Who we are and what we're doing!


Welcome to our project site! We are six National Science Foundation-funded researchers from Pacific Lutheran University, Berkeley Geochronology Center, University of Washington, and the University of Maine who are studying the glacial history of the Pensacola Mountains in West Antarctica.

Our 2011-2012 field season is almost underway! We will spend about two weeks in McMurdo equipping ourselves for another month in the Pensacola Mountains. We spent December 16th, 2010 through January 17th, 2011 in the Pensacola Mountains, where we mapped and sampled glacial deposits along the Foundation Ice Stream. This year, we will revisit last year's field sites, and map new regions of the mountain range.

Our work will track the thinning history of the Weddell Sea Sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, and will also provide insights into ice sheet dynamics, and the history of sea level contribution from this sector of the ice sheet.

In the coming weeks and months, we will use this site to show you our preparations for the 2011-2012 field season, and to share our initial results as they emerge. Please check back to catch up with our progress. Thanks for finding us!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Crevasse Rescue Part II - Crampons and Ice Axes!

Hi Friends,


Road conditions kept us from McMurdo's crevasse simulator today, but we walked up the hill from town to practice walking on snow and ice!
Ready and waiting outside of our dorm!
It was overcast and chilly today. Sitting around in heated buildings makes the outside seem colder! It's a balmy 25 degrees F in McMurdo right now!
We walked up to one of the hills that surrounds town. 
McMurdo is located on an island formed by volcanoes! You can see McMurdo at the southernmost tip of the peninsula at the bottom of the map above (courtesy of the USGS). The three largest volcanic peaks in the map are (counterclockwise from top) Mount Bird, Mount Erebus (shown in previous blog entries), and Mount Terror.  In the previous and in subsequent pictures, you can see we're walking on dirt roads. These roads are simply groomed volcanic sediments. I'll show you the heavy machinery that does the grooming in a later post! 
In the background, you can see McMurdo and the flat, white, snow-covered sea ice in McMurdo Sound.  The peak in the left side of the photograph is Observation Hill. 
We walked off of the road onto a snowy surface in order to put our crampons on.
Seth is modeling a pair of crampons. The ten points on each crampon helps climbers walk on icy surfaces.
Chris instructs us how to properly tighten your crampons so that they stay on your boots! Each of us has crampon-compatible boots that allow the bales of the crampon (the black plastic components at the toe and the heel of the boot) to fit snugly over the boot. 
Next step - a review of the ice axe!
At the bottom tip of the ice axe, there is a spike that can be used for balance when walking on icy surfaces. 
From the head of the ice axe protrudes the pick (visible in this photograph), and the adze (underneath Chris' glove!).  The pick can be used to self arrest, or stop yourself, in the event of a fall. The adze can be used to chop foot holds into steep snow or ice slopes. 
And we're off!
Seth, an experienced mountaineer, effortlessly climbs the snowy, icy hill on which we are practicing. Note the sling attached to his ice axe; this attachment reduces the likelihood your ice axe will slide down the hill without you! 
"Ready for the next skill set, students?"
One way to gain stability while climbing up a slope in crampons is to use the duck step.   
The duck step facilitates making contact with the icy surface with all 10 points of your crampons! 
Matt practicing his duck step. 
A closer look at the my duck step - toes pointed outward!
The cross-over step can help you traverse and climb steep, icy slopes. Here is Kat demonstrating the technique!
It was a cool day out on the town! Wind is very effective at removing heat from your body. As mentioned above, the air temperature at McMurdo right now is 25 degrees F, but the wind chill is 15 degrees.
We also practiced walking down the hill. 
Matt preparing to walk downhill. It is important to keep your center of gravity over your crampons; this means you are fighting your instinct to lean up the hill!
Mrs. Campbell? Are you out there?
In most cases, it is important to hold the ice axe on the uphill side so that you can more easily use it to stop yourself if you fall. If your ice axe is downhill, you could go somersaulting over the top of it!




We are a happy group!
Time to walk back to town!
Another productive day! As of now, Chris and Greg are scheduled to join the LC-130 crew tomorrow morning (Wednesday the 14th) for a 9:00 AM take-off to our field site. The purpose of this first flight is to transport half of our cargo in advance of our arrival. Chris and Greg will return to McMurdo Station at the end of the day. The second and final flight that transports us and the rest of our cargo might leave as early as Thursday the 15th! We will keep you posted, of course!

Hope all is well at home!

Claire
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1 comment:

  1. Jasmine JohengenDecember 15, 2011 at 1:37 AM

    so exciting to read about your adventures Claire! Hope the rest of your trip goes well!! Feel honored to have had you as a professor :D

    ~Jasmine

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