Journal

Yesterday, I got the chance to meet a bunch of extraordinary scientists. I was thrilled with the result, I had the privilege to sit down briefly with Diana Wall and Ross Virginia. They had to bag drag that day so they gave me a few minutes and then introduced me to the other members of their team. But I do want to let you know why I was so excited to talk with them. These two scientists were the founders of The McMurdo Dry Valleys Long-Term Ecological Research (MCM(abbreviation) McMurdo Station LTER) Program. The Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network was created by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 1980 to conduct research on ecological issues that can last decades and span huge geographical areas. Dr. Wall and Dr. Virginia brought LTER to McMurdo in 1993. The nearby McMurdo Dry Valleys on the shore of McMurdo Sound, are of interest because they form the largest relatively ice-free area on the Antarctic continent. The Dry Valleys compose about approximately 4,800 sq km, or less than 2% of the surface area of Antarctica. These ice-free areas of Antarctica are very different from most other ecosystems in the world. The Dry Valleys are not only cold but they are a desert (thus Dry Valleys). The exposed soil within the McMurdo Dry Valleys are subject to low temperatures, limited precipitation, and salt accumulation. The Dry Valleys represent a region where life approaches its environmental limits.

The Wormherders in the Dry Valleys.
The Wormherders in the Dry Valleys. Photo by Josh Heward.
But my friend, Josh Heward, has been working with a group scientists to find life in the Dry Valleys. They have collected samples of tardigrades, nematodes, and round worms in the soils of the Dry Valleys (they have taken on the moniker the Wormherders in honor of this).
Samples
The Wormherders send samples back to the states to analyze. While here they don't have time to do a full analysis
At times they have found thousand nematodes per square meter. One key to these creature's success has been to remain inactive when it becomes too dry. If you want to know more then I highly recommend checking out Josh's PolarTREC journal here.
Polar Star While Docked
Polar Star While Docked
Later in the day I got to go on a tour of the USCGC Polar Star icebreaker. It is one of three Coast Guard icebreakers and it is the only one that can handle the antarctic ice due to its two inch hull and special design.
Polar Star View
View from the deck of the USCGC Polar Star.
Polar Star
View off the USCGC Polar Star.

Comments

Sun, 01/22/2017 - 17:13

Isabella Davidson

Hi Mr. Thuma! I Miss having you as my super smart physics teacher and I can't wait to have you back in class!! Also, do the worms that the Wormherders get play an interesting role in anything for the soil? Or for your research?

Wed, 01/18/2017 - 14:16

Maria Lefevre

Hi Mr. Thuma,
Was it hard for your body to adjust to the 24 hours of day light? Like sleep wise?

Wed, 01/18/2017 - 14:29

Monica Fan

How often is the Polar Star used to clear the ice?

Wed, 01/18/2017 - 14:35

Rachel Ko

Hi Mr. Thuma!How much ice does the Polar Star clear at a time and how long does it take for it to do so?

Wed, 01/18/2017 - 14:36

Krista Nelson

What kind of life are they looking for/ have they found in the dry valleys?

Wed, 01/18/2017 - 14:41

Eric Thuma

Actually it hasn't been that bad. I make sure to limit my light exposure a couple hours before bed. I'll wear sunglasses outside and close the blinds in my room. That seems to help. Also the work down here has been pretty physically demanding so that helps.

Wed, 01/18/2017 - 14:45

Eric Thuma

I think they just do once a year right before the research vessel the Nathanial B Palmer comes into McMurdo. But they do have other missions, I believe. Fun Fact: Only crew on icebreakers are allowed to wear a red hat in the coast guard. And there are only 3 icebreakers one in the northern hemisphere, one in the Great Lakes, and one down here (although the Polar Star lives in Seattle most of the year.

Wed, 01/18/2017 - 14:49

Eric Thuma

Excellent question. They have found roundworms, tardigrades, and nemotodes. So small tough stuff. There isn't much else there occasionally they will find a seal that has gotten lost and dies down there. The South Pole is even more extreme soil samples down there have shown only trace amounts of bacteria and even then the bacteria they found looked more like airborne bacteria then soil bacteria so the thought is that is just got blown in.

Wed, 01/18/2017 - 16:12

Rosa Razmi

Hi Mr. Thuma,I actually was wondering, how exactly does the Polar Star actually work?

Wed, 01/18/2017 - 16:50

Luke Lampkins

Hey there, from those pictures it seems like those are some pretty large mountains. Online it says that Antarctica can range as high as 13,000 feet above sea level at its highest point. Could you feel a difference when you got there? If so, have you gotten used to it since you have been there. And lastly, do you think that the extreme altitude may have an effect on the wildlife creatures that live there?

Wed, 01/18/2017 - 18:08

Eric Thuma

McMurdo Station is right at sea level so no adjustment was required. Folks flying to pole usually take pills to assist with altitude sickness because they fly from McMurdo to Pole in a matter of hours which doesn't give you much time to adapt. As for the wildlife ...I'm not really a bio guy but I'll ask around.

Wed, 01/18/2017 - 18:11

Eric Thuma

It has both diesel and electric motors which they can use at the same time or mix and match. It has a 2 inch thick hull and no keel. These and other design features allow it to push, or slam into the ice and break it. The bowman told me they are rated to go through 18 ft of new ice (ice gets harder as it ages.)

Wed, 01/18/2017 - 20:03

Eric Thuma

It breaks a path not much bigger than its width and even then the pressure on the ice pushes it back in behind it to some extent. The speed depends on the thickness of the ice. But it is not fast.

Thu, 01/19/2017 - 04:13

Lily Nowland

How is it so dry and barren in the dry vallies even though it's in Anartica? Why isn't there as much snow there as there is on the rest of the continent?

Thu, 01/19/2017 - 08:41

Eric Thuma

Well all of Antarctica is technically a desert. There isn't all that much snowfall. But what snow does fall, stays. The dry allies are just a location that doesn't get much accumulation.

Thu, 01/19/2017 - 16:09

Sydney Smith

Hi Mr. Thuma! What is the reason for the lack of life in the dry vallies? Since there has been some samples of life found, what significance does that have?

Thu, 01/19/2017 - 16:49

Eric Thuma

The Dry valleys are a very extreme environment. It is very cold and dry all the time there. It is pretty amazing that anything can live there. They have found lichen and roundworms and a few other things. They study them to try to understand how they survive and to see what effects the changing climate has on them among other things.

Fri, 01/20/2017 - 20:08

Jericho Barr-R…

We're you able to see any of the wildlife that was found in the dry valleys?