper atmosphere.<br /><br />Three factors then combine to cause the formation of the ozone hole in springtime.<br />I wouldn't bother to explain this if it didn't sound like something out of Star Trek:<br /><br />1. Massive anthropogenic release of CFC's and halocarbons into the atmosphere. CFC's last for ca 100 years. Although a huge victory for international environmentalism back in 1989, the Montreal protocol was too late.<br /><br />2. The formation of the Polar Vortex (told you!). This is a permanent anticyclone around Antarctica, formed by air spiralling around the polar high pressure cell caused by supercold and dense air. The Vortex basically shuts down the continent for incoming ozone and warmer air.<br /><br />3. Sunlight. The reactions breaking down ozone require UV-radiation. When the sun returns in springtime, the ozone-eaters awake from their stratospheric slumber.<br /><br />After this breakthrough discovery, ozone monitoring specifically, and air surveillance in general, has been a significant part of Antarctic research. At Troll we have a small monitoring station run by the Norwegian Institute for Air research (NILU). As I find it much easier to get to grips with birds and fuel drums than atmospheric chemistry and radiometers, I asked Chris Lunder, our resident NILU scientist, to show me around the compund.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2RJEkdhwxiEDLUwI2TRoSIku9Vj_GshzdHJIF2yBSbudGAm9QgBh0psG8-YYFjpySHq_3VkqxMu0S3JXb0uhXjrpf7fIBd0PSfKqZLnEp1hTQ_jMa0xJJhRJyDBEDp7o4Gf7AH1A2IE/s1600-h/ingressbilde_troll.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2RJEkdhwxiEDLUwI2TRoSIku9Vj_GshzdHJIF2yBSbudGAm9QgBh0psG8-YYFjpySHq_3VkqxMu0S3JXb0uhXjrpf7fIBd0PSfKqZLnEp1hTQ_jMa0xJJhRJyDBEDp7o4Gf7AH1A2IE/s400/ingressbilde_troll.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160625358477534930" border="0" /></a>The gas containers outside feed the different monitors and intruments inside. Lots of contraptions with funny names growing out of the roof.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxUFnkAxWwPwwqNr5cqMTge4KosMTYQwP2MiwCqucNZ8vdD1zRqzE0oXNWAEokp7CvGo4V4BGJ1Lwkm0bqpQrxIqqm8YH1t8u5gSeksCHvf42dCM5unDAe2q9EOddDxkYIcpzXY3pLKA/s1600-h/SNC13599.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxUFnkAxWwPwwqNr5cqMTge4KosMTYQwP2MiwCqucNZ8vdD1zRqzE0oXNWAEokp7CvGo4V4BGJ1Lwkm0bqpQrxIqqm8YH1t8u5gSeksCHvf42dCM5unDAe2q9EOddDxkYIcpzXY3pLKA/s400/SNC13599.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160623704915125938" border="0" /></a>Chris patiently trying to explain the mysteries of the "PFR Sun Photometer". It indirectly measures the amount of aerosols (particles and droplets) in the atmosphere. Other instruments sample and filter the air directly, to say more about the <span style="font-style: italic;">composition</span> of the aerosols. This is important, because understanding particles in the athmosphere means understanding cloud formation and cooling effects, and understanding those means better and more accurate climate models, which again means less ammo for politicians using every minor scientific uncertainty as an excuse for doing nothing about the major certainties.<br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuh3I11c4HJz3EGlRbp9jGdhRwkf6adQZ0XrUl8NDLLA0Vvf0LxWVEspK9ALqdRwc7QPntGORbp2_6s7Tr0hEYhryXI9PtatdUU_IiHz-tgzqQ_zmESMMGd3tgXcong_pmQAeK8HqrUKM/s1600-h/SNC13601.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuh3I11c4HJz3EGlRbp9jGdhRwkf6adQZ0XrUl8NDLLA0Vvf0LxWVEspK9ALqdRwc7QPntGORbp2_6s7Tr0hEYhryXI9PtatdUU_IiHz-tgzqQ_zmESMMGd3tgXcong_pmQAeK8HqrUKM/s400/SNC13601.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160624069987346114" border="0" /></a>There's something alluring about instruments that look like they were built in a garage. Air intakes and outflows everywhere, calibration solutions, mp3's. Chris' speciality is inventing, tinkering with, and maintaining these gadgets. They measure carbon monoxide, soot, surface ozone, mercury, PCB's, UV-light, and a battery of organic and inorganic pollutants.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCvF-Nru51oGAKy6J6vh0QcQzE6cMHbyRe_LlPH_a8i6Wvo2i2Gatv3pzbqDWBwBrb18SVVEW3Uci16CfjWP5GQ7XNNk7WLaRSx8Mibnv7PEuPL-mVFiEJOskHbjCaWIWBYJ-H6N7CEiM/s1600-h/SNC13597.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCvF-Nru51oGAKy6J6vh0QcQzE6cMHbyRe_LlPH_a8i6Wvo2i2Gatv3pzbqDWBwBrb18SVVEW3Uci16CfjWP5GQ7XNNk7WLaRSx8Mibnv7PEuPL-mVFiEJOskHbjCaWIWBYJ-H6N7CEiM/s400/SNC13597.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160623017720358562" border="0" /></a>This is not a new line of Robotniks - but an ongoing experiment in cheap collection of pollutants. The Collectors sit there patiently, without any active air intake or gas flows, waiting for particles to get blown into the bowl where they might get stuck and eaten. The digesting filters will provide hours of analytic fun for Chris and his colleagues when back at the lab in Norway.Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-23217312819840823252008-01-21T08:19:00.000+00:002008-12-09T01:22:45.254+00:00V.I.P. visitLast week was the busiest yet here at Troll - as we were expecting a Very Important Person, accompanied by <span style="font-weight: bold;">40</span>(!) not-so-Important Persons, for a weekend visit.<br />VIP: The norwegian prime minister, Jens Stoltenberg.<br />NSIP: state secretaries, media consultants, journalists and photographers from Norway, Germany and the UK, a satelite company director, aircraft crew, and central leaders and scientists from the Norwegian Polar Institute.<br /><br />Preparations included pitching 16 tents, clearing away our rubbish heap by squeezing it into containers with heavy machinery, pressing 200 empty fuel drums, some medical emergency preparations at the airport, discovering tables and chairs we didn't know we had in the first place, forcing our cooks to work overtime, opening a new outdoor urinal, and strenously raising a red mast to have visible proof we've been doing something this summer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8cgb1zhbEJfZ_FcRY1JGDE_Ednu9m7nfbBdVZNL5d0zZoRaYPFk7FPi9996NvhjqEGsrwe9TRh-C1-6D-I7ml34FopBb0USuZGo4mNHhb-XuIbdGOMY3VK_uHpkLG1P-HmZ55BCexKxw/s1600-h/SNC13544.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8cgb1zhbEJfZ_FcRY1JGDE_Ednu9m7nfbBdVZNL5d0zZoRaYPFk7FPi9996NvhjqEGsrwe9TRh-C1-6D-I7ml34FopBb0USuZGo4mNHhb-XuIbdGOMY3VK_uHpkLG1P-HmZ55BCexKxw/s400/SNC13544.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158031423626393458" border="0" /></a>Norway doesn't have an "Airforce 1", but we do have a sturdy old Hercules, good for the purpose of transporting prime ministers. "Balder" flew directly from Cape Town in 8 hours, touching down on our newly polished ice strip. (Plane trivia: The C-130 Hercules aircraft type was used extensively in the NATO-led ISAF invasion of Afghanistan - neatly balancing out my previous slightly anti-russian blog subparagraph.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQi50k180EClUzM7xqlUK7BRTYjXfprBhIvCwgsnMXYYF3zDdkF9v1UAdsp1NG9leLUVHwpzHwmkcnPuA8AjlyEEmzpy8U-mq6aAi28jzk8QGhwRu3lxLrMgeb5B0EonYNTR-3Z-b6RE/s1600-h/SNC13424.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQi50k180EClUzM7xqlUK7BRTYjXfprBhIvCwgsnMXYYF3zDdkF9v1UAdsp1NG9leLUVHwpzHwmkcnPuA8AjlyEEmzpy8U-mq6aAi28jzk8QGhwRu3lxLrMgeb5B0EonYNTR-3Z-b6RE/s400/SNC13424.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158028790811440850" border="0" /></a>Even anti-monarchists like me feel a patriot tingling when seeing the words "Royal" and "Norwegian" together like this.<br />Maybe I was just loosing sensation in my hands due to the cold.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYimAicdbXgpGc9gW8Pt9mCe0mTRZUTYAmIH2SQnZsIvFfnbxmjaAzS8nc9uPwcFY8bAIrAfzhlWoC3loKLsRvVEptphKNbbWzRLsp387AhY2j4T2OG7jgImGDvsCt92Bgh-2j7v9XgVE/s1600-h/SNC13444.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYimAicdbXgpGc9gW8Pt9mCe0mTRZUTYAmIH2SQnZsIvFfnbxmjaAzS8nc9uPwcFY8bAIrAfzhlWoC3loKLsRvVEptphKNbbWzRLsp387AhY2j4T2OG7jgImGDvsCt92Bgh-2j7v9XgVE/s400/SNC13444.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158029267552810722" border="0" /></a>Unloading the sleeping bags. Our prime minister, a fairly down-to-earth guy, preferred to sleep in a tent like the other guests, and by so doing, (unknowingly) prevented an outbreak of in-station fighting over who was going to give up his bedroom.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZMzXvX9R5J5nKpXUV5YpyPe1yY_8BbBAbAsNtPJ-9p_Ue3srqJ28gGSwHgyDHVU0WsHrnA8U_LnMdlOwuYGl9Aq8RaHUR_W7qn3faJedfHiLjaWEYqkJRGF5-BOd3ygTjZxjNrg0JJU/s1600-h/SNC13454.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZMzXvX9R5J5nKpXUV5YpyPe1yY_8BbBAbAsNtPJ-9p_Ue3srqJ28gGSwHgyDHVU0WsHrnA8U_LnMdlOwuYGl9Aq8RaHUR_W7qn3faJedfHiLjaWEYqkJRGF5-BOd3ygTjZxjNrg0JJU/s400/SNC13454.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158029439351502578" border="0" /></a>This is our man - up the mountainside behind Troll, naming 3 new mountain tops, and expressing honest enthusiasm over being this far south.<br /><br />Jens Stoltenberg heads a centre/left coalition government and leads the norwegian Labour Party. He just came back from the Bali climate negotiations, where he got some attention for being more concerned than the others on behalf of the climate. When returning to Norway he slightly changed the government policy on carbon emissions, amongst other things increasing subsidies for alternative energy research, and by so doing brought Norway's climate policies a couple of centimeters forward. Our massive oil industry was left untouched, of course.<br />By normal political standards, this was of course a very radical step.<br /><br />He is the first norwegian prime minister to visit Antarctica, and the timing is no coincidence, with anthropogenic climate change currently high on the international agenda - and Norway playing an important role in polar climate research.<br /><br />In his speeches at Troll he also drew the line back to the norwegian explorers of old, Amundsen etc, and our proud "historical" responsibility for Antarctica and everything Polar.<br />Again, difficult to separate patriotic tingling from normal bodily sensations - this time a slightly nauseous feeling.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTT70RZPjEzZuD9k1vJgBiJMykH1zGMDW5w8QzLOMVnzCk_U825DtK9HWpsXAgE-_IEFioR31VRdkDHUwugBXOARCfJPStdlyZiSjLoj6O70sno3JbIxdV7tRZHGQA7cO4lkNj6MPD-Uw/s1600-h/SNC13475.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTT70RZPjEzZuD9k1vJgBiJMykH1zGMDW5w8QzLOMVnzCk_U825DtK9HWpsXAgE-_IEFioR31VRdkDHUwugBXOARCfJPStdlyZiSjLoj6O70sno3JbIxdV7tRZHGQA7cO4lkNj6MPD-Uw/s320/SNC13475.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158029808718690066" border="0" /></a>Our cooks preparing a grand dinner with both Norwegian and South African fish. 6 of us were serving the guests - quite enjoyable since none of us know much about (table) etiquette, 2 months in isolation not helping in that respect. One evening happily sloughing around in our woolen underwear, the next serving the prime minister. Antarctica is a place of contrasts.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcHHz2teB2koxB6769zIsookMQHoqqRZjlqzKXg4jTHkKKzdfFA1MkVMUTUjvuSetiyOIYgpeg-7pU4hxvoiBXx7V_nMQP4Wv1UaFbffeiduYL1LOBWURTDwMU0B3rQmTz9EEXvfdtjyI/s1600-h/SNC13499.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcHHz2teB2koxB6769zIsookMQHoqqRZjlqzKXg4jTHkKKzdfFA1MkVMUTUjvuSetiyOIYgpeg-7pU4hxvoiBXx7V_nMQP4Wv1UaFbffeiduYL1LOBWURTDwMU0B3rQmTz9EEXvfdtjyI/s400/SNC13499.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158030130841237298" border="0" /></a>The next day we took the whole group sightseeing around the Jutulsessen area. T4S piste basher with sled served as tourist bus. Here we are exploring a wind-hole under the 900m high vertical wall called Jutulhogget ("The stroke of the giant").<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9Z4wBLFEIfqMTxLF9I0SQhYcBWRq2-kldz32rHnCYF6qQjU9CfkknqAMH8ACvD2-8T1FEf3qOC0mI-HuUaUxKuqhYJ6jRMv2ck45hWGaT2ap_6Nqe7niNzmJHj4ISya6iw1tSBueZB0/s1600-h/SNC13502.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9Z4wBLFEIfqMTxLF9I0SQhYcBWRq2-kldz32rHnCYF6qQjU9CfkknqAMH8ACvD2-8T1FEf3qOC0mI-HuUaUxKuqhYJ6jRMv2ck45hWGaT2ap_6Nqe7niNzmJHj4ISya6iw1tSBueZB0/s400/SNC13502.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158030474438620994" border="0" /></a>The surface of the cliff is a massive granitic gneiss (metamorphic), here heavily criss-crossed by intrusion dykes (magmatic). While the bedrock is precambrian and over 1200 million years old, most of the dykes stem from deep volcanic activity related to the breakup of the ancient Gondwanaland continent 4-500 million years ago. The picture shows a "dyke sequence", and tells the story of 3 different explosive events:<br />1)first a biotite-clinopyroxene intrusion (black)<br />2)then pegmatite (white - a large-crystal granite often containing rare minerals and gemstones)<br />3)finally a reddish granite.<br />After the breakup, mountains resembling Jutulsessen in rocks and composition eventually ended up in present-day Mozambique, Madagascar and India.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGI5iwrO6gSWJX4DucIWI0oCBMYlgWhOSsSwVei68asj__Xcbhhh9PIMsx6ZcW5E2qKnTv7JYkXWaVgq7R9iO2FZlQZd6Nbv_PJ8N4UHJqVJ6xcelFqK0A2dqcaS3pXBuAG_L89l2bzf8/s1600-h/SNC13481.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGI5iwrO6gSWJX4DucIWI0oCBMYlgWhOSsSwVei68asj__Xcbhhh9PIMsx6ZcW5E2qKnTv7JYkXWaVgq7R9iO2FZlQZd6Nbv_PJ8N4UHJqVJ6xcelFqK0A2dqcaS3pXBuAG_L89l2bzf8/s320/SNC13481.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158029976222414626" border="0" /></a>The science director of the Norwegian Polar institute, Kim Holmén, talking about glaciology, geology, climate research, birds, and the upcoming lunch stop with hot dogs and coffee.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylibAubmplL8hAoeAEdT9T3gaHu0jCzkiXIqhddMb4ySNtBqe2ikcUCcBnJw6HC8GKLsgSlo11YPLQPsMoH-89QaDSPIfsGTdraahsQSQMeasbJAKVmlI0OIVnvcr_7PYU4RZQlwRpl4/s1600-h/SNC13469.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylibAubmplL8hAoeAEdT9T3gaHu0jCzkiXIqhddMb4ySNtBqe2ikcUCcBnJw6HC8GKLsgSlo11YPLQPsMoH-89QaDSPIfsGTdraahsQSQMeasbJAKVmlI0OIVnvcr_7PYU4RZQlwRpl4/s400/SNC13469.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158029641214965506" border="0" /></a>Stoltenberg also opened a new satelite station, "TrollSat", on top of our neighbouring hill Nonshøgda. Together with "SvalSat" on Spitsbergen in the Arctic, these two satelite receivers can download data from polar orbit satelites twice per circuit instead of once. Polar orbit satelites are especially important for research purposes, an example being CryoSat 2, monitoring the global ice caps.<br /><br />TrollSat will furthermore contribute to the Galileo Navigation System, a EU and ESA funded contendor to the American Global Positioning System (GPS). The main difference between Galileo and GPS is that Galileo is independent of U.S. military interests and will be available at full precision to all users, both civil and military. Costing 3 billion euros, it's also a big prestige project for the European Union.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_yHyb4X1Zx6noj05xv5DHz8tKc6SW0uC2vbDJuDd2yPkVnb0ISu7mF5XhnylzpvTC_fXOTkPOAS-w5JQHS1GeO1BMiPD1Iu-uPwEmc9UKfipsk3xgFyFPk8ejPTiCq0zcuryjTOEFfBU/s1600-h/SNC13520.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_yHyb4X1Zx6noj05xv5DHz8tKc6SW0uC2vbDJuDd2yPkVnb0ISu7mF5XhnylzpvTC_fXOTkPOAS-w5JQHS1GeO1BMiPD1Iu-uPwEmc9UKfipsk3xgFyFPk8ejPTiCq0zcuryjTOEFfBU/s400/SNC13520.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158082881629566850" border="0" /></a>Before leaving, we set up a video conference between Stoltenberg and the director of NPI, Jan-Gunnar Winter, who is currently at the South Pole station, having just finished the norwegian-american IPY traverse.<br /><br />The expedition has been cursed with mechanical problems, and actually had to leave behind their vehicles at an improvised winter base short of the Pole, Camp Winter(!). Even still, they have successfully collected and flown out all the scientific material (5 tons of ice core and snow samples) they had planned for. The vehicles will be digged out of the snow next summer season, and after a serious overhaul hopefully bring the expedition back to Troll, along a different plateau route.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOuDHp5huEcwsCrAyvZ36QAvdEK-4o-iqOOEWITk7m5Vf4B2diRzMMb3yNTgrdavbLRT4qBrcOaH1gBl9GA4KZ6oF_kXfZIvP3Y3ULoFMpGK2lqAl5qcbOF9CMASxDizEASZW5RKQGpUA/s1600-h/SNC13530.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOuDHp5huEcwsCrAyvZ36QAvdEK-4o-iqOOEWITk7m5Vf4B2diRzMMb3yNTgrdavbLRT4qBrcOaH1gBl9GA4KZ6oF_kXfZIvP3Y3ULoFMpGK2lqAl5qcbOF9CMASxDizEASZW5RKQGpUA/s320/SNC13530.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158030684892018514" border="0" /></a>Even without limos, experienced waiters, or other statemanly pleasures, they were all very excited and happy after the visit, including Big Man himself.<br /><br />On a less cynical note - I have to admit this kind of V.I.P. visit <span style="font-weight: bold;">is</span> important. We need all the PR we can get for polar research, and PM's undoubtedly bring PR (they also sit on the money bag).<br /><br />Understanding the poles, especially the dynamic of big ice sheets, and their relation to sea level and ocean currents, is vital to climate modeling, and has not been taken properly into consideration by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).<br />To ilustrate the point:<br />The IPCC estimates a 60cm sea level rise in the next 100 years, due to global warming.<br />(Goodbye Tuvalu)<br />If the Antarctic ice sheet looses a meagre 1% of its mass, it would at least double this estimate.<br />(Goodbye Maldives and 50% of Bangladesh)<br />If the <span style="font-style: italic;">West</span> Antarctic ice sheet melts, world sea levels would rise 4-6 meters.<br />(Goodbye Manhattan)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSHro1dagWcFImWw1fX64P9bUsPWGniyrwQaqDlFeN-zGBYJwlQ-WWptcH7-NKrxlcPmMWOlGkw3lMtQGHxgHCAkNB1TisQS8KTOhJS0WbrQdMkUtVdLJ_Es5qRAXlHlLi226aN-vYtI/s1600-h/SNC13535.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSHro1dagWcFImWw1fX64P9bUsPWGniyrwQaqDlFeN-zGBYJwlQ-WWptcH7-NKrxlcPmMWOlGkw3lMtQGHxgHCAkNB1TisQS8KTOhJS0WbrQdMkUtVdLJ_Es5qRAXlHlLi226aN-vYtI/s400/SNC13535.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158030856690710370" border="0" /></a>Should I be smiling?Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-13232606748865228762008-01-10T10:02:00.002+00:002008-12-09T01:22:47.156+00:00Troll International Airport<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cOsnDuJ-Uh4ssQ_wT9xf_u4JEvbqpaD5SYHipSsCyyIoRiRVYT0QnMdAlwh-YTud26dJRzozFERNCMjHoBNFMSzjPBQV6ta-HJsAbObSPGk6-JkARqe9s_MznKfSDbOUMWisTlNLd48/s1600-h/SNC13385.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cOsnDuJ-Uh4ssQ_wT9xf_u4JEvbqpaD5SYHipSsCyyIoRiRVYT0QnMdAlwh-YTud26dJRzozFERNCMjHoBNFMSzjPBQV6ta-HJsAbObSPGk6-JkARqe9s_MznKfSDbOUMWisTlNLd48/s400/SNC13385.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153986191498786498" border="0" /></a>Sunday was a historic day at Troll.<br />The first landing of a Ilyushin (IL-76) aircraft may not sound that impressive, but after a week of preparations at least everyone at Troll agreed it was historic. Regular intercontinental flights to East Antarctica is still in its infancy, and Troll plays a major role in that development.The Ilyushin is a massive russian jet freighter, used extensively during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (proving that logistics isn't everything, after all)<br /><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_E3qSPEkQibxJ1eq797WNqO1AT2eVHMzXPpvf5XxKgDY9LR070wOghZ9LPcOqfg4HY3QQ1Gm1GelJ3udhWeNZ7rKhoTwlg_E_4nSfIKx5usOodBUpy13kG1ph-lHykTxov-jjixlWdJU/s1600-h/SNC13356.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_E3qSPEkQibxJ1eq797WNqO1AT2eVHMzXPpvf5XxKgDY9LR070wOghZ9LPcOqfg4HY3QQ1Gm1GelJ3udhWeNZ7rKhoTwlg_E_4nSfIKx5usOodBUpy13kG1ph-lHykTxov-jjixlWdJU/s320/SNC13356.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153973602949641730" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>Touchdown.<br />The plane had flown directly from Cape Town. Here in Dronning Maud Land, only Troll and Novolazerevskaya stations can receive aircraft this size. At the moment Novo airstrip is disabled by meltwater pools, being more vulnerable due to its lower elevation.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaR7-eG2-Ig6JyX8QEdnFWznr8YGEHl83Uam1Scq0NcAxPqH8O6VNUE0OVxlSGkVpROCo5Fy64ltEAQPFlRPqDiM2uUAHOYGrKmJ3dLs30PLUczLNILRtKfPMmq7gRozbkb3JTu9RSr5o/s1600-h/SNC13357.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaR7-eG2-Ig6JyX8QEdnFWznr8YGEHl83Uam1Scq0NcAxPqH8O6VNUE0OVxlSGkVpROCo5Fy64ltEAQPFlRPqDiM2uUAHOYGrKmJ3dLs30PLUczLNILRtKfPMmq7gRozbkb3JTu9RSr5o/s400/SNC13357.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153979139162486434" border="0" /></a>To cater for big wheeled jet aircraft, Troll airfield was scraped out of the blue ice in 2003. The new airfield formally opened in 2005. This summer, our mechanic Arnfinn has been out most days, polishing the airstrip with a big T4S piste basher. He also removes sand and dirt (blowing in from the mountains) that would otherwise absorb enough sun energy to melt holes deep into the ice cover.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhlZKTvZj8zxvQLDo07fB4t01eJU2gwwWSwPpiR_t5v75i2iSmxrLiAeFpHer_2rfqx54GgOvyNvRZzdioOM4Xzl187GK9ppiIv9XCAdY1DekXySyUrZBwaLTgCJursB4nGwRdGVwoI8/s1600-h/SNC13360.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhlZKTvZj8zxvQLDo07fB4t01eJU2gwwWSwPpiR_t5v75i2iSmxrLiAeFpHer_2rfqx54GgOvyNvRZzdioOM4Xzl187GK9ppiIv9XCAdY1DekXySyUrZBwaLTgCJursB4nGwRdGVwoI8/s400/SNC13360.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153974461943100962" border="0" /></a>Jørn, our welder, airport crewman for the day, directing the plane out to the side.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQTdCa3Pxnr0nFzUlXPMpcF20_qfz1Sb2y-28LsvIYUfZPcXW75ZqIUka0Vg-76zU9Km_yPLlF-e-UKAz06DQSf_UWo4EAo9O0UP4-EoGzd4uXGJS0t-SRgOHrA7RV-a37zx_SquoPDI/s1600-h/SNC13362.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQTdCa3Pxnr0nFzUlXPMpcF20_qfz1Sb2y-28LsvIYUfZPcXW75ZqIUka0Vg-76zU9Km_yPLlF-e-UKAz06DQSf_UWo4EAo9O0UP4-EoGzd4uXGJS0t-SRgOHrA7RV-a37zx_SquoPDI/s320/SNC13362.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153976618016683586" border="0" /></a>At the designated parking space, the door opened, northlings pouring out. The guys in red are german scientists and logisticians, travelling onwards to Neumayer station. The flight brought 16 germans, 17 belgians (going to Utsteinen), one englishman (going to Halley), and 7 fresh norwegians. Going back to Cape town 8 hours later were 10 belgians and 2 norwegians. Incoming passengers were being transferred to 5 different stations. I would never have remembered any of those numbers if our wise expedition leader hadn't had the foresight of printing out, and <span style="font-style: italic;">laminating</span>, the whole equation.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8CVhXRWgIBNK0k7sTmUZkvtDsE-Mmoo6fYfMdbSbGQptXVtvyzXniF1-J78u0xyccEOxIggAKkOZ7gRQDnd50zByJ8rn8DKW4ocwOCUdPQeldtNnlrVxsndAKSaw2Re-SkXnNnS84Ik/s1600-h/SNC13376.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8CVhXRWgIBNK0k7sTmUZkvtDsE-Mmoo6fYfMdbSbGQptXVtvyzXniF1-J78u0xyccEOxIggAKkOZ7gRQDnd50zByJ8rn8DKW4ocwOCUdPQeldtNnlrVxsndAKSaw2Re-SkXnNnS84Ik/s400/SNC13376.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153978125550204546" border="0" /></a>Three of the by now familiar Baslers were summoned to bring everyone to their respective nowheres.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqXrbgoArca95HTWUZpQeK7KBP04l0Ms-1qJIRQQlClZQuZGqu3IjG1XOs4jKoYlFaVlAYyb19vcuLGXc3-StDY4OqMdaDugqN3PCzQVA7-EHzMphqz2dECW_UhGm56ySwN8vLmzodrA/s1600-h/SNC13371.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqXrbgoArca95HTWUZpQeK7KBP04l0Ms-1qJIRQQlClZQuZGqu3IjG1XOs4jKoYlFaVlAYyb19vcuLGXc3-StDY4OqMdaDugqN3PCzQVA7-EHzMphqz2dECW_UhGm56ySwN8vLmzodrA/s400/SNC13371.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153976991678838354" border="0" /></a>We pitched a tent to cater for the passengers in transit. Coffe, tea, frozen doughnuts: this was my responsibility for the day, in addition to the zero-work assignment of Airport Emergency Medic. It was quite nice to be right next to the coffee supply the whole morning - especially since the Ilyushin landed at 2.30am.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvWfyZ22aainFh8_tnsFwPY9GhbY5D6xeyC7m1OvSMeg4pHc8uBVocitbr1aTkXN4Cuj-AKMwkYet5d-y31i_5vR-Akb1odEZix9NfBU7qip-B0YjNIQtJG8gzu4gViZwp_feKjf8TcM/s1600-h/SNC13381.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvWfyZ22aainFh8_tnsFwPY9GhbY5D6xeyC7m1OvSMeg4pHc8uBVocitbr1aTkXN4Cuj-AKMwkYet5d-y31i_5vR-Akb1odEZix9NfBU7qip-B0YjNIQtJG8gzu4gViZwp_feKjf8TcM/s400/SNC13381.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153978374658307730" border="0" /></a>My first sighting of a red Basler.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc17GsahZFTrDb1Rf7-yk_OHQTaaU62NZSc8zuqAEKuwXYhHQucYbSAYzmdxuWgcoi1RpudGq8i_4NpnNCcCYkvbNIWQMo9FkY9MiMJIpiOW1X3YXc3ybsTZEChToyUmpnqgQCb09Hjvk/s1600-h/SNC13382.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc17GsahZFTrDb1Rf7-yk_OHQTaaU62NZSc8zuqAEKuwXYhHQucYbSAYzmdxuWgcoi1RpudGq8i_4NpnNCcCYkvbNIWQMo9FkY9MiMJIpiOW1X3YXc3ybsTZEChToyUmpnqgQCb09Hjvk/s400/SNC13382.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153977373930927714" border="0" /></a>Meanwhile, Jørn assisted with fueling the Ilyushin. These fuel tanks were brought in by ship (and diesel-hungry Everest sled trains) earlier in summer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx5iQrfBvmW6xRMCPG1rWarQ9V0OjgHfOqsNO78H1mrOdNEDDqFRJgWOgi0wzQLTInSl7yimf9ZyCyLDsCvZrKmRF-YliU5FAM5DYG5-AY6TocdawMi0cUH49z_vDGVYoMvA7tZGlh8k4/s1600-h/SNC13372.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx5iQrfBvmW6xRMCPG1rWarQ9V0OjgHfOqsNO78H1mrOdNEDDqFRJgWOgi0wzQLTInSl7yimf9ZyCyLDsCvZrKmRF-YliU5FAM5DYG5-AY6TocdawMi0cUH49z_vDGVYoMvA7tZGlh8k4/s400/SNC13372.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153975028878784050" border="0" /></a>Each tank holds 6000 L of airfuel.<br />Running climate research takes ruining climate.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwg3qKnEKfxmaE3gPgi6qbG2BuL6MfI8872XzqQn1ZeCEX79A3tiXO1IKEOiG2r3Qxwp89ejx6F4233Q3RUEdxrOJW3A0iRRKPaGjsvUzgSH5DYkPYDlkOafqgCfm6hxg5LFKLK2GuJxc/s1600-h/SNC13383.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwg3qKnEKfxmaE3gPgi6qbG2BuL6MfI8872XzqQn1ZeCEX79A3tiXO1IKEOiG2r3Qxwp89ejx6F4233Q3RUEdxrOJW3A0iRRKPaGjsvUzgSH5DYkPYDlkOafqgCfm6hxg5LFKLK2GuJxc/s400/SNC13383.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153977863557199474" border="0" /></a>I drove this improvised sled-bus to bring the rest up to Troll station. Although covered in snow on arrival, they seemed to enjoy the brief visit, and got a warm lunch.<br />Sure beats drinking, by now cold, coffee, for 8 hours.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCp9zAFu-6hGTBTypyAJG59RUI4tEtAc8lU4bfxf39mMdm0HdWsK-xGc_p8Rm39Ee78VSl3YVP6w7bnG_qXCma9LO1Yjus932MVf8ImzPOVJ6eYENZ0_CoV7_dX8CSz18BO3SxOyUacY/s1600-h/SNC13351.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqCp9zAFu-6hGTBTypyAJG59RUI4tEtAc8lU4bfxf39mMdm0HdWsK-xGc_p8Rm39Ee78VSl3YVP6w7bnG_qXCma9LO1Yjus932MVf8ImzPOVJ6eYENZ0_CoV7_dX8CSz18BO3SxOyUacY/s400/SNC13351.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153980221494245042" border="0" /></a>Ilyushin heading back to Cape Town.<br />Sweet isolation again.Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-70400598665484136772008-01-03T09:06:00.000+00:002008-12-09T01:22:50.455+00:00BirdoradoFour of us decided to start the new year with a 2 day leisure expedition to Svarthamaren, the bird colony nunatak about 100km east from here.<br />Luckily the decision was made some days earlier, well before the after effects of our new year's party dawned on us. We struggled out of bed to pack the snowmobiles and left by 2am.<br />Next to Svarthamaren ("black hammer") lies the small unmanned research station "Tor" (named after the hammer-wielding thunder god). The ornithologists have wrapped up most of their research there, so the station serves as a "holiday cabin" and getaway for the staff at Troll.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MnjabAejnVwgCABlk7Vpc_C6iVcY_4YdXb6Yv1nxq0WuLzRdN-VCYWLVP45ga1U8vfGUDO2pO4HrhKhUAdK4szd70NTmC2rdb1YgrSQKAQncCWwz-Wb2XjTdvSjIGU98AOLSch-dZwQ/s1600-h/SNC13200.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MnjabAejnVwgCABlk7Vpc_C6iVcY_4YdXb6Yv1nxq0WuLzRdN-VCYWLVP45ga1U8vfGUDO2pO4HrhKhUAdK4szd70NTmC2rdb1YgrSQKAQncCWwz-Wb2XjTdvSjIGU98AOLSch-dZwQ/s320/SNC13200.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151361481149625506" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Small sleds were loaded with kerosene, mountaneering and safety gear (in case of falling into crevasses along the way), freeze-dried food, primus, and a tent.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmilmgA0m4LKGpoY7w6p9o-PvHqTyGm__empNo-LIleAbgNuQHfktalgsb6IOdSuurzIXy02vXrKHuYDkJIBupnNasVMcmMmCFDhvqIX5Ncp9Vd6ASLKVVKzpybz1jVnKlBV5Q7n5x_gw/s1600-h/SNC13347.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmilmgA0m4LKGpoY7w6p9o-PvHqTyGm__empNo-LIleAbgNuQHfktalgsb6IOdSuurzIXy02vXrKHuYDkJIBupnNasVMcmMmCFDhvqIX5Ncp9Vd6ASLKVVKzpybz1jVnKlBV5Q7n5x_gw/s320/SNC13347.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151369439724025266" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I'm riding an old "Polaris" skidoo. A noisy but reliable 2 cylinder engine.<br />Working: the starter and the gas.<br />Not working: speedometer, windshield, brakes.<br />Incidents: a support wheel fell off on the way back (we realized it would run equally well without it)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2U_Yb72q5qLDH-EnGSHJ0HurzrDvOBbXDoi9L_-R-Dsm3HY7QUQ2vjPykFIzO0wdZxHJEzx551LUP4Jq5K-ZaGfZLTRYkC9zKr9tBn6nJAANpjCkOBb3d_h1zGQUSs1SpMmV_4nur3F8/s1600-h/SNC13341.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2U_Yb72q5qLDH-EnGSHJ0HurzrDvOBbXDoi9L_-R-Dsm3HY7QUQ2vjPykFIzO0wdZxHJEzx551LUP4Jq5K-ZaGfZLTRYkC9zKr9tBn6nJAANpjCkOBb3d_h1zGQUSs1SpMmV_4nur3F8/s320/SNC13341.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151362340143084738" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The journey took 3,5 hours, luckily in nice sunny weather, across "Slithallet" and "Hellehallet" glaciers.<br />Along the way we passed the prominent "Hoggestabben", resembling a tree corpse.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4D8FGq6kDxfhXmPXAUbfF3V3nX9J8KDDcuA6d_MTDDs-US61ahXTxt5cT_X9khxo18jwGadOx4dOocSvuJqoSu-LAVLxc462mGtRe6D8Wnh41ZcQPszpQjq72d_vN8mlB9yMJRbDDWdw/s1600-h/SNC13217.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4D8FGq6kDxfhXmPXAUbfF3V3nX9J8KDDcuA6d_MTDDs-US61ahXTxt5cT_X9khxo18jwGadOx4dOocSvuJqoSu-LAVLxc462mGtRe6D8Wnh41ZcQPszpQjq72d_vN8mlB9yMJRbDDWdw/s320/SNC13217.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151362550596482258" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As we got closer to "land", we discovered clouds of petrels overhead. They were riding thermals, some of them going 300km out to the pack ice to feed - others gliding down towards their breeding colony in the cliffs near Svarthamaren, crops full of semi-digested krill and fish oil.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwo2Rg_zXbDW6ffrpWS-LO3af_iEbus1O-EDHQMBbvCKSlWTKCg2i5WYmNjI8R7A3J7Z5HCUOm3jq-bsfFmUpDHA4dX3HofovZFtd_rXyOX-o7Pz52O-7WrKmvWKnSusHhXEqY_VeWY0/s1600-h/SNC13228.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwo2Rg_zXbDW6ffrpWS-LO3af_iEbus1O-EDHQMBbvCKSlWTKCg2i5WYmNjI8R7A3J7Z5HCUOm3jq-bsfFmUpDHA4dX3HofovZFtd_rXyOX-o7Pz52O-7WrKmvWKnSusHhXEqY_VeWY0/s320/SNC13228.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151363564208764162" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The cliff appears silvery white due to milenniae of bird droppings (=guano).<br />The actual nests are in the scree zone beneath the cliff edges, where the birds find lots of suitable nesting places amongst boulders and gravel.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpHf2Vw9iSMTk4B8quXuX7xuC6KbxExTWD08098gr3nqUjr3Cof7my1PeAHCMRe6GuWBb0M8Ec8Mm9wZxJ5NBPvyl5wxE4dWeId2x3bJ7vYb9LFuUALFLbIJ6VtyHMmrAhNnLN3uq-nI/s1600-h/SNC13254.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpHf2Vw9iSMTk4B8quXuX7xuC6KbxExTWD08098gr3nqUjr3Cof7my1PeAHCMRe6GuWBb0M8Ec8Mm9wZxJ5NBPvyl5wxE4dWeId2x3bJ7vYb9LFuUALFLbIJ6VtyHMmrAhNnLN3uq-nI/s320/SNC13254.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151364083899807010" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The main inhabitant by far is the antarctic petrel. They are bigger than the snow petrels, and prefer nesting in the (relative) safety of big colonies, not unlike seagulls, auks and puffins up in the arctic - the main difference being that the colony lies on a peak surrounded by ice instead of the ocean. The snow petrels are more scattered nesters - being less social and preferring to hide <span style="font-style: italic;">underneath</span> the big stones to avoid predation.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0jCnlio3NOC54c72VUKBup847nEvSc-ThLOi6ZdMEcoviCc3GgaIzLZ-Zuiq1mLquEamD7Rq2ApXawIqWkg23_bnnf6-dcZtSneVLP7SZY9Uav_B5qUgZGroM_BQFxKJWZuAHHSyGSE/s1600-h/SNC13253.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0jCnlio3NOC54c72VUKBup847nEvSc-ThLOi6ZdMEcoviCc3GgaIzLZ-Zuiq1mLquEamD7Rq2ApXawIqWkg23_bnnf6-dcZtSneVLP7SZY9Uav_B5qUgZGroM_BQFxKJWZuAHHSyGSE/s320/SNC13253.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151363804726932754" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The antarctic petrels are rising on the ridge wind, barely flapping their wings, then dropping down to their waiting partners on the nest below. Some of the females have eggs now, and depend on their partners for both food and guarding.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-mz7baYGnXKneMq6fUSAQ6fZZYVGhoM1NPpHiYI3dOmz5mk-gUbsC64tQmjXaz1Qpqcjq8IaXCTrRGWb999rQS1U8OA05rSV4gy7QMXGMhuHAWMLcFrXL2FZEG8rFGXSNG3i0QYwEG4/s1600-h/SNC13221.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-mz7baYGnXKneMq6fUSAQ6fZZYVGhoM1NPpHiYI3dOmz5mk-gUbsC64tQmjXaz1Qpqcjq8IaXCTrRGWb999rQS1U8OA05rSV4gy7QMXGMhuHAWMLcFrXL2FZEG8rFGXSNG3i0QYwEG4/s320/SNC13221.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151365419634636082" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Approaching Tor station. Behind and above the building the talus zone hosting the petrel colony. The lower reaches are till-covered, more exposed, and serve as nesting ground for the skuas. They are the only predators here. If mammals were somehow introduced here, as has sadly happened on so many southern ocean islands, it would surely wreak havoc in the bird colony. No rats seen yet, though. Dogs (and all other introduced animals) have been banned from the Antarctic since 1998.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-ICCOW_lwE_F_v_L6fXqrfaU_R4UHp4XqTBeatoqBs9VVbYYpcQs1adfu0ttvQrhHSr36JVbctZ8MyWT03r0I3UDNCuoma8YJBnbd_umEQ0AalUCtfdq8KxhmUnalecGd7WY72UIdKk/s1600-h/SNC13271.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-ICCOW_lwE_F_v_L6fXqrfaU_R4UHp4XqTBeatoqBs9VVbYYpcQs1adfu0ttvQrhHSr36JVbctZ8MyWT03r0I3UDNCuoma8YJBnbd_umEQ0AalUCtfdq8KxhmUnalecGd7WY72UIdKk/s320/SNC13271.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151365789001823554" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The station is a simply a stilted container and a glass fibre igloo. There's food supplies, a stove for melting water and cooking, a paraffine stove for heating, 4 beds, and lots of chocolate.<br />The bird colony stretching out in the background.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwZUBt_tVov6S4MlTIt_Iu8Uwb_hrZHeuUjLG03S8L52LrPUUsqSLN-16daiALekXqqGkjVSLAmxFpIPG80DdnKk1sdDGhMk1p0SodGMvX8AVPxrn2Tjr8EQXg1HPhVp9gEpqSPN7tos/s1600-h/SNC13235.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwZUBt_tVov6S4MlTIt_Iu8Uwb_hrZHeuUjLG03S8L52LrPUUsqSLN-16daiALekXqqGkjVSLAmxFpIPG80DdnKk1sdDGhMk1p0SodGMvX8AVPxrn2Tjr8EQXg1HPhVp9gEpqSPN7tos/s320/SNC13235.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151366059584763218" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The hobby ornithologist crew, enjoying their Drytec and coffee.<br />Clockwise from top right: Steinar (shelf transport crew) , Harald (satelite antennae constructor), Geir (all-round technician), and me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitp-RrbrCK5S_vpk_IvFm3MB0mEalpCb51x0CM8qAZf5wf7DTFXBPGGnM-VhSOkKkWV_Ynhw8yl0A49b9Ya7WHGd0w5qsOfoFpOqv0FvGGULxMlvwjWFvY4UltNo6M1ZVu2w-5Xr3HhaU/s1600-h/SNC13348.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitp-RrbrCK5S_vpk_IvFm3MB0mEalpCb51x0CM8qAZf5wf7DTFXBPGGnM-VhSOkKkWV_Ynhw8yl0A49b9Ya7WHGd0w5qsOfoFpOqv0FvGGULxMlvwjWFvY4UltNo6M1ZVu2w-5Xr3HhaU/s320/SNC13348.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151369800501278146" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After our meal we went out to explore the immediate surroundings. Svarthamaren is a so called "ASPA", meaning Antarctic Specially Protected Area - a kind of "nature reserve", as defined by the the 1998 Madrid Protocol, the excellent new addition to the effective but loose Antarcic Treaty system. Sadly, this also means our movement around here is severely restricted. This picture shows us trying to get good close-up shots of the neighbouring south polar skuas. They were very aggressive, and charged towards us to chase us off (their nests were not far away).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqjhVydBu9Er-fQi5eT_CF1DjyPQHmSepHhjQfFbr9TKLfJTNWeKsERBKhOYWfTGbFwKU_R3pTAXHnsfk2FLJDJrMvmMGq9jcxhGq9Ah42G6h7y5KElpa7BGya2SCPoipjFX3BYt43h4/s1600-h/SNC13243.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqjhVydBu9Er-fQi5eT_CF1DjyPQHmSepHhjQfFbr9TKLfJTNWeKsERBKhOYWfTGbFwKU_R3pTAXHnsfk2FLJDJrMvmMGq9jcxhGq9Ah42G6h7y5KElpa7BGya2SCPoipjFX3BYt43h4/s320/SNC13243.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151366549211034978" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The skuas are able to stay at Svarthamaren the whole summer, living off eggs, dead and living petrels, sometimes grabbing and killing petrels who stray from the colony. The hassle and unpredictability of scavenging is offset by not having to fly 300km to feed every other day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRx0ftjbmb18yGoGunFt4hVSEOUvygM18uYXRiNdg0jSpHRVIlIJYTr_5HgZMzdX66BKPHEehvoCfPKcfl5HXmU0WTqYQ01-03nmXRqfMSaOx7DLaalU8qZQ-5jHQKevNjWWQDPA4jao/s1600-h/SNC13289.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRx0ftjbmb18yGoGunFt4hVSEOUvygM18uYXRiNdg0jSpHRVIlIJYTr_5HgZMzdX66BKPHEehvoCfPKcfl5HXmU0WTqYQ01-03nmXRqfMSaOx7DLaalU8qZQ-5jHQKevNjWWQDPA4jao/s320/SNC13289.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151371363869373922" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Potential victims.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3Okxr-8t6eL4UYhZa_NkIpOR9F0n8jEESNHgFoF7lbhByrg0UT7TTzCbdX0M_BkCID07y7H2bc1J1rYneLl871WwP6sZ3EZigVlxk0CA6xUgr8DiXA1KelzelOua0vGm3Cu-NnhlX7Q/s1600-h/SNC13334.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3Okxr-8t6eL4UYhZa_NkIpOR9F0n8jEESNHgFoF7lbhByrg0UT7TTzCbdX0M_BkCID07y7H2bc1J1rYneLl871WwP6sZ3EZigVlxk0CA6xUgr8DiXA1KelzelOua0vGm3Cu-NnhlX7Q/s320/SNC13334.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151367820521354658" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Harald holding a wounded antarctic petrel that was trying to hide under our cabin. It had a bleeding gash in the side, and seemed unable to fly properly, although perfectly capable of biting Haralds finger. It had probably been attacked by the skuas. We left it on a rock, which it quickly crawled underneath. (Any children reading this? The bird will probably heal well, skillfully hide from searching skua parties, one day be able to fly again, thereafter raise many more petrel babies in years to come)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhouGZItg4xy7GTWDVcZFTpDNLhq1BEJx0Y3STtZN5FYBO5Ik0mjczmjA4wDrA2sVfv1p0sYDJ59-OG-zBOBRr6QapvjWazujzMgkehYmFjHk-F0TXc9dujXPVAY1uOF6L5EMBOVT5OqNM/s1600-h/SNC13308.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhouGZItg4xy7GTWDVcZFTpDNLhq1BEJx0Y3STtZN5FYBO5Ik0mjczmjA4wDrA2sVfv1p0sYDJ59-OG-zBOBRr6QapvjWazujzMgkehYmFjHk-F0TXc9dujXPVAY1uOF6L5EMBOVT5OqNM/s320/SNC13308.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151366888513451378" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The next day we took the snowmobiles out to explore of the surrounding valley. First we drove towards the big glacier fall coming straight down from the polar plateau. The peak on the right is "Svarthamaren" itself. I suspect the name "black hammer" comes from the massive black dyke (gabbro?) cutting across the reddish (granulitic?) bedrock.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwXRnhBBi82tQQbNb3MG3JN5GLRW1wDCSilk2pIsM7z_kR8gDiTl9ytHcUGwwS-F9Lgz-ZkIV27bmA2GUlHbqpc1SwndBUOHtm37dY72-euWJJwl2CDQx-Lsj38IujasYfT0aylwzGdc/s1600-h/SNC13346.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwXRnhBBi82tQQbNb3MG3JN5GLRW1wDCSilk2pIsM7z_kR8gDiTl9ytHcUGwwS-F9Lgz-ZkIV27bmA2GUlHbqpc1SwndBUOHtm37dY72-euWJJwl2CDQx-Lsj38IujasYfT0aylwzGdc/s320/SNC13346.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151370131213759954" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Further north, we're standing on a small nunatak, looking towards "Cumulus Mountain" in the distance.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDG0Ctf1MjE74_qxjru8xaPj6h8RxEhF9cDKJHn9UQx1FTkcQaNIgkOcxWZgBR0xE1kJsCSR2ofvpFjIbk8oe4BUGmGHRh4OVjdngjC4utifofG5FdZGLwsi7CwdGZiMjbu2oQ3zC4xxs/s1600-h/SNC13316.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDG0Ctf1MjE74_qxjru8xaPj6h8RxEhF9cDKJHn9UQx1FTkcQaNIgkOcxWZgBR0xE1kJsCSR2ofvpFjIbk8oe4BUGmGHRh4OVjdngjC4utifofG5FdZGLwsi7CwdGZiMjbu2oQ3zC4xxs/s320/SNC13316.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151367189161162114" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Along the cliff a wind-hole had formed as the air has been forced up and over the cliff, releasing its load of snow before reaching it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_GzW-G6q9OhaAhoJMhpXzjucwZPVl6L5rqUHOopSZtwWVCyVvOT83dfm_EPaplOlDtWyW1eUJPXTBOrjFRU047Pb92Nu7wkBR0r-p83gJLKxEqd4Q7xr-NzKw_RJwfkfKisHpM9UQzc/s1600-h/SNC13320.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_GzW-G6q9OhaAhoJMhpXzjucwZPVl6L5rqUHOopSZtwWVCyVvOT83dfm_EPaplOlDtWyW1eUJPXTBOrjFRU047Pb92Nu7wkBR0r-p83gJLKxEqd4Q7xr-NzKw_RJwfkfKisHpM9UQzc/s320/SNC13320.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151367511283709330" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On the sunny side of the cliff we found several meltwater pools, nurturing spongelike beds of lichen.<br /><br />And with that celebration of life, again persevering against all odds - I wish you all a happy, and eventful, new year!Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-13063609729613913942007-12-28T08:26:00.000+00:002008-12-09T01:22:50.978+00:00For lack of proper scientists<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R1QfA_0JO_lsJ1pieaS4ELYl7PHzTBKmVwRzCT_DpRVtccKKgCy_bwzJy114UlSX-nra02L6SfnA84nStcg9Y6ZoCw4hryMt8tW5CzvdsCO7uz2BwudZEeUglV61u_oIBcNY3bDXv78/s1600-h/SNC12583.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R1QfA_0JO_lsJ1pieaS4ELYl7PHzTBKmVwRzCT_DpRVtccKKgCy_bwzJy114UlSX-nra02L6SfnA84nStcg9Y6ZoCw4hryMt8tW5CzvdsCO7uz2BwudZEeUglV61u_oIBcNY3bDXv78/s320/SNC12583.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149123996461937794" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span> In the evening hours, after work, I've had several hikes up Trollhaugen ("Troll Hill") at the back of the station. What I enjoy most on these walks is looking at the breeding snow petrels (they have eggs now!) with my binoculars. Sometimes big flocks of antarctic petrel soar overhead as well, but they never linger, always seeming to be going somewhere else - they might breed on some of the higher peaks in the Jutulsessen nunatak. The south polar skuas are also more active now - when not harassing and outright preying on the snow petrels, they enjoy taking baths and socialise in the meltwater pools. (See Geir's homepage for some awesome skua pictures - link on the right)<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span> Sometimes I find treasures too. The quartzite rocks in the picture first looked as if they contained some sort of green mineral, but on closer examination with my hand lens the green stuff appeared as several interconnected and fragile threads, clinging to the surface of the stone.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV5tQezVnFO12uVzkrIyOlU-nsCDcvYKW3618abZSUwLn2jwkwNqOvijuHKlxVwehEloQ5tW1p5dQNjSEoQBftjmo3hCL4PsPdeXdcLAZY6n1EyNdZHekHOMHsMZ76IiOD696yOl09HxY/s1600-h/SNC12540.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV5tQezVnFO12uVzkrIyOlU-nsCDcvYKW3618abZSUwLn2jwkwNqOvijuHKlxVwehEloQ5tW1p5dQNjSEoQBftjmo3hCL4PsPdeXdcLAZY6n1EyNdZHekHOMHsMZ76IiOD696yOl09HxY/s320/SNC12540.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149124249865008274" border="0" /></a>Luckily , there's a simple microscope in my office. This was the first time I tried it, as there hasn't been any need for medical microbiological investigations here yet (surprise!).<br /> Justifying my activities with the Quest For Knowledge, To Boldly Go.. etc etc, while really just nerding around, I collected some of the rocks in small specimen bags, scraped off some of the green stuff and stuck it on a microscope slide with a drop of water.<br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span>This picture was taken at 40x magnification, my small camera lens squeezed onto the ocular.<br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Tyx5tAfpN3Grfh_TiI5UlTwNIgwjBTvRCcj9kIai2TbiymI2N81bEoZeODyVcPyGl03sUyBFhmTgyFMVln8VALuvUi6VhgbTY33mB-Q6vcycjS1ikhJWrNFWtAdegsW54UQSZHGa6-E/s1600-h/SNC12584.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Tyx5tAfpN3Grfh_TiI5UlTwNIgwjBTvRCcj9kIai2TbiymI2N81bEoZeODyVcPyGl03sUyBFhmTgyFMVln8VALuvUi6VhgbTY33mB-Q6vcycjS1ikhJWrNFWtAdegsW54UQSZHGa6-E/s320/SNC12584.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149123755943769202" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Alien lifeforms!<br />And that's about as far as I got with my diagnosis. The stuff is (again, surprise!) green, seems to be composed of single cells, some of them sticking together.<br /><br />Discussion: It appears as if groups of single celled chlorophyll-containing organisms eke out a living on our neighbouring rocks. On previous expeditions, researchers have found green algae in water samples from our meltwater pools and the surrounding blue ice.<br />I haven't found any articles about algae <span style="font-style: italic;">on dry land</span> here, though...<br /><br />Until a biologist, or professor of latin, accidentally stumbles over this blog:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEWVVM1hdi0L_3Rg_eztw4au6wNRCTzqKzfajkqcN6Al_ldNrGKZUY92V4-bF4AiRbcgExoRZbSls3fCpY_homafbE-hYH0VpYRjnIcEirpNipoXSUEZ771Ba-GNMonEhslwmspWPk2E/s1600-h/SNC12543.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 202px; height: 151px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEWVVM1hdi0L_3Rg_eztw4au6wNRCTzqKzfajkqcN6Al_ldNrGKZUY92V4-bF4AiRbcgExoRZbSls3fCpY_homafbE-hYH0VpYRjnIcEirpNipoXSUEZ771Ba-GNMonEhslwmspWPk2E/s200/SNC12543.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149123429526254690" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chlorococcaceae Oysteinii</span>Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-18154648429672914172007-12-26T09:04:00.000+00:002008-12-09T01:22:52.529+00:00God jul!And to those so inclined: merry christmas!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxJy2jdqjBtZgjXtSTX_ukXMbmsBhuMgC4vgXP9huaWE_rQTTfQSQAqavvlDO7Ual0J5TZlpH5V3qfUhoJ_xQuJu7WwnWWS2C8vhjm-otnmAqrXctkS-LJ83bZciyZXN0rOE9xWu0sRo/s1600-h/SNC13181.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxJy2jdqjBtZgjXtSTX_ukXMbmsBhuMgC4vgXP9huaWE_rQTTfQSQAqavvlDO7Ual0J5TZlpH5V3qfUhoJ_xQuJu7WwnWWS2C8vhjm-otnmAqrXctkS-LJ83bZciyZXN0rOE9xWu0sRo/s400/SNC13181.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148393680222925858" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Jul is usually an occasion when we celebrate (that we just passed!) the darkest day of the year. Perhaps a bit boreocentric, but it feels weird celebrating Jul here, with midnight sun, and what I normally think of as "easter" weather : only 5 degrees minus, clear blue skies, almost no wind, wet snow and slippery ice. But Jul has been different, in so many ways, here.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_HwMm7AlfQ8RZke8-Uey2lJHXRAV0vYqlKHk4YpYOw2TNHSqhA3CbJ8SnZWkRPLOpD8ntg4cg3Eza3l-xdwNFQmo9ubrRtOxCNF1xPFZ3_nKXGkXWRzAq6NfbUw3VOIGdzWoBQByC0M/s1600-h/SNC13186.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_HwMm7AlfQ8RZke8-Uey2lJHXRAV0vYqlKHk4YpYOw2TNHSqhA3CbJ8SnZWkRPLOpD8ntg4cg3Eza3l-xdwNFQmo9ubrRtOxCNF1xPFZ3_nKXGkXWRzAq6NfbUw3VOIGdzWoBQByC0M/s200/SNC13186.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148392915718747122" border="0" /></a>The 24th started like any day, celebrating the Holy Barrel. The station is floating over with fresh fuel drums, so our old and empty drums need pressing, before being stacked in containers, then shipped out, <span style="font-style: italic;">next</span> summer. Push the lever, barrel gets flat.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEADfmY_2VaXLXKX3Hh0cYuH0AInaPAsjWxNdlxK_p2Q0q0B70FYZxd_1zaEvot4cOvfw8xKjE8pDbmpVdFuNt8y2IuA2kvo-GjXgw6u5hBqI6jHJx7Yqj-u6_cfAl2Xjmam-Iylv3fRY/s1600-h/SNC13184.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEADfmY_2VaXLXKX3Hh0cYuH0AInaPAsjWxNdlxK_p2Q0q0B70FYZxd_1zaEvot4cOvfw8xKjE8pDbmpVdFuNt8y2IuA2kvo-GjXgw6u5hBqI6jHJx7Yqj-u6_cfAl2Xjmam-Iylv3fRY/s200/SNC13184.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148392344488096722" border="0" /></a>Before.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tjvviQ5bd4EjUwykg4CrpT8u2A18GtCM0hIaUH2wyNWtswxlUOF58GXVGSB9J51sbpa8Fmf02tHLtYu60jj4rk4QanfLhK51kjzLGRgjTuYau75349x6OPw2xNGbEsq63xsRxID-Sh4/s1600-h/SNC13185.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tjvviQ5bd4EjUwykg4CrpT8u2A18GtCM0hIaUH2wyNWtswxlUOF58GXVGSB9J51sbpa8Fmf02tHLtYu60jj4rk4QanfLhK51kjzLGRgjTuYau75349x6OPw2xNGbEsq63xsRxID-Sh4/s200/SNC13185.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148392567826396130" border="0" /></a>After. Quite satisfying.<br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ZeJRjA5yklE2mvsB7xdr0oSNY2QZ1xrx_sXoH7nuAmNd1Gd0qx8O245ZmVWdpRl3eigWTRWJkkRbjwfOKQyLsH31ms20pBSjJ-oqme8mgiSXCl1eeeiZDKwOWEne2IzngoXaFgDyP_Q/s1600-h/SNC13178.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ZeJRjA5yklE2mvsB7xdr0oSNY2QZ1xrx_sXoH7nuAmNd1Gd0qx8O245ZmVWdpRl3eigWTRWJkkRbjwfOKQyLsH31ms20pBSjJ-oqme8mgiSXCl1eeeiZDKwOWEne2IzngoXaFgDyP_Q/s320/SNC13178.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148393139057046530" border="0" /></a>We've worked our way through most of the traditional norwegian dishes - on juleaften (24th) we had <span style="font-style: italic;">svineribbe</span> (pork ribs with sauerkraut, gravy and potatoes - east norwegian tradition) - on the 25th we had <span style="font-style: italic;">pinnekjøtt</span> (salted & smoked mutton ribs - from west Norway), and today we had <span style="font-style: italic;">lutefisk</span> ("lye fish", a kind of caustic gelatinous way of preparing cod - an aquired taste even for north norwegians).<br />We drink juleøl (dark beer) and akvavit (a kind of schnapps spiced with caraway).<br />Note anomaly - curtains trying to block out the bright sunlight.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSBiyb4DokepV8BMdh8bKAlYyaYe9QdFZ20QWwNustOvJVTxbqAzvWyiNMsThk5RKrTqQ8hp2o8I93B8aDGgT5Y5MFjbAFMXoTcZjMoOfvA3CufWmZjQXMzHZziyacMuvfSV6TK9ix07M/s1600-h/SNC13179.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSBiyb4DokepV8BMdh8bKAlYyaYe9QdFZ20QWwNustOvJVTxbqAzvWyiNMsThk5RKrTqQ8hp2o8I93B8aDGgT5Y5MFjbAFMXoTcZjMoOfvA3CufWmZjQXMzHZziyacMuvfSV6TK9ix07M/s320/SNC13179.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148442904843105346" border="0" /></a>The traditional plastic tree (<span style="font-style: italic;">juletre)</span>. In my mythology, the star on top of the juletre symbolizes the (returning) sun. Although I won't push the point.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHD22WSFiltZqcvj0dc9ANrqVjEzEjjP0nxys2jHqG8-Wl6IuQiLw-ZXHINqENowfr4xvIXGAXt1jLPW-m7g7UAcOYwNcayngsAUgcgHHB7N4fa6xx_28MtOZJA9RSAn8RalmR2UtMVI/s1600-h/SNC13183.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHD22WSFiltZqcvj0dc9ANrqVjEzEjjP0nxys2jHqG8-Wl6IuQiLw-ZXHINqENowfr4xvIXGAXt1jLPW-m7g7UAcOYwNcayngsAUgcgHHB7N4fa6xx_28MtOZJA9RSAn8RalmR2UtMVI/s320/SNC13183.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148391640113460146" border="0" /></a>Yesterday was off, so there was time for a hike in the splendid weather (also see top image). We're coming down from the top. Note the moraine field to the right - you can almost imagine the glacier retreating like the ebbing sea from a rocky beach. Only in this case the "ocean" creates the beach as it retreats from it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgst1aETABalG6S1wR0Um_TXADMkiTWGDAcdcL40k8MSlcySlArXGBbWEjxBiVdmXKHmRTwLgV8siTxwN2MUadCyAFitwrxxaUXdsig1Pe6BDRYf9IqJaO-uwZHHxEtj4Q14aTQAlx7-80/s1600-h/SNC13180.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgst1aETABalG6S1wR0Um_TXADMkiTWGDAcdcL40k8MSlcySlArXGBbWEjxBiVdmXKHmRTwLgV8siTxwN2MUadCyAFitwrxxaUXdsig1Pe6BDRYf9IqJaO-uwZHHxEtj4Q14aTQAlx7-80/s320/SNC13180.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148391893516530626" border="0" /></a>Here geology and biology have, unusually for Antarctica, made good allies.<br />The hole was initially weathered by frost-thaw, chipping loose the rocks and sand, thereafter the rocks have been whirling around in the strong wind, further grinding out the hole, in a self-perpetuating mechanism. Meltwater must have gathered in the hole too, giving what little sustenance was needed for the orange lichen to move in and establish itself.Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-83132211047369649272007-12-21T08:15:00.000+00:002008-12-09T01:22:53.420+00:00Crevasse trainingOnly 10 min drive from the station, by BV 206, is an outlet glacier, a kind of "waterfall" in ice coming down from an even larger glacier, "Fjellimellom", which is a massive glacier, akin to a "river", coming straight from the polar ice cap. Where this icefall empties into our more stagnant blue ice glacier "lake", a series of crevasses form due to the stretching caused by the difference in ice speed. The crevasses are mostly hidden beneath fragile snowbridges. It's unsafe to travel here without safety ropes and the knowledge of how to use them. Yesterday we learnt how.<br /><br />Jens, our expedition leader, is also a professional mountaineering/glacieering trainer (spending the other half of the year in Spitsbergen, in the high Arctic), and gave us a course. We spent the first half of the day playing with ropes, carabines, and improvised pulley systems, then went to explore a 15m+ deep crevasse.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XKQEp9gYtMhBUwzvPy85wEpzYHaGpE6JCnK8NiNF1tuYPaiA2xEoQfjwwR-nBku0MhTVhsvZ1G2MMyQpQp_DPxkuten1WybwGNIpivmYPBJHNFsEelnZJxZsTUZtAuAhQnBOCApXHhE/s1600-h/SNC13129.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XKQEp9gYtMhBUwzvPy85wEpzYHaGpE6JCnK8NiNF1tuYPaiA2xEoQfjwwR-nBku0MhTVhsvZ1G2MMyQpQp_DPxkuten1WybwGNIpivmYPBJHNFsEelnZJxZsTUZtAuAhQnBOCApXHhE/s320/SNC13129.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146522835418461010" border="0" /></a>Jens had marked the location with a pole from the year before, so it was only a matter of digging down 1m or so to get into the crevasse.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHYAiK2XArHqodWuTtDwcAbZ4xZK4RokRkBypOofu32u_V7C7-h8h2ns1cY1rnORwUB8tT2KRNwZEm9nF_sg53CZggVefcDhz-RlFMjTWto7AWeoJXT3sab-XYQ_XM0GtWrifBZeXmtk/s1600-h/SNC13128.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHYAiK2XArHqodWuTtDwcAbZ4xZK4RokRkBypOofu32u_V7C7-h8h2ns1cY1rnORwUB8tT2KRNwZEm9nF_sg53CZggVefcDhz-RlFMjTWto7AWeoJXT3sab-XYQ_XM0GtWrifBZeXmtk/s320/SNC13128.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146523655757214562" border="0" /></a>It looks small from above.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUGACok2gVRutPOsu70j0zmKhpTiJORpgRZ0XwaXQU-y_09bRA6CUDbCNPCJaOgIfkPOtvctChKAa3FZ6XW3TmfHEC_GeTHZ0wG1e4F4YLz-cBz80uRABXqf4UB7S0dUj3BQz_lwEkB4/s1600-h/SNC13130.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUGACok2gVRutPOsu70j0zmKhpTiJORpgRZ0XwaXQU-y_09bRA6CUDbCNPCJaOgIfkPOtvctChKAa3FZ6XW3TmfHEC_GeTHZ0wG1e4F4YLz-cBz80uRABXqf4UB7S0dUj3BQz_lwEkB4/s320/SNC13130.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146523870505579378" border="0" /></a>Cathedral of ice beneath. I'm now standing on a snow bridge. Later it collapsed partially, and I swinged like a pendulum into the wall. Well secured, it was a small matter (except for my biceps muscles..) to climb back up the rope.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcxJN0MvOvlbGVOAQkouTkPwGIzEq636gmezNijl54mbAJ8b_EHK8DQUzbQqlhFupicdB-60uAQvOwz8FgVbMaOLsblFY4IXHs7aWsQbouq8O6ZzRWdbueBG7co-VuDm_y5JmBihjKYM/s1600-h/SNC13132.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcxJN0MvOvlbGVOAQkouTkPwGIzEq636gmezNijl54mbAJ8b_EHK8DQUzbQqlhFupicdB-60uAQvOwz8FgVbMaOLsblFY4IXHs7aWsQbouq8O6ZzRWdbueBG7co-VuDm_y5JmBihjKYM/s320/SNC13132.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146524089548911490" border="0" /></a>Siv, one of our cooks, with more secure footing. The helmet proved useful, as Jens was digging a new hole down through the crevasse roof while we were down there, causing snow and ice to rain from above.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPzpiZ0OHjxshaoXNNXdy2OgLPl-mdbVT1Dvxu7mRCDJa7bbHYBsAC0ZTuUcFV3vP5-7j_bHkA6Fq5Mb6EVttK-5cCWJ9u1F6wvoVe7zznmh15s19uDmHKqCLnic7Xz_h20F6mvi6YjY/s1600-h/SNC13131.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPzpiZ0OHjxshaoXNNXdy2OgLPl-mdbVT1Dvxu7mRCDJa7bbHYBsAC0ZTuUcFV3vP5-7j_bHkA6Fq5Mb6EVttK-5cCWJ9u1F6wvoVe7zznmh15s19uDmHKqCLnic7Xz_h20F6mvi6YjY/s320/SNC13131.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146524360131851154" border="0" /></a><br />Håvard (our logistics man) checking to see if I'd frozen fast. I was taking a breather on my way up - hanging in free air.Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-81527854053131563982007-12-18T08:20:00.000+00:002008-12-09T01:22:55.132+00:0078 degrees southFinally I get to do what I came for!<br />After one month of pressing garbage, driving big machines, moving barrels, and discussing the varying fuel-consumption from pulling different sled types, I'd almost forgotten that I'm a doctor. After all, I wouldn't be here if I wasn't.<br /><br />2 days ago, in the evening, the Iridium satelite phone rang, as it usually does around 9pm - the South Pole Traverse expedition reporting in.<br />They have a medical problem.<br /><br />The expedition is a norwegian-american collaboration and part of the International Polar Year (IPY) effort - quite expensive and high profile. (Link to the IPY traverse:top right corner. Check their expedition diary for an account of the visit). The main scientific yield is drilling for ice cores (small bubbles trapped in the ice tell the story of past athmospheres and temperatures) and by means of fancy sonars and radars form a 3d map of the ground deep down under the ice cap. They might discover lakes under the ice - similar to quasi-famous Lake Vostok (under the russian Antarcic base Vostok - the coldest place on earth). If these lakes contain (microbial) life, and we develop a technology to detect it without contamination (robots?) not only would these extremophile organisms be exciting all by themselves, but the technology could then be developed further to help discover life on ice-covered planet-moons like Europa (orbiting Jupiter).<br />This is still science fiction, of course. And therefore very exciting.<br /><br />They're going all the way from Troll to the South pole. Currently they have been stranded at 78 degrees south due to mechanical problems - the long journey across the polar plateau in 30 degrees minus, pulling scientific equipment, fuel and living modules, is hard on the belt wagons.<br /><br />In addition to this, the chief driller of the expedition has had an accident - an apparently minor cut in the finger refuses to heal after 1 week, it is still bleeding, and there are metal fragments contaminating the wound. There is no doctor with the expedition, "only" Kjetil, a norwegian mechanic/fireman/paramedic (extremely competent at all three!). He's been struggling to treat the patient for a week, and quite impressively managed to anaesthesise the finger and remove several fragments, but has now decided that she needs assessment by a doctor.<br />She is a vital member of the crew, and will not leave the expedition.<br /><br />That means flying me in. 1200 km away, 4 hours flight, up to the top of the south polar plateau - furthest south, and probably furthest away from anything at all, that I'll ever be. An emergency Basler flight was set up, planned as a round trip in 1 day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwgBa79f9_tKtdvwuspMRUFRIw_g-CIKrgaHjYFEZsxvf4_MWxpeaTxEpcRPa1pcoi7bXR4UWh0afdNbtgr7v3hr2UaQLwCVIv0Adz2LBGmz-Q9kTSrx0KLARXCjkjkpX_xS_yBjJHU0/s1600-h/compr.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwgBa79f9_tKtdvwuspMRUFRIw_g-CIKrgaHjYFEZsxvf4_MWxpeaTxEpcRPa1pcoi7bXR4UWh0afdNbtgr7v3hr2UaQLwCVIv0Adz2LBGmz-Q9kTSrx0KLARXCjkjkpX_xS_yBjJHU0/s320/compr.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145419582874170002" border="0" /></a>A flight to supply mechanical parts was already scheduled in 2 days, but we brought the stuff on this flight, for convenience. The big metallic thing is a gearbox. Next to it a "differential" (don't ask me!).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAAqYJs0j2Bfb4P-aw4etgFG0AErnDrxK_LkJqc8wjRzPes82CF_acMf1kKA-TKU79Wuz2PBynv-W3P9s37B7rgETp-7KAjGAVg6WU9Cbv8rG8bE3WzLk3osxu_f9S49kdkiTRttW3KM/s1600-h/SNC13098.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAAqYJs0j2Bfb4P-aw4etgFG0AErnDrxK_LkJqc8wjRzPes82CF_acMf1kKA-TKU79Wuz2PBynv-W3P9s37B7rgETp-7KAjGAVg6WU9Cbv8rG8bE3WzLk3osxu_f9S49kdkiTRttW3KM/s320/SNC13098.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145420695270699682" border="0" /></a>The orange backpack contains emergency medical equipment (I always bring that one when receiving flights). The orange briefcase is my "field pharmacy", also holding equipment for minor surgery. Between the two, coffee and toilet paper, for the traverse team.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUgjIFE3ObJpPBN1QO9F7B-bhsDX0Ij8Gft3_CpP6oTwZg4fPFhjcr2HhayKGEU5cHyNzUixXVMtBQQftzkUNvKsVUS4a_hCvp-Pei0gM-XuRjh7uIhveiPj2zPmRYcFGnS1UuP_08S0/s1600-h/SNC13101.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUgjIFE3ObJpPBN1QO9F7B-bhsDX0Ij8Gft3_CpP6oTwZg4fPFhjcr2HhayKGEU5cHyNzUixXVMtBQQftzkUNvKsVUS4a_hCvp-Pei0gM-XuRjh7uIhveiPj2zPmRYcFGnS1UuP_08S0/s320/SNC13101.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145421816257163954" border="0" /></a>Last speck of "land", briefly after take-off. After this, 4 hours across a vast, white nothingness.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6M_VStO5MseHCwVOaNIdGG2PjMaby-q6OzpNfSZnrQXAGp0PbLYfFtAX8TlaBdc8toLYONHhyphenhyphenhp76U794mvRM48qZTyXoM9p3Qq6L8yBnjuQegIeW8yt7veQ9qDPbwmXRAlCUcH3bN4g/s1600-h/SNC13097.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6M_VStO5MseHCwVOaNIdGG2PjMaby-q6OzpNfSZnrQXAGp0PbLYfFtAX8TlaBdc8toLYONHhyphenhyphenhp76U794mvRM48qZTyXoM9p3Qq6L8yBnjuQegIeW8yt7veQ9qDPbwmXRAlCUcH3bN4g/s320/SNC13097.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145422456207291074" border="0" /></a>No pressure cabin in the Basler. Cruising at 13000 feet, after 1 hour I started feeling short of breath, lightheaded and dizzy. After consulting with the pilot, and trying to rule out psychosomatic disorders or alcohol withdrawal, I diagnosed myself with altitude sickness. I was offered oxygen and the symptoms were dispelled within minutes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpS3qiFc3s66GhZHMBU3YctAA_sS1FsDLTEfB06D24kbusSQfpF4PsZYwQzUNl0nGvNYLs5Fid6W273BRs4OMPuNYwMfa3Uqmoktk1iCAlovTKayD9-3wCpQenDHt4B0J9HFvBw3vDSHo/s1600-h/SNC13099.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpS3qiFc3s66GhZHMBU3YctAA_sS1FsDLTEfB06D24kbusSQfpF4PsZYwQzUNl0nGvNYLs5Fid6W273BRs4OMPuNYwMfa3Uqmoktk1iCAlovTKayD9-3wCpQenDHt4B0J9HFvBw3vDSHo/s320/SNC13099.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145424367467737810" border="0" /></a>Flying in at "point 92". The 12 expedition members have been stranded here, halfway to the South Pole, for 5 days. The surrounding landscape is quite featureless. Right after touchdown, the plane got stuck in a heap of snow. The canadian pilots laughed at the incident, and organized for a belt wagon to pull the plane out.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsMYRepYO_ElpWKmOSW_3UUcd1z-37GrPCeV4ysI0f-ceqAC3pCKwQf2v1dZCzqjbM68XoGYEOoSWhjd5A567Wca-D_39pfaa6ykhIR92BO3YUC1uyWkNvuJ8QJRpyZjGd86LHvVS0fBQ/s1600-h/SNC13100.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsMYRepYO_ElpWKmOSW_3UUcd1z-37GrPCeV4ysI0f-ceqAC3pCKwQf2v1dZCzqjbM68XoGYEOoSWhjd5A567Wca-D_39pfaa6ykhIR92BO3YUC1uyWkNvuJ8QJRpyZjGd86LHvVS0fBQ/s320/SNC13100.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145427408304583394" border="0" /></a>Vehicles, a couple of living modules, scattered scientific equipment, the compulsory fuel drums. Plane in the background.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzF-L9uYvu53xH-xv7mSA8-7j40dQ-tHIaUFTtE9c51ASQvnl3QM87GAd9pwW48ar3vskQLM-xUAmj0G6EjgsGK3TCW9bYIyz3vCtGsypHbPDBRVqAYMLAIA2ACr9XOKELnHPEsr0r90/s1600-h/SNC13102.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzF-L9uYvu53xH-xv7mSA8-7j40dQ-tHIaUFTtE9c51ASQvnl3QM87GAd9pwW48ar3vskQLM-xUAmj0G6EjgsGK3TCW9bYIyz3vCtGsypHbPDBRVqAYMLAIA2ACr9XOKELnHPEsr0r90/s320/SNC13102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145428082614448882" border="0" /></a>I visited on a particularly warm, sunny and windless day, only 10 degrees minus, so most of the expedition members were outside, basking in the sun.<br /><br />A red module like the one in the picture was temporarily changed from kitchen/common room to sickbay. The patient was well, but her finger cut showed signs of infection, and remaining metal fragments, although unlikely, could not be completely ruled out (no portable x-ray-machine, sadly!) After giving block anaesthesia and disinfecting, I debrided the wound (cut away dead or dying bits), ruled out any major tissue damage, splinted the finger, and started a course of antibiotics. She seemed happy with the treatment, although not too happy about not being able to work for a week.<br /><br />Before reboarding the plane the 2 pilots , flight attendant and me enjoyed a lunch with the expedition crew. An impressive gang, they were all very determined and optimistic about making it to the Pole. After receiving the spare parts, the crew set to work fixing the vehicles.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4q_qlxFBn5tmy1VU3NgcOnrIfkkYTcWnobko6lLrCQ2DnYo1zXqsVD53ioVOej_ry4rJswFWy5O5EyfRcrM3xGY7segJzIC9DPsFh84DA7cJ8dDPwM7zDyjXNCBMdeScBrP5i8ED_b8k/s1600-h/SNC13103.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4q_qlxFBn5tmy1VU3NgcOnrIfkkYTcWnobko6lLrCQ2DnYo1zXqsVD53ioVOej_ry4rJswFWy5O5EyfRcrM3xGY7segJzIC9DPsFh84DA7cJ8dDPwM7zDyjXNCBMdeScBrP5i8ED_b8k/s320/SNC13103.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145430423371625218" border="0" /></a><br />The Royal Flying Doctor's Service (Antarctica). Next to me a pile of garbage, also to be brought back to Troll.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6qC-EdCFaEQMPdXi8jqDL0CppRTzGPPAmvHO0KzPfWRnfjOUvC965fzB2vEHA2FEGPGF5pc8TtIJqCIEWYDzLUS-_ixGqatwwX8oSKYgxmlgWn4URNBHAiqx7GGsSWouG3Ywei1g4No/s1600-h/SNC13104.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6qC-EdCFaEQMPdXi8jqDL0CppRTzGPPAmvHO0KzPfWRnfjOUvC965fzB2vEHA2FEGPGF5pc8TtIJqCIEWYDzLUS-_ixGqatwwX8oSKYgxmlgWn4URNBHAiqx7GGsSWouG3Ywei1g4No/s320/SNC13104.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145431419804037906" border="0" /></a>Land O'hoi! The mountains look a lot less inpressive from the plateau (southern) side. From this angle they appear as a great dam holding back a sea of ice (which is exactly what they do).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5awMTotWNFhmJgEzsQX_GRPzHSwCf2Mlx3eVl2zEFmbUjjJkPZMmfbksc06bNgK9IoVgwrKBDKPsBYMNdhi5tE_sl5yFagWNUMBTW7Ph1yLHqlgpCztXyP6UmkGMmbGQZpO0QFNrqTmM/s1600-h/SNC13105.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5awMTotWNFhmJgEzsQX_GRPzHSwCf2Mlx3eVl2zEFmbUjjJkPZMmfbksc06bNgK9IoVgwrKBDKPsBYMNdhi5tE_sl5yFagWNUMBTW7Ph1yLHqlgpCztXyP6UmkGMmbGQZpO0QFNrqTmM/s320/SNC13105.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145432029689393954" border="0" /></a><br />Down towards Troll airstrip. Stabben (from previous blog entry fame) at the far end of the range. Medical field trip over!<br />Again, a strong feeling of privelige.<br /><br />I talked to Kjetil, the IPY paramedic/mechanic, today - the chief driller is still doing fine, being well looked after, and the differentials are being installed. Both courtesy of himself.<br />He must be a very busy man.Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-69009839668042377472007-12-18T00:47:00.001+00:002008-12-09T01:22:56.545+00:00The shelf - meeting the localsI didn't have to wait long.<br />Right next to our trailer park, 100m from the ice edge, a colony of Adelie penguins were nesting. These small smoking-clad penguins come ashore during the Antarctic summer to breed, spending the rest of the year among the pack ice, eating krill. They were constantly scuffling around their little hill (actually on top of some iron scrap left from previous dockings), fighting over the best position, and stamping on each others eggs. They were very curious too, and liked to join in when we went outside our little hut to relieve ourselves.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc9scOTOUeURcmB6B1tBFzBOWCCI2E1El4Mthu4eFIkAn_3PzZ4LH0NbWMfRTQg0fFyb9ozdrejqB89dUsB8ZjFQdhK22-bvy3kQX0cSwWmRJaOc6NaX6vt53rq5hz0k87koDuzqMqwAc/s1600-h/SNC12702.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc9scOTOUeURcmB6B1tBFzBOWCCI2E1El4Mthu4eFIkAn_3PzZ4LH0NbWMfRTQg0fFyb9ozdrejqB89dUsB8ZjFQdhK22-bvy3kQX0cSwWmRJaOc6NaX6vt53rq5hz0k87koDuzqMqwAc/s320/SNC12702.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145112144820154978" border="0" /></a>A flock of Antarctic petrel ridge soaring along the shelf edge. The Antarctic petrel breeds far inland, in the mountains near Troll. This is their regular home, amongst ice and krill. Norwegian ortnithologists have done a substantial amount of research on these birds at the bird colony Svarthamaren (If I'm really, really lucky, I might get there later in the summer).<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUVk5wnLLwXInchLmiDqOf-XekDqwnR68ReZ8sj2SP-3TLUsIidVtjBNUZ-qHOOuYhqH59uq5a-7c0AcdgHMcMfd28MRXzpJtOL7nQifV-SnKchT2XXxfjsBPCnomFLMc_9FeqDV8Svg/s1600-h/SNC12798-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUVk5wnLLwXInchLmiDqOf-XekDqwnR68ReZ8sj2SP-3TLUsIidVtjBNUZ-qHOOuYhqH59uq5a-7c0AcdgHMcMfd28MRXzpJtOL7nQifV-SnKchT2XXxfjsBPCnomFLMc_9FeqDV8Svg/s320/SNC12798-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145111848467411538" border="0" /></a>The worlds most southerly mammal, leisuring on the sea ice. He (?) didn't mind me walking all the way up to him - I sat there for a while, listening to his rumbling belly. The Weddell seal can dive to 700 m, holding its breath for over an hour. They are very adapted to the pack ice, and can keep breathing holes open during winter, by gnawing at the ice with their incisors.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05v3xF7p1lIBhXViZ5lgTAanxWNpvoTGWsuzR91UimrV1BaKWd0K1mBPOkFyqvhBvzpeT6gdCgFh7hz1mhrirlh7pUyChNYxNzucZlaKHR7pTTMOnjK9BtH-ouxChbnHlopWpoRNe6WU/s1600-h/SNC12808.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05v3xF7p1lIBhXViZ5lgTAanxWNpvoTGWsuzR91UimrV1BaKWd0K1mBPOkFyqvhBvzpeT6gdCgFh7hz1mhrirlh7pUyChNYxNzucZlaKHR7pTTMOnjK9BtH-ouxChbnHlopWpoRNe6WU/s320/SNC12808.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145111466215322178" border="0" /></a><br />Not minding me at all (I kept telling myself).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjPyWc5r_k0z1-3TBgnQcL8ZTQbiM6KV4UD7EFyAcgjPJdZviEpbdlGPf4zWnoBYEjuh9vEmbfMD-q0di39RgHtgh8XlmNwJw6gASXPJEyvt9TVA2ChACkddPS94LPPsdoTzGENaoa84/s1600-h/SNC12815.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjPyWc5r_k0z1-3TBgnQcL8ZTQbiM6KV4UD7EFyAcgjPJdZviEpbdlGPf4zWnoBYEjuh9vEmbfMD-q0di39RgHtgh8XlmNwJw6gASXPJEyvt9TVA2ChACkddPS94LPPsdoTzGENaoa84/s320/SNC12815.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145109782588142130" border="0" /></a>Wildlife encounter of my life coming up.<br />As I was watching the Weddell seal, 2 penguins came out of the water, belly-hopped unto the ice, and started waggling towards me. Twice the size of the Adelie penguin, and distinctly more regal in style and manner, I was face to face (okay, 2 m away!) with the Emperor. They act like they own the place, and in a way, they do. As everyone who watches french new age cinema documentaries know, these penguins breed during winter - on the ice - the males doing the hard work - incubating the egg on their feet. Here they are, next to the seal, and me.<br />Mission accomplished.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMre8LB-LHTqAiX4RMAqhxgeXgXBJ4GSx7yU0aX37rKsTfT8hYEBZ1A2X8zF5lmtmC4c0VEnd-bNvIKn9ut9pQOyJp7ARA2CQt5tZ3ke9z1cUGNnEn4CHErKOW4oPE8X9qKkQZWcxQBCo/s1600-h/SNC12848.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMre8LB-LHTqAiX4RMAqhxgeXgXBJ4GSx7yU0aX37rKsTfT8hYEBZ1A2X8zF5lmtmC4c0VEnd-bNvIKn9ut9pQOyJp7ARA2CQt5tZ3ke9z1cUGNnEn4CHErKOW4oPE8X9qKkQZWcxQBCo/s320/SNC12848.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145109550659908130" border="0" /></a>A third emperor came out of the water, and after some trumpeting and neck-waving, they walked off together.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnrVrW0aSDlarEexrLCaUJzPnXAjrPn0M9mavRtvKmtYdsYIZ6yVW7wcb9QMrUQZ1a89sZthDUihHLhxzdbJB86LVBNKiftku-wRq22mMXs0eetkuAwTBq1Z5nue9zt-xpwfUMqZVObo/s1600-h/SNC12857.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnrVrW0aSDlarEexrLCaUJzPnXAjrPn0M9mavRtvKmtYdsYIZ6yVW7wcb9QMrUQZ1a89sZthDUihHLhxzdbJB86LVBNKiftku-wRq22mMXs0eetkuAwTBq1Z5nue9zt-xpwfUMqZVObo/s320/SNC12857.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145109310141739538" border="0" /></a>The next day the ship arrived, and as it approached the shelf, the sea came alive with emperors apparently swimming for the safety of the ice. During the first day of offloading, 19 emperor penguins kept standing there, watching us, looking indignant.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmaSfoyDZYBNUkV6XL974NTsZ8Tf56ghraTFo7aZUX6Ij22r6gCkeCTtehN8jpkuSk4srjhZ1gKUzpPc_qmiV0e7xA6nIV3kw3pVf6tayGVys_XXTzYIZzw-4uUUnw9vvreZgGyyTV-Nw/s1600-h/SNC12877.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmaSfoyDZYBNUkV6XL974NTsZ8Tf56ghraTFo7aZUX6Ij22r6gCkeCTtehN8jpkuSk4srjhZ1gKUzpPc_qmiV0e7xA6nIV3kw3pVf6tayGVys_XXTzYIZzw-4uUUnw9vvreZgGyyTV-Nw/s320/SNC12877.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145108811925533170" border="0" /></a>The adelies didn't seem to mind, though.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVODq95vy1y8SvEm7HAfXpIorTrtnh48y7rPJ3osx3EBtTGWs3M1_4Hjktexa1vaEVeWNBI8FmfBjdX-OoOhxKcwfPcIPtFUC_6Sj-tFm4ZV8JSe7umXsPmqm2wRISyUUUNwZ9jBs96KM/s1600-h/SNC12933.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVODq95vy1y8SvEm7HAfXpIorTrtnh48y7rPJ3osx3EBtTGWs3M1_4Hjktexa1vaEVeWNBI8FmfBjdX-OoOhxKcwfPcIPtFUC_6Sj-tFm4ZV8JSe7umXsPmqm2wRISyUUUNwZ9jBs96KM/s320/SNC12933.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145108468328149474" border="0" /></a>Going back we got stuck in loose snow, just after crossing the hinge zone.<br />Our expedition leader celebrating.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ADgromwua6KhGqwIEKOeDMw3EYvTs-tt-3QdwxOma8R3m1RCNMsb_M6x2W-kYWPjr5NK_Fl0-4nFr1-sfM6_AyUdOzCfBR-V4LEkkP48higYBUyFONC9aGbDwJT1HXefazINWCp38SY/s1600-h/SNC12960.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ADgromwua6KhGqwIEKOeDMw3EYvTs-tt-3QdwxOma8R3m1RCNMsb_M6x2W-kYWPjr5NK_Fl0-4nFr1-sfM6_AyUdOzCfBR-V4LEkkP48higYBUyFONC9aGbDwJT1HXefazINWCp38SY/s320/SNC12960.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145121851446243954" border="0" /></a>The going got better as we climbed back up to 1200 m elevation. Great weather coming back, and has been, since. Yesterday we had above freezing for the first time this summer. Coming back to Troll a small lake had formed at the bottom of the hill. Getting out our beachwear soon.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIdoP5CJ7WUI7ClnBvYFdXhlIpm7NFT_GAWOaghg8I_EknJ_fIkAgT7D7-eXVOpw2u_UP1-8xaG6ZAM5ZvwGY9bBFiRCJlGi_u5iFhbWDR_7GTPYxdfrcnGMrzFGXW5bT91UHG6M_lnU/s1600-h/SNC12975.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIdoP5CJ7WUI7ClnBvYFdXhlIpm7NFT_GAWOaghg8I_EknJ_fIkAgT7D7-eXVOpw2u_UP1-8xaG6ZAM5ZvwGY9bBFiRCJlGi_u5iFhbWDR_7GTPYxdfrcnGMrzFGXW5bT91UHG6M_lnU/s320/SNC12975.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145122757684343426" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVODq95vy1y8SvEm7HAfXpIorTrtnh48y7rPJ3osx3EBtTGWs3M1_4Hjktexa1vaEVeWNBI8FmfBjdX-OoOhxKcwfPcIPtFUC_6Sj-tFm4ZV8JSe7umXsPmqm2wRISyUUUNwZ9jBs96KM/s1600-h/SNC12933.JPG"><br /></a>Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-63538900237184523052007-12-18T00:08:00.000+00:002008-12-09T01:22:57.173+00:00The shelf - Ivan PapaninAfter a few days delay, due to difficult sea-ice conditions, Ivan Papanin finally arrived. Firstly it rammed full speed into the sea ice below the shelf itself, to drop off 3 russians. After being picked up by us (snowmobiles can be taken out on the sea ice quite safely), they set to work drilling holes for the moorings. 1m deep holes did not prevent the moorings popping out on 3 occasions. We tried to keep away from the ropes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7p7TRT1WwbDDdbYQBDTTRqodwZZfluL4Eh5bOyZz0HR4s5omTLXe1AUBoP4P5QGwmcS0M4cauRTd2MRE34mi7dUDHMoSJxdQhTS2vFczuvjgi6Z6MZjnA9SqSZam1Oe0_pUODPQQ7l1s/s1600-h/SNC12888.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7p7TRT1WwbDDdbYQBDTTRqodwZZfluL4Eh5bOyZz0HR4s5omTLXe1AUBoP4P5QGwmcS0M4cauRTd2MRE34mi7dUDHMoSJxdQhTS2vFczuvjgi6Z6MZjnA9SqSZam1Oe0_pUODPQQ7l1s/s320/SNC12888.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145098418104676770" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIk3Bh8veYI5eX9_TDp0oakrwnU5PtlQjtk3blIzK4YtfHn9uRumlSGLtrM9rO6QnFcG3c7CcjFz2QRvUntIXDQk7SgYxj93Ij1wi2kp0Q8rCvgbjEWZ1k9FoL8OhYXY782BKo2VIrWk/s1600-h/SNC12900.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIk3Bh8veYI5eX9_TDp0oakrwnU5PtlQjtk3blIzK4YtfHn9uRumlSGLtrM9rO6QnFcG3c7CcjFz2QRvUntIXDQk7SgYxj93Ij1wi2kp0Q8rCvgbjEWZ1k9FoL8OhYXY782BKo2VIrWk/s320/SNC12900.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145098684392649138" border="0" /></a>The unloading has begun. The white containers hold big diesel tanks used to fuel our power station. The small rods along the ice edge is our rudimentary safety fence (mainly a psychological barrier...). Cooperating with the russian sailors, especially the guy steering the crane, was a big challenge with no common language, but hand waving and (incomprehensible) shouting got all the containers on "shore" without any accidents or injuries. Lucky me!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpA4X9Mt2WM8C68dqLRF1BA1C6CBedj-HtAmQG6nZ4iRyQkAa41mvQfraxqaUPaSGX89WL7nYezUr0lc3K_10DDSOEZqrjxdjBm-uIwUd0CKixyMG9X9mW0hayO4uCIQHqfsyC6Mgr4Fs/s1600-h/SNC12915.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpA4X9Mt2WM8C68dqLRF1BA1C6CBedj-HtAmQG6nZ4iRyQkAa41mvQfraxqaUPaSGX89WL7nYezUr0lc3K_10DDSOEZqrjxdjBm-uIwUd0CKixyMG9X9mW0hayO4uCIQHqfsyC6Mgr4Fs/s320/SNC12915.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145098946385654210" border="0" /></a>They claim the boat was built in 1991, but it felt, say, 30 years older. Rust everywhere, and a distinctly russian feel to everything (note the painting on the wall in the cantina). The unloading took nearly 3 days, so we had our meals on board. Hearty russian food. Sharing the table with us are a french filmteam making a documentary about Antarctica. They're also following the Belgian Antarctic Research Expedition in their construction of a new Antarctic station, also supplied by Ivan Papanin. Eager to proceed to their own docking site, the belgians were very helpful in unloading all our fuel drums (the heaviest part of the job!).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMQ2NXTC-OFbLI6jxvJir9Plt-1boA2gNkbKVKqKHC_p5la7azeNmOdv60Vu_Ehk94tS54TzSl7Uf5UCFQ4dlZSnS-Ik2uJEZ9VEX9Xrfk7szhYOI3yzkUzw3Gb9zN13bb1dMrISWyDo/s1600-h/SNC12940.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMQ2NXTC-OFbLI6jxvJir9Plt-1boA2gNkbKVKqKHC_p5la7azeNmOdv60Vu_Ehk94tS54TzSl7Uf5UCFQ4dlZSnS-Ik2uJEZ9VEX9Xrfk7szhYOI3yzkUzw3Gb9zN13bb1dMrISWyDo/s320/SNC12940.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145099247033364946" border="0" /></a>Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-27709801768534262102007-12-17T23:20:00.000+00:002008-12-09T01:22:58.192+00:00The shelf - going down2 days ago I came back from the shelf. I've been out 10 days. Some of the guys in our transport team have been out over 14 days. Coming back Troll station felt like a metropolis, with its showers, wide-screen TV, and personal space.<br /><br />The shelf is where the inland ice gives way to the open sea. In summer, that is. During the 8 months of winter endless sheets of sea-ice would prevent safe docking and unloading of anything but the biggest ice-breakers.<br /><br />This map shows the ice edge in relation to Troll, the red marks are our GPS waypoints on the journey down. A distance of approx 280 km, it took us 2 days down and 3 days back up. We spent several days at the shelf, first waiting for the russian cargo ship to arrive, then unloading it. We brought 12 containers back to Troll, but 10 more round trips are needed to bring all the cargo to base.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjukSg7N_6kHmBeRg52wDYqjgPDKO_-cBoVHsCdMpFalTDtJoY3PagHS01h9462wkHddE-3ftKDEfNZytGrQYB9zDgQ9Szp6Iq6gEaEKNZXRfGUF5dfSjEiEGjurHexPOe1w2xtGBWHyAA/s1600-h/SNC12598.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjukSg7N_6kHmBeRg52wDYqjgPDKO_-cBoVHsCdMpFalTDtJoY3PagHS01h9462wkHddE-3ftKDEfNZytGrQYB9zDgQ9Szp6Iq6gEaEKNZXRfGUF5dfSjEiEGjurHexPOe1w2xtGBWHyAA/s320/SNC12598.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145086972016832834" border="0" /></a>This is the Pinoh Everest vehicle used to pull the sleds and containers. My slightly more proletarian colleagues make fun of me for calling it a "car". It's a monster of a machine, but slow. Max speed with the 3-sled train attached is about 15 km/h. We bring lots of audiobooks and crisps.<br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUIyedDbAkPKhzk5JwjamV-56JFFvrWgGbE7A9EE2w9YMdIjPScB2OLllD0qKbWe45llOvOHKlSA3fPNXCz3IbyocvQ-2HrkKEMHVuwHkVOgrUp5yIm9W_tv7_UDu3ZAp_4IAujuSc9E/s1600-h/SNC12619.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUIyedDbAkPKhzk5JwjamV-56JFFvrWgGbE7A9EE2w9YMdIjPScB2OLllD0qKbWe45llOvOHKlSA3fPNXCz3IbyocvQ-2HrkKEMHVuwHkVOgrUp5yIm9W_tv7_UDu3ZAp_4IAujuSc9E/s320/SNC12619.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145087388628660562" border="0" /></a>Shortly after leaving Troll, we pass close by Stabben, pretending to be a smoking chimney.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOyhIHlx8qxkpFmCjBk6_mToTisXdbsvr2kXlowM8liOTXTKD6uOEdJTaPE4Dj0kUAHxqPP5foahjaRvq3JqUehJTls_eUfnUB2Aboafdr8a_8exByJBhVkd5ovdoGSTnwclPiI8uCKQ/s1600-h/SNC12613.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOyhIHlx8qxkpFmCjBk6_mToTisXdbsvr2kXlowM8liOTXTKD6uOEdJTaPE4Dj0kUAHxqPP5foahjaRvq3JqUehJTls_eUfnUB2Aboafdr8a_8exByJBhVkd5ovdoGSTnwclPiI8uCKQ/s320/SNC12613.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145087916909637986" border="0" /></a>The surroundings soon change to a white, trackless wasteland. This is Hellehallet, a gently sloping glacier, but getting more steep and crevassy in the so-called hinge zone (the area where the glacier floats out on the sea). Going through the hinge zone we're not allowed to leave the vehicles without safety ropes. The shelf ice is fairly safe to drive on, being several hundred meters thick. Worst case scenario is a big chunk of ice breaks loose, and we would be sailing north on a newly born iceberg.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxlXq7EHQ0FWQqH76h8fser4-C3SzDPebUznVu5r4825Bh85auvaEfKWP4Tk7SKB9tTx3szP0TTEjBmo_n-MwgvsiTTqmNCDke7N-PW6rR-AYQZ9DlxEx8d_H3wOqvX31_6hu5jM4-u4/s1600-h/SNC12638.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxlXq7EHQ0FWQqH76h8fser4-C3SzDPebUznVu5r4825Bh85auvaEfKWP4Tk7SKB9tTx3szP0TTEjBmo_n-MwgvsiTTqmNCDke7N-PW6rR-AYQZ9DlxEx8d_H3wOqvX31_6hu5jM4-u4/s320/SNC12638.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145088526794994034" border="0" /></a><br />The end of the ice planet. Temperature around -5 degrees, pleasant weather, blue ice shimmering in the sunlight. It's about 20 m down to the sea, and a strong current, so no skidoo-crossing close to the edge.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkMwFn2EfGMQHGHEPLbDRl2Z9_VGVSSZUDBGrcR9VW5MTFrKb_ehKSL_iOkgYEjp4EdNrnQZLR6kJeP0_QeOpHCZ5nJRfKvMExXL2bMZFjDSc3zzaKDWyYInHLocEAzHeKbRyloFBHzS4/s1600-h/SNC12775.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkMwFn2EfGMQHGHEPLbDRl2Z9_VGVSSZUDBGrcR9VW5MTFrKb_ehKSL_iOkgYEjp4EdNrnQZLR6kJeP0_QeOpHCZ5nJRfKvMExXL2bMZFjDSc3zzaKDWyYInHLocEAzHeKbRyloFBHzS4/s320/SNC12775.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145089042191069570" border="0" /></a>Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-45970757936848224852007-12-04T22:35:00.000+00:002008-12-09T01:22:58.345+00:00Going to the shelf for 1-2 weeksTomorrow (5th dec) I'm joining 2 colleagues (part of the so called "transport team") for the 2.5 day trip down to the ice shelf (roughly 200 km away) The russian cargo ship Ivan Papanin (named after the russian polar explorer) will anchor up directly on the ice in a few days, and the winter team (and next years' scientific expeditions) depend on us getting the cargo to base before the end of summer. Endless stacks of fuel drums, tanks of diesel for the generators, containerloads of food and (hopefully, for me!) some medical supplies, will be towed on sleighs by our most powerful tracked vehicles - basically modified piste bashers.<br /><br />Not being the most experienced machine-driver yet, my job will be to provide medical backup during the (potentially dangerous) off-loading, ensuring safety procedures are being followed (yeah, right!).<br /><br />Don't tell anyone, but I'll also look for penguins. This time, proper antarctic ones.<br /><br />During transport we'll sleep in small huts on the back of the Everests (as the vehicles are called). We'll bring a couple of primuses as backup. At the ice shelf we'll sleep in the ship. If I get tired from audio-books I can practice my russian on the way down.<br /><br />I'll only be reachable by satelite phone from base while away, but will tell all about it when I'm back. It can take anything from 7-14 days, depending on how secure the interface between land-ice and sea-ice is, how long time we spend offloading, potential breakdowns, and how many penguins I find.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2KvndTLI7BkXCsypaaqJlDK7PCrKmbI_eFIqjZ8IGj76xIbvxaqcjH1NZmUlE8u57ySAgaJZ4UtJDfozKZri-WpIcKzQ6gsp-J_MzM8BI7LKeZ91NhdYwKh-9nbWaKtcRIfbVx2eMz0/s1600-h/SNC12585.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2KvndTLI7BkXCsypaaqJlDK7PCrKmbI_eFIqjZ8IGj76xIbvxaqcjH1NZmUlE8u57ySAgaJZ4UtJDfozKZri-WpIcKzQ6gsp-J_MzM8BI7LKeZ91NhdYwKh-9nbWaKtcRIfbVx2eMz0/s320/SNC12585.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140258259608366386" border="0" /></a>Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-81084858626298421542007-12-04T09:10:00.000+00:002008-12-09T01:22:59.517+00:00Field trip2 days ago, I got (yet another) chance to satisfy my science-fetishism.<br />As already mentioned, a 2-man BAS (British Antarctic Survey) expedition is being conducted in our "neighbourhood"; starting with the Jutulsessen nunatak area. The team comprises german geologist Horst and anglo-swedish(?) field guide Suna (well used to icy environments after overwintering at the british Halley station, a very remote station floating on a massive glacier). Basically, they're skidoo-ing around the wilderness, collecting representative rocks from different areas and trying to avoid crevasses on the way. The rocks will later provide endless months of lab work for Horst (radiometric dating, composition analysis, etc, etc), and finally, a couple of years down the line, he'll hopefully be able to cast light on the differing theories on crust formation. He's very enthusiastic about it, and after spending an afternoon sampling the local area with the two of them, me too. Geology looses (some of) its nerdiness when enjoyed in the field, armed with a big hammer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HHOPY2DHEIs759pJSYrvahu3peE13spTQKikJ58fCS0ebQsbhbL2ULPU0cI-FTJj_L0RIklIXD5OjTNVggY_PD0Y9Bmi0A3B1Vb-3lQ4MhRF7DRKzhdZb67t8MVKmrXJ5y3K7kRLCq8/s1600-h/SNC12587.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HHOPY2DHEIs759pJSYrvahu3peE13spTQKikJ58fCS0ebQsbhbL2ULPU0cI-FTJj_L0RIklIXD5OjTNVggY_PD0Y9Bmi0A3B1Vb-3lQ4MhRF7DRKzhdZb67t8MVKmrXJ5y3K7kRLCq8/s320/SNC12587.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140237377477373154" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Horst happily hammering away.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfJiP_oq-0XEtFfrsNtMu8PIDILwxznpTNLA4tV8-qbrY4HpLEAydkbRGD8QUI_pF2Sf6qPKxRfeXN6SLPrEawldKQ8U9HzOuLZmg4OuO9BLWwNpY5xNrWwIqz4F2R3y56-cL2Sl4y4I/s1600-h/SNC12588.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfJiP_oq-0XEtFfrsNtMu8PIDILwxznpTNLA4tV8-qbrY4HpLEAydkbRGD8QUI_pF2Sf6qPKxRfeXN6SLPrEawldKQ8U9HzOuLZmg4OuO9BLWwNpY5xNrWwIqz4F2R3y56-cL2Sl4y4I/s320/SNC12588.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140237965887892722" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Fresh piece of granite intrusion dike. If that doesn't impress you, imagine steaming hot magma flooding cracks in the crust from below, deep deep down in the earth, under immense pressures. Heavy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jYMH7tFsgN33h9Zu3gkIzYTL5GpPg3masM-tc2JeNQQ8R8fN2jlB3B48Db6CFWlGa9ds4J5yZAGt9kXeKEECti6XFtODwhUqs3Jfl17mg7FSRCTuDnvjkC0lwqLUfB8RBsCWmfDDztk/s1600-h/SNC12589.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jYMH7tFsgN33h9Zu3gkIzYTL5GpPg3masM-tc2JeNQQ8R8fN2jlB3B48Db6CFWlGa9ds4J5yZAGt9kXeKEECti6XFtODwhUqs3Jfl17mg7FSRCTuDnvjkC0lwqLUfB8RBsCWmfDDztk/s320/SNC12589.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140240023177227522" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Suddenly back in touch with our feminine side, we stopped to enjoy this impressive garnet crystal, embedded in the granite matrix.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDlNwEgPsEbm99cznsH6UmM-ex8UzF0qQPuZo3pL5b1k_Tv2ag1C_jNMytWtqWue-B7vo_sPZHiNvH55v3ixPT7XxTPE0FKbYVLSrliOB9CQ7PMzApfb5vI4_HAZYD0SvF92uWuzXZ3A/s1600-h/SNC12590.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDlNwEgPsEbm99cznsH6UmM-ex8UzF0qQPuZo3pL5b1k_Tv2ag1C_jNMytWtqWue-B7vo_sPZHiNvH55v3ixPT7XxTPE0FKbYVLSrliOB9CQ7PMzApfb5vI4_HAZYD0SvF92uWuzXZ3A/s320/SNC12590.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140241199998266642" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Migmatite. The most common rock in our area, called Gjelsvikfjella - part of the Fimbulheimen mountain range. Migmatite is a borderline rock type between magmatic (=igneous) and metamorphic. The layering is due to immense pressures and temperatures, causing partial melting. When the white lines (leucosomes) melt even more, and join up in big white continuus blocks, they're called <span style="font-style: italic;">granite</span>, which qualifies fully to be called metamorphic. What's left (the black, harder bits) will then be called <span style="font-style: italic;">restite.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4NkeE4W_5zzg7lB4o44D58CKpY5qx2O65OuakQfaSWz-vbrnIF1dvHBmQVNlkJ_fWqKznJj8P7EH0qkYsiu1f7XrsZNhEC0VW1qBeIlQycGpiMcsORRGPfkJY8T5pohjQRLG-xIODuc/s1600-h/SNC12586.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4NkeE4W_5zzg7lB4o44D58CKpY5qx2O65OuakQfaSWz-vbrnIF1dvHBmQVNlkJ_fWqKznJj8P7EH0qkYsiu1f7XrsZNhEC0VW1qBeIlQycGpiMcsORRGPfkJY8T5pohjQRLG-xIODuc/s320/SNC12586.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140245851447848226" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Big chunks of restite inside the granite. Geological hand-lens for scale. Baffin boot not meant to be included.Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5664828617242395985.post-23679747799806509212007-12-01T08:00:00.000+00:002008-12-09T01:23:00.062+00:00The lifeline<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72gQyy3IZe81iyWWlTLHeG4i2NYs8wyTLDdTsRzSJe-jK5yN5NDK9u2O9YEzt0_5sA8VxK_dxDRzqiWmIaFfw32zI7eiYq5cn6bA309VRBOwKRyg03rkSegAFd49HWGShgPc7T2gGrKQ/s1600-r/SNC12503.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDB0vE-4wYXvW11LqmSpXt8388JRwT8AlLiM9QVvIkkxas2MayLvKkc3T_nmH0zE7OQA_REJczDyzSxpI3y0XivigQI-kuZP3hG-WqbgEwDqIKhqrZT0yIXRogoMp0gW4GIua0tyQsmw/s320/SNC12503.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139097055070350482" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVM8k3vmu1PE4j_pMMOtxS_p0Kz1UnPYIzu437NlcgGH6Nh8k4RcZztVMyzsii6Nw55cNgXeaPytGP86oeY_gXJIoyjRSPYuTqoaN2Ol0V89IfjMXi5Sp0RECxTFkAlq0Ay4LbQPCwnoU/s1600-r/SNC12502.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINTb4xfdPgMTbjLrQQFANIcoNi8LaYNqGuHjziqey9HPEGXSFCFNki8tzYM4_k52LyAdopxNwC5ZYgNq-zzFzHBqn6NbhyEHJnhAGmF8WF1DZ_3OkpZInIeDqCZEVV80TfTI4GyLZEy4/s320/SNC12502.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139098270546095282" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhrG143Vju-j3RjZkEuVNiqwwC9JDmNuYpZwcR_2FQ_7ckwuE4E2Zu_EDYDjwAn1xNgQC7ROHRLTvlbLjJdNT215ItvIRGPBgu1Ehd9Fez8fkczGz0jMY2CtB-SJWvKUZBQ9Nw1TfbeM/s1600-r/SNC12504.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXaNp1sZS2yEzABHz6DYO2yG3a_M0cBg0UYRyHEooAqGKlpq-xBnqWGtt-RSF9GaNYYv-I5F8G2OnbX-S5yVcwuLsASzi99bMKILG-ysSUplcG4GGTwWHvsqaIf76a-8VRBgDX2haajQ/s320/SNC12504.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139098695747857602" border="0" /></a>I spend a good deal of time at Troll airfield as part of the "ground crew" and as emergency medical backup (!). The airstrip is 7 km away from the base, 30 minutes drive by BV-206, 10 min by snowmobile. Why so far away? Mainly because the blue ice right next to the station is sloping gently and covered in massive boulders (picked up by the glacier, and uncovered as the ice melts and sublimates). It's also our drinking water.<br /><br />The semi-desert conditions at Troll make the area ideal for an airstrip, because it's practically possible to keep the runway clear of snow, exposing the ice beneath, giving a hard enough surface for big wheeled aircraft to land on.<br /><br />Most of the inter-antarctic flights, though, are done with the small Basler BT-67 (above) aircraft. Carrying skis, it could theoretically land anywhere on the ice. The Basler is a new version of the grand old Douglas DC-3 from 1935. A simple, sturdy plane, it looks as if stalling in mid air as it approaches ground, seemingly able to land, and stop, on less than 100 m runway.<br /><br />Our airport facilities are simple - no control tower, just a hand-held air radio (standing on the roof of the BV-206 boosts reception), and a stack of fuel barrels (depots running dangerously low now at the end of winter). The plane carries its own fuel pump (seen in the picture above). The guy inspecting the rotor blade is one of the friendly canadian pilots.<br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRtR_2HzUYzb5AU9fUV3NBvWuK2SUMzz4p1qvEVMs0asZtG-RnmR12mFhbiemxc1mUkiWYCGwwBXH1bL3-dlRr6aEJJycUupflTBEen77lgAqd4uZMRjUYY_NNedwANLNlCCxKXVsEOI/s1600-r/SNC12508.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqyTWksgfhZQTBn_BeWoPqF4JjygWBkyUeulpilRJlUewHjd_ElXwsr_C_7puTQWXLZKymKQc6v0WG8ODPZIiRmvUxG5FliZEqh195u7-HfuSll-dnJh-leHQcRjyXI8PN3ZUU0KeTqo/s320/SNC12508.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139114642961427666" border="0" /></a>The view from the airstrip.<br />The square-looking cliff is called "Stabben", a prominent landmark in the Jutulsessen nunatak. For those geologically inclined: Stabben is a syenite, that's a magmatic rock type, standing alone, being a so-called intrusive rock amongst mainly older, metamorphic rocks (mainly migmatites) . And talking of which - the skidoo in the picture belongs to the British Antarctic Survey, currently preparing a two-man geological sampling (=scientific rock collecting) expedition in the area. More on that later!Øysteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06493785887911370769noreply@blogger.com0