Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 01/16/2011 - 16:58
Forums
Ice Core Drilling in West Antarctica 2010

Dear Heidi and Team, Do you guys think the result of the ice core drilling was worth all of you leaving your home, family, and friends? Were these the results you had hoped for and are you happy with them? Sincerely, Katie Wilkins

Thu, 02/24/2011 - 10:27

Heidi Roop

Katie,Thank you for your thoughtful question! One of the most rewarding aspects of being in the field is the close community that develops. The folks in camp become like family. The rewards of the science are multifaceted; we still have lots to learn but we were able to overcome lots of challenges and obstacles this season to collect the rest of the ice core for the WAIS project. Knowing that hundreds of scientists are eagerly awaiting these ice cores makes it worth the difficulties of being away from home. Ultimately, being part of this large and fascinating project is such a honor. I eagerly await results from the lab and hope that this ice core will really help us, as a global community, learn about the Earth's past climate. In many ways, the science has just begun on the WAIS Divide core. There are several exciting years ahead of us as we learn from the ice.