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Antarctic Undersea ROV

Hi Mindy-

What a great blog on poem writing! Reminded me that scientists are multi-talented creative folk, and to get my students to express themselves in different ways. Wondering if you are seeing any ice algae holding onto the ice or if you are experiencing an algae bloom down under?

Also, have your scientists seen any evidence of volcanic activity under the ice where you are at? Does Mt. E burble and bubble at will?

Sending you warm Kona winds!

Maggie

Tue, 11/06/2007 - 14:38

Mindy Bell

Hi Maggie,Glad you enjoyed the poems!  If we get snowed in we can try to write some more.  Mostly we work all day - even today they dove in our freshly falling snow!
We don't see any percolating from Erebus underwater where we are.  Not much has been explored underwater here though so that is always a possibility!
The ice algae grow under sea ice that is about 6 feet thick or less - when they can get enough sunlight.  But we don't have any ice that thin yet.  That's too bad as we are drilling, drilling, drilling through ice that is anywhere from 12 to 20 feet thick.  It is super hard work!  Six feet would feel like a vacation!
The diatoms will bloom when the sea ice melts and lots of sunlight gets through.  Then the divers stop diving because they don't have their sea ice platform to dive from, and because the visibility goes down as the algae blooms go up!