Hello Trekkers,
I am home safe and sound. My beard is a lot longer. Just the fact that I have a beard is kind of funny. At least now it is freshly showered!!! I began by travels home on Tuesday the 12th from Byrd Surface Camp. I flew on a LC-130 cargo plane to McMurdo Station. After dashing around McMurdo for 36 hours turning in gear, picking up supplies, conducting a live event with you, I boarded another cargo plane for New Zealand. I got to a hotel in Christchurch after midnight making it early Thursday morning. I slept for about 4 hours before it was time to go to the airport to catch a plane to Los Angles, California. Another two flights later I was met at the Kansas City airport by my family and some friends. Remember I passed the International Date Line so I had a Thursday...
Hi Trekkers,Hello from Byrd Surface Camp on the continent of Antarctica
Byrd camp location elevation 5230 feet lat. S 80.03 long. W 119.61
Can you find Antarctica on a globe or on a map?
I am traveling with my friend, Gary Wesche. He is a Polartrec teacher
Flat Stanley with Gary Wesche in Antarctica
Have you been reading his journals? They have great pictures.
Byrd Camp is located on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet
Flat Stanley overlooks Byrd Surface Camp
Antarctica has recorded the coldest temperatures on planet Earth.
All you see in every directions is snow
Thanks to Mrs. Grantham's second grade class at St. Regis School in
Kansas City I have a big red coat to keep me warm.
He is from the country of New Zealand and he is the camp mechanic. He
can fix anything.
Good thing...
You have met Chad Brown a member of our team from Polar Grid.
Data backup man!!!
{photo of Chad 1 of 6]
He along with Keith Lehigh represent Polar Grid and brought to the
field the computer processors which enable the team to get a first look
at the data to ensure that all the equipment is in perfect working
order. Keith was here the first part of the expedition and left last
week. Not one for smiling in front of a camera I did get a grin from
him just before he boarded the plan out of Byrd Surface Camp.
Last day for Keith at Byrd Surface Camp
Logan Smith, a member of the team from KU, does some of the early
processing.
Graduate research assistant for CReSIS
Here is a picture of the data you helped collect on our flight yesterday.
Graph #2
Graph #1
Study the graphs of the...
Hello Trekkers,You've helped set up all the radars and you have loaded them into the
plane and tested them. You're ready to fly in the twin otter airplane
over areas of West Antarctica Ice Sheet using flight plans, BUT there is
more to it than just getting on the plane.
Let me introduce you to your pilot and co-pilot
Lexi packs bags into the nose of the plane.
Lee helping to refuel the twin otter.
Eagle is in the plane and ready to go.
Here in Antarctica there are some very specific rules that are followed
to ensure safe flying.
A pilot can work 14 hours per day with 10 of these hours flying. Then
they need 10 hours off work.
Weather is, once again, one of the most important factors in determining
a mission plan. There must be a 1000 foot ceiling. This means any
clouds must be...
If you did all your planning correctly we are ready to go. Now we wait until Lexi determines if the weather in all the locations of our grid, fueling caches, and at Byrd is going to be weather we can fly in. If any one of the locations has or is expecting bad weather or low visibility the flight is cancelled or the plan is reworked. At anytime during the flight operation the pilots may decide that the weather is becoming an issue and the plane will turn back.
As I wrote in another journal, weather is the number one factor that determines how much science gets accomplished in a season.
Well, if you have done all your calculations you are ready to fly.
Let's go!!!
That is a lot of fresh water
The vastness of the ice
Fernando Morales of CReSIS checking the radar
A lap top on board...
Jump to audio
Trekkers,
I have heard the words "global climate change" exactly once the entire time I've been here in Antarctica. You would think that it would be a popular topic of conversation between the many scientists here on this continent.
The one time I heard the phrase "global climate change" was during a friendly discussion about the funding of the space program and the funding of societal needs and social programs. The comment, which was not debated by the 15 individuals engaged in the conversations, was, "The science community has known for nearly 40 years that we (industrial nations) have been influencing global climate change negatively. Yet, we haven't made any significant advancement toward correcting the problem..."
As I look back on the...
Trekkers,
Here is an activity you can do while you are home on holiday or even at
school as a science activity.
The Situation:
The camp is set up for 60 people to be living in tents in temperatures
that are below freezing. The wind blows most days at 15-20 knots. The
members of camp work long hours when the weather allows, and the work
they are doing is physical work. (Even walking through the snow in all
the gear that must be worn to keep warm is physical work.)
The long walk in the snow can wear you out.
When people work outside in the conditions that are common here in
Antarctica their bodies use a significant amount of calories just to
keep warm. When it is time to eat everyone is eating almost twice the
amount of food they would if they were at home like you are.
The...
Merry Christmas, Trekkers,
How did you celebrate the holidays? Did you travel, eat, cook, eat,
play games, eat, decorate, eat, frost sugar cookies, eat, make new
friends, eat, laugh, eat, laugh more, eat?
Well, the Byrd Surface Camp did all of that and more. There are 42
people in camp now so we had quite the active group. The galley, which
is our dining room and kitchen, was full of laughter and fun.
Thanks,Trekkers, your flags gave the galley a festive look!
It was amazing what people had packed in their bags in anticipation of a
Christmas celebration. I had a little Christmas tree and candy canes.
Someone else had craft supplies and rounded up lots of recycled stuff
from around camp. Word was spread around that there would be a white
elephant gift exchange a couple days earlier...
Trekkers,The CReSIS team had their first official radar flight from Byrd Surface Camp yesterday, December 22, 2009. CReSIS team members Fernando Rodriguez - Morales and Cameron Lewis, along with pilot Lexi Larson and co-pilot Lee Thomas took off into beautiful blue skies.
Airplane
Airplane 2
Airplane 3
They were gone about 7 hours gathering data with the three different radars. Upon their return everyone on the team went to work. Polar Grid team members Chad Brown and Keith Lehigh began the process of backing up the data. Meanwhile the rest of the team discussed what in-flight modifications and adjustments had to be made with the radar systems during the flight. After dinner the team, having looked at some of the data results determined that something was not functioning in one of the...
Trekkers,
Ben Toth, camp manager, at Byrd Surface Camp
Imagine that you could climb inside a giant ball that is painted the color of milk. Inside that ball would be totally white. There is no horizon in the distance. The sky is white with clouds. The ground is white with snow. The view in the distance is white with fog or blowing snow.
If you ever watched the movie _Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory _think of the scene when Mike shrinks himself into the TV. Remember what it looked like with him in the white TV. That is what my world here at Byrd looks like much of the time.
Gary Wesche at Byrd Surface Camp (no zoom used)
Bryd Surface Camp (slight zoom used)
Byrd Surface Camp (full zoom used)
If you stare at the picture long enough it can look like the photographer was...
Believe it or not Trekkers, I have spotted Santa. He was playing bass
in a 3 man combo at a charity event sponsored by the women of McMurdo
Station.
Notice Santa on bass
Santa moonlights in Antarctica playing bass
Every year for the last 14 years the women here in Antarctica stationed
in and around McMurdo put on a "Women's Soiree". This is a talent show
the women present for the community here. Now this occurred a couple
weeks ago while I was still in McMurdo. Due to the fact that Santa
would be a little busy any closer to Christmas.
Over the past 13 years the women have raised $30,000. I counted about
500 people in attendance this year, so I am sure they raised a nice
amount in support of a children's home in New Zealand. I was told that
the charity chosen is...
Trekkers, We need you to groom a 10,000 meter runway that you can land a Hercules LC-130 fully loaded with passengers and cargo.
This will be no simple task.
First, you need information that I cannot supply you with as I do not have access to a library, Google, or a phone.
What is the Hercules LC-130?
a. How large is it?
b. How much does it weigh fully loaded with cargo?
c. How much runway length does it need to land?
What does the plane need to land on a snow runway?
a. What modifications are made to the plane?
b. What condition does the snow need to be in?
c. How does it take off? ( into the wind or with the wind)
How do you go about making a runway in the middle of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet?
You might find many of these answers and I hope you do explore your...
I love Christmas. I really enjoy decorating Christmas trees. Maybe that is why we usually have several Christmas trees in my home. One of the special trees we set up is a live red cedar. I remember as a child going out into the pasture with grandparents on the farm and choosing a fresh cedar for the Christmas tree. When you brought it inside the whole house would smell like cedar.Here in Antarctica there is no vegetation on an ice sheet. So it would be really difficult to have a Christmas tree, OR WOULD IT???
There are many creative minds here, and once work is completed these minds keep creating. I would like to show you the most original Christmas tree I have ever helped decorate.
Using metal strapping from the cargo boxes and a couple pieces of scrape wood we have the Byrd Christmas...
Trekkers,We are on a journey through time today. We are going back just over 100
years.
Mr Wesche joins you on a tour of Discovery Hut
Near McMurdo Station there is a building that has been standing since it was built by the crew of "The Discovery". This ship's crew was on an expedition led by Captain Robert F. Scott. Due to the cold temperatures and dry air the hut and all of its contents, even the 100 year old dead seal at the door way caught for food, are in remarkably good condition.
Nothing has changed in 100 years. Even the wood is original.
This is where our journey begins past a window that explores of our past gazed out at the frozen sea.
The window of time - What do you think they saw?
We are now part of history. You and I are trekking together and are now...
Hello Trekkers,
What a wild couple of days. On Wednesday of this week here on Antarctica we, my teammates and I, loaded all our suitcases and participated in a "bag drag". This is when you lug all your stuff including all you extreme weather gear up to the post office building in McMurdo and it all gets weighed. Even I had to stand on the scale with my stuff. This is so the plane does not get overloaded for the trip. We left everything there except for our carry-on luggage. Our suitcases and duffel bags were then placed on pallets which would be loaded onto the plane the next day.
Thursday morning in McMurdo was nearly 40 degrees. We once again made our way to the post office to prepare for the flight. It was so dry and warm that dust blew around town as it would...
Trekkers,
I have told you that I have met the most amazing individuals while I have been here. I yesterday I sat down to lunch with some friends and a woman joined us that others at the table knew. As she sat by me I said, "Hi, my name is Gary." She responded, "Hi my name is Ann." Lunch continued and we discussed a web site that honors great women of science. WINGS WORLDQUEST, http://www.wingsworldquest.org/ . The motto of the organization is, "WINGS celebrates and supports extraordinary women explorers and promotes scientific exploration, education and conservation to inspire future generations." My lunch companions began pointing out women in the galley that had been honored by organization. Then one of them turned to Ann and asked why she hadn't been named. Modestly she replied, "Oh...
On Sunday, 29 January 1989, 80 people gathered to dedicate the new Chapel of the Snows, which is the third chapel to be raised at McMurdo station. It is located just 840 miles from the South Pole. The Chapel of the Snows is the world's southernmost building erected primarily for religious services. It also is the only known house of worship in Antarctica.
Notice the achors on either side of the entrance.
STOP!!!! Before you read any farther or look at any pictures STOP!!!! Draw, paint or doodle a design for a stained glass window in the Chapel of the Snows in McMurdo Station, Antarctica.
What symbols would you use in the window?
What colors would you use?
Remember ½ the year the sun never sets and the other ½ of the year the sun never shines. Does that cause create any issues for...
Diving under the sea ice in Antarctica. What an amazing thought. Since I am not a scuba diver this would not be something I could do myself, BUT I could get close.
I had the wonderful opportunity to join Stacy Kim and her team as a dive tender. You can read all about Stacy's project here in Antarctica in polartrec teacher Michele Cross' journals with the Antarctica Undersea ROV ‘09 project. They do work with a remote controlled sub called SCINI
First of all let me introduce the three divers that I joined.
Researcher on the Antarctica Undersea ROV '09 project
Part of the diving team
Part of the diving team
All three of them live in California and have dived in many places around the world. They are all members of the same research team. Rachel Javorsek, an employee of Raytheon Polar...
The science conducted in Antarctica is so varied.
Teams are studying geology, glaciology, oceanography, astronomy meteorology, atmospheric sciences, biology, and medical science. I am sure there are even more that I haven't even discovered. With these fields you find all types of engineers and computer specialist like the members of my team as well.
One thing they all have in common while they are conducting their science on Antarctica, the coldest, driest, windiest continent on the planet, is they have no control over the weather.
Weather rules this place. Nothing is done without consulting the weather. No planes or helicopters take off without concern for the weather. No teams are deployed to the field unless they are prepared to face the weather. You don't even leave on a hike...
Here's a little story about the penguin with a big dream. Enjoy!!! Dream Big Dreams
A Story of Dreaming Big
Addie was an Adelie Penguin who dreamed of flying.
No one he around him knew how to fly...
Addie just knew that he was a bird.
Addie knew he had feathers
Addie knew he had wings.
But Addie could only run as fast as he could
and pretend to fly.
Addie parcticed every day
Addie worked as hard as he could.
Addie dreamed he could fly.
But Addie thought he needed help from a really big bird.
Addie, found a big bird that had wings
Addie practiced with his new friend.
Addie soared with the big bird.
Addie, felt he was surely flying
In his dream, Addie had learned to fly.
For Addie, he would always be the penguin that could fly.
A story about Addie the Penguin Who...
Place your hands on the table in front of you.
Hand model 1
Move your right hand toward your left hand, which is firmly held in place, until your fingers begin to touch.
Hand Model 2
While the left hand is in place keep moving your right hand toward the left and notice what happens to your fingers.
Hand Model 3
You have just produced a model of a pressure ridge. Your left hand represented a massive ice shelf fed from a glacier. Your right hand represented the sea ice that as summer advances the ice begins to melt and crack and then begins moving as it is influenced by the tides.
Cracks form in the sea ice as summer approaches
Mr Wesche's feet on either side of an expanding crack in the sea ice
Where these two forms of ice meet the ice buckles and forms what is called a pressure...
For over 2 weeks members of my team have been here in McMurdo Station working in a small building on the sea ice runway.
Their job was to begin the unpacking and testing of the specially designed radars that had been shipped from The Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) in Lawrence, Kansas to McMurdo Station, Antarctica.
Dr. Fernando Rodriges-Morales an electrical engineer, Cameron Lewis and Logan Smith both graduate students in electrical engineering from the University of Kansas had the equipment assembled and tested by the time the rest of the team arrived.
Fernando and Cameron Lewis test out the radars before installation into the plane
Dr. Fernando Rodriges-Morales testing the equipment in a hut on the sea ice runway.
After the testing was completed in the small...
Hello Trekkers,
I have found it is fascinating to introduce myself to everyone I happen to be standing or sitting near. While a huge number of the people here are directly working with a science program like I am, many people living here are going to work every day like most adults where you live. They do jobs like trash collection and sorting, road repair, water services, firefighting, housing office staff, janitors, chefs, dish washers, recreation coordinators, priests or ministers, nurses, pilots, painters, repairmen, office assistance, shop keepers, yoga instructors, gym trainers, town managers, large equipment operators. Everything needed to support the work of science
Jamie is a bilingual elementary teacher who is working on staff in the dining room where they feed 1100 people 3...
I, Gary Wesche, am the last polartrec teacher for the polar year 2009-2010.
All 18 teachers applied October 1, 2008 and were selected in January 2009. The last week of February 2009 we met in Fairbanks, Alaska for training. A week after that the first teacher of the year, Deanna Wheeler, left on her expedition. Now the last 5 polartrec teachers are in the field and 4 of us are passing though McMurdo working with our expedition teams or preparing to go into the field.
I want you to meet two of them here in my journal in hopes that you will read their journals as well. Each one of them is journaling about their experiences. Each project is unique. Each brings such an interesting background to the teaching profession.
Gary, Sarah, and Heidi overlooking the sea ice
Sarah Diers is...
