24 November 2012 About McMurdo

Here are some unique, fun, informative, and educational facts about McMurdo Station.

The nickname for McMurdo is Mactown

McMurdo Station is built on volcanic rock

Look at the photo below and notice the rock I am standing on and the ridge behind me.

McMurdo has a desalination Plant

McMurdo is home to approximately 1,000 scientists who come to McMurdo Station to do research and as many support personnel, some of whom live on the base year round. All of the personnel need water to drink, for showering, bathing, and other hygiene needs. Where does all the water come from to supply these needs?

McMurdo uses reverse osmosis to convert seawater from McMurdo Sound to fresh water. These plants operate in very few places in the world because of the high start-up costs. I have contacted areas in California where the plants are in the experimental stages, but tours were not allowed. I have only read about these plants so I was super excited to videotape the tour and share it with everyone.

The photo below shows the intake pipes which collect seawater. The pipes extend under the ice in the area where the white shed appears.

The video below is a 9 ½ minute tour of the desalination plant at McMurdo Station, Antarctica.

http://youtu.be/kCMHVWxGTY0

McMurdo has birds!

I saw a skua today. Brown Skuas have a reputation as fierce and very aggressive birds that are known to prey on unguarded eggs or weak or isolated chicks in penguin colonies. I photographed this skua outside the administration building at McMurdo station. Rumor has it that the skua was waiting for someone to leave the galley so it could attack and take the food!

McMurdo has great views of ice pressure ridges

Pressure ridges form when the rearrangement of moving ice forces it to pile up into pressure ridges.