Exploration of the Antarctic continent did not occur until the late 1800’s, and the South Pole was first reached on December 14, 1911. Courage, planning, and technology have been the main components of Antarctic exploration from the earliest days. This classroom activity is designed to highlight the historical elements of the past 100 years of exploration in Antarctica and
Antarctica is the coldest, driest place on Earth with a fairly limited number of native species which have adapted to these extreme conditions over millions of years. As a result, it's not very likely that a non-native species would survive there . . . right? Actually ever since exploration and exploitation of the Antarctic region began in the 1800's
This story in Discover magazine profiles the work of the WISSARD (Whillans Ice Stream Subglacial Access Research Drilling) project team and the challenges faced by drilling thousands of feet into the West Antarctic Ice Sheet to reach a lake buried for millennia.
This scientific article, focuses on one of the largest pools of global carbon that is, the organic C stored in permafrost (perennially frozen) ground, and on the vulnerability to change under an increasingly warmer climate.
A scientific report describing the results of the CiPEHR Experiment as of 2011. This report attempts to answer these questions:
(1) Does ecosystem warming cause a net release of C from the ecosystem to the atmosphere?,
(2) Does the decomposition of old C that comprises the bulk of the soil C pool influence ecosystem C loss?, and
(3) How do
The Geophysical Institute Permafrost Laboratory (GIPL)
The Permafrost Laboratory deals with scientific questions related to the circumpolar permafrost dynamics and feedbacks between permafrost and global change. At the Permafrost Laboratory, data related to the thermal and structural state of circumpolar permafrost is collected and analyzed. The focus of our research is the development of methods to physically and mathematically model
Article about earth science and environmental science teacher Mike LeBaron's expedition to Antarctica as part of the WISSARD project (Whillans Ice Stream Subglacial Access Research Drilling) at McMurdo Station, Antarctica.
This one hour live event is hosted by PolarTREC teacher Mike LeBaron and his team studying sub-glacial lakes and streams. The team is at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. This event was part of the December 2012 Antarctica Day celebration. The team also speaks about the importance of the Antarctic Treaty and scientific investigations.
This article in the suburban Chicago newspaper The Daily Herald, describes the WISSARD project and it's science objectives. The article highlights the work of NIU professor Dr. Ross Powell, John Winans, and graduate student Timothy Hodson.