T-Shirt Weather (almost), December 9, 2005 Options

[Dena_Rosenberger]

T-Shirt Weather (almost)
9 December, 2005

For those interested in things Antarctic, check out the weekly Antarctic newspaper at http://AntarcticSun.usap.gov

Hello from the Ice!
For additional Antarctic pics, check out the Gallery.

Where’s Rosenberger?
Crary Lab, McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica

It was VERY nice this morning and so we knew we could attempt our Photolysis experiment again, hopefully without it freezing. Funny that just yesterday we were in Condition 2!
Yesterday:


It was actually about 37 F this morning (ABOVE freezing!) and the sun was shining with little or no wind (It’s kinda’ funny to my San Diego sensibilities that I now think that 37 F is “VERY” nice). The black painted test tube rack was very warm in the sun!


Big tubes:


Remember that last time we tried this 24-hour test, the big test tubes on the roof had started to freeze after less than an hour (the Freezolysis). Now we have to take samples from the small tubes, since my part of the lab group is doing the chemistry side of things, after 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8,12, 18, and 24 hours exposure to the sun. This means that the 18 hour one needs to be removed from the sun at 3:30 in the morning. The temperature now at 6 pm is down to 33 F. I hope it doesn’t go any lower tonight. Usually, because the sun does dip down a little (without going below the horizon) so it cools off a bit.


T-Shirt Weather?


Chris and Markus took skidoos out to Pony Lake to install thermistors (thermometers with an attached data logger for continuous data taking) into the ice there. They thought they saw a mushroom! Of course, this is impossible because they don’t exist here. What do you think? (Remember that it is an historical site). Notice the armband on this Adelie.


After dinner tonight, I walked out onto the ice runway (which will close soon because of the break-up of the sea ice) with a few friends for about an hour and a half walk. It is still pretty nice weather, right around freezing, and it was very nice out there. They are dismantling all of the parts of the runway including the tower and markers. Kinda’ bizarre looking, huh? By the way, that fire truck weighs 71,000 pounds, so I don't think we are in danger of falling through!


> Over the Line in Antarctica?


Did you know?
Fossils are found many places in Antarctica and give evidence that the continent was not always covered with ice. Petrified wood has been found in pieces as long as 20 meters! They have been dated to about 80 million years ago and show that the climate was mild with four seasons, since the trees have distinct annual growth rings. Fossil ferns and other woodland species have also been preserved in great detail. There is also evidence of carnivorous dinosaurs, plant-eating dinosaurs, fish, mollusks, and other marine invertebrates.

Current Conditions at McMurdo Station
The low pressure system has moved off and the next system won’t move in until tomorrow evening. (It never ends!)

Right now:
Mostly cloudy
Winds very low, from the north at 2-3 knots
Pressure: 29.410 inHg
Temperature: 32 oF/0 oC with wind chill: 25 F/ -4 C
Sunset: February 20 at 1:38 am

[Diana from Crest]

Friday off and I'm cleaning. It's been a long week.... So, it's summer down there. Still waiting for snow @ June Lake.

[Dena_Rosenberger]

Hey Woman!
Have fun cleaning! What is your email address?
Dena

Friday off and I'm cleaning.  It's been a long week....  So, it's summer down there.  Still waiting for snow @ June Lake.

[Guest]

wow! It was colder in lakeside than it was in the antarctic! a mere 28 degrees yesterday morning on my thermometer!


*just a random reader*