IPB

( Log In ) Log In is for TREC Teachers & Researchers only

 
Reply to this topicStart new topic
> Field Site: Pony Lake, November 22, 2005
Dena_Rosenberger
post Nov 22 2005, 10:19 AM
Post #1


TREC Teacher
***

Group: TREC Team
Posts: 96
Joined: 1-November 05
Member No.: 22



Pony Lake at Last!
22 November, 2005

Hello from the Ice!
Today’s journal sponsored by the PTSA at El Capitan High School

Where’s Rosenberger?
At Pony Lake on Ross Island in Antarctica!

This morning we finished loading up the Pisten Bully, picked up the people that are helping us today and tomorrow, and heading for Pony Lake, about a 2 hour drive at 15 mph. The group today consists of:
Christine Foreman, Lead Scientist
Markus Dieser, PhD student, Montana State U
Jenn Guerrard, PhD student, Ohio State U
Kealin Cawley, PhD student, University of Colorado
Me, El Capitan High School
Jessica, Lisa, and Ryan, three people that work at McMurdo who have volunteered to help us out today and tomorrow.

Of course, we wear our Extreme Cold Weather (ECW) gear to the field site and take lot’s of water and snacks. Driving to Pony Lake, we are on sea ice that can be just a few feet thick. This is ice that formed on the surface of the sea as winter approached last May and is now beginning to break up for the summer. Since we are driving in the Pisten Bully, there are a few places that have a crack or are just thin that the drivers want to check before driving across in the heavy transporter. I want them to check it, too! They call this “Profiling the Ice” and they actually have a device that measures the ice thickness.
Profiling the ice:
IPB Image

We stopped at the Barnes Glacier, which is a tabular glacier. This means that it is an ice sheet that has come down from the continent and retains its flat shape as it hits the edge of the land, where it floats on top of the ocean. Here, the sea ice goes all the way up to the base of the glacier. That wall of ice is huge! I will try to find out the height tomorrow.
Barnes Glacier on the way to Pony Lake
IPB Image

We also saw a lone Emperor penguin that seems to have lost its way. It was very beautiful and I hope it finds its way to the other Emperors.
IPB Image

There were Weddell seals along the cracks where the sea ice has pushed up against the edge of the land, called pressure ridges. Here, the seals can find places to get up on top of the ice to rest. They stay near a hole in the ice so they can dive back into the ocean if danger approaches. Weddell seals can weigh 1000 pounds!
The large, dark, slug-shaped things are the Weddell seals in this picture:
IPB Image

Our first glimpse of the field site was from a ridge above the lake. The structure is a hut built by Ernest Shakelton at the turn of the century during the race to claim the South Pole. It is an historic site and is being restored by the New Zealand Historical Society.
IPB Image

Trekking down to the field site:
IPB Image

IPB Image

When we finally reached Pony Lake, we established where we would dig then started cutting blocks of snow and hauling them away. Snow is heavy! We had to dig down to the frozen surface of the lake so that we can take ice cores tomorrow. We can’t use any power tools because it might disturb the penguins. We built a temporary wall of ice blocks to help block the wind, and the rest of the ice blocks had to be placed randomly around the area so as not to disturb the natural setting. We also had to leave stairs inside the pit so that if a penguin got trapped, they can get out.

IPB Image

IPB Image

IPB Image

IPB Image

Penguins! This is an Adelie Penguin rookery and they are now breeding, building their nests, and laying an egg. The Adelie is smaller than the Emperor and builds a nest out of rocks. You can see in the picture that they lay on their rock nests, covering the egg. Skuas were out flying around, looking for unprotected eggs.

One side of the rookery:
IPB Image

The other side of the rookery:
IPB Image

I took video footage and hope to post it to the website, too. They are sooooo cute!

Boy am I tired from sawing, shoveling, and hauling snow all day. We are 21 hours ahead of San Diego time, so it is 11:15 pm right now and we do it all again tomorrow.
Good night!

Parting shot: A glimpse of Mt. Erebus through the clouds. There is ash and steam coming from the top of this active volcano. No lava (too bad )
IPB Image

Current Conditions at McMurdo Station
A high pressure system is holding and conditions were great at Pony Lake

Right now:
Mostly cloudy
Little to no wind
Temperature: 16 oF/ -9 oC with negligible wind chill
Pressure: 29.265 inHg
Sunset: February 20 at 1:38 am
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Guest
post Nov 22 2005, 04:24 PM
Post #2


Unregistered









tats a tubular tabular glaciar.
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Guest
post Nov 23 2005, 12:19 AM
Post #3


Unregistered









We're glad you made it to the lake. Wow! that looks like quite a load of ice! How far down is it to the lake surface?

Most everyone's ready for their test tomorrow... tongue.gif
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Guest
post Nov 23 2005, 05:51 AM
Post #4


Unregistered









Dena -

What a great thing this is! You are a total Rock Star. Keep the pictures coming, they're awesome!

-Radov
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Guest
post Nov 23 2005, 06:00 AM
Post #5


Unregistered









The penguins are sooo cote and they are one of my best part of your trip. I just feel like i am there with you. Dont forget to take more pictures and the video. Does it feel weird that you cant see night for a long time. Dont you wish sometimes you can just see the stars. Well time for bed sad to say that it gets night here and i have to go to bed. See you soon. Jamie 3rd period.


Oh yea tell us how the turky is down there!
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
RIOS
post Nov 23 2005, 05:58 PM
Post #6


Unregistered









DENA, THANKS FOR THE PICS KEEP THEM COMING.....ENJOY.. SEE YOU WHEN YOU RETURN SAFE AND SOUND.
RIOS
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Debbie Murrell
post Nov 23 2005, 08:05 PM
Post #7


Unregistered









[FONT=Courier]
Hey Dena,
Wow! What an experience. Brings to mind my favorite book, "Mr. Poppers Penguins" Stay warm, and keep the wonderful updates coming. Debbie
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Diana from Crest
post Nov 23 2005, 08:45 PM
Post #8


Unregistered









dry.gif
We're getting ready to drive to Sacramento with everyone and their mother for Tday.

BTW, I never made it to Guam - no one told me to bring my passport so they didn't let me on the plane - so I just spent the whole week in Hawaii - weather was great - unlike where you are laugh.gif

Nice pictures - hope you are having fun and keeping warm with your penguin blanky....
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Guest
post Nov 24 2005, 03:23 AM
Post #9


Unregistered









QUOTE(Guest @ Nov 23 2005, 05:51 AM)
Dena -

What a great thing this is! You are a total Rock Star. Keep the pictures coming, they're awesome!

-Radov
*



Thats original Chris Radov. Who are you supposed to be?
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Eric Garcia
post Nov 24 2005, 05:38 AM
Post #10


Unregistered









haha thats awesome, u saw penguins...

yea how thick was that ice to the lake...cause that looked like it was really deep.

Anyway, i hope you are doing great, and i am thinking about you out there everyday in chem class. i'll let you know how i did on my test once i get my grade
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Sydney
post Nov 25 2005, 03:17 AM
Post #11


Unregistered









Do the penguins stink? i think that there wouldn't be enough heat to make it smell.
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Dena_Rosenberger
post Nov 28 2005, 03:16 AM
Post #12


TREC Teacher
***

Group: TREC Team
Posts: 96
Joined: 1-November 05
Member No.: 22



QUOTE(Guest @ Nov 24 2005, 03:23 AM)
Thats original Chris Radov. Who are you supposed to be?
*



Chris, I want you to know that I didn't write that...you, too, are a rock star

Cheers,
Rosenberger
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Dena_Rosenberger
post Nov 28 2005, 03:19 AM
Post #13


TREC Teacher
***

Group: TREC Team
Posts: 96
Joined: 1-November 05
Member No.: 22



QUOTE(Sydney @ Nov 25 2005, 03:17 AM)
Do the penguins stink? i think that there wouldn't be enough heat to make it smell.
*



Hi Sydney:
Yes! The penguins stink! It kinda' smells like a chicken farm. The water itself smells worse since it is all made of decaying stuff.

Ms. R
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post

Reply to this topicStart new topic
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:

 



- NSF Acknowledgment & Disclaimer Time is now: 28th March 2024 - 03:22 PM