Christmas in Antarctica

Written by Anita Thorolvsen Munch, Journalist

Published: 20.12.2007

dronen ingress (Ingressbilde)

The joint Norwegian-US research expedition to the South Pole (the Traverse) is now midway between Troll and the South Pole. A wounded finger and a broken gear box recently forced the expedition to make an unexpected stop in the ice field.

 “Unfortunately, another technical problem arose the other day. This time it was the transfer box on Chinook that died. A spare one is at Troll and we are expecting a Basler flight within a few days,” Jan Gunnar Winther wrote in the expedition diary.

Last week a gear box in one of the transport vehicles broke down. Spare parts from the Norwegian Troll station were flown in to the expedition, now located 1200 kilometres from Troll. Also on the plane from Troll was a doctor, who treated the finger wound of chief driller Mary Albert. Due to this unexpected stop, the team of scientists and technicians decided to make the second long science stop right there.

Foto: Norsk Polarinstitutt


Three days of drilling – 1000 years of climate history
Before these technical problems occured, the traverse was scheduled to reach the closed down American Plateau Station by the end of last week, on the very same day Roald Amundsen reached the South Pole, 96 years ago. However, with these unpredictable events the team had to stop 125 kilometres before Plateau Station.

During the stop, scientists and technicians have started drilling a second 90 metre ice core. The ice cores contain thousand years of climate information from previously unexplored areas. Yesterday the drilling team passed 60 metres.

The first 90 metre ice core was retrieved from Queen Maud Land on December 2. The drilling took three days, and it was a milestone for the project to acquire climate data from a hitherto unknown area of Antarctica. The expedition has planned two more of these drilling operations.

The chief driller’s wounded finger has troubles healing properly. She was given antibiotics by the doctor and for the time being she cannot use her right hand. Otherwise she is well, according to Jan Gunnar Winther.

Automatic weather station
Beltevogn i trøbbel.Foto: NRK
Beltevogn i trøbbel.During this stop, the members of the expedition have also carried out radar measurements and erected an automatic weather station which will send meteorological data for the next five years via a satellite system.

The research expedition started in November and has now covered almost half the distance between Troll and the South Pole. So far the voyage has been ridden with vehicle problems. Four differentials have been replaced, and the gear box.

There is a lot of wear and tear on the vehicles due to heavy loads and freezing temperatures. Despite all this, the expedition is only a few days behind schedule and the team has been able to conduct all the scheduled research.

Summer in Antarctica
“Now, the summer seems really to have reached us. Without winds and temperatures in the mid minus twenties makes it is very nice to work outside. Finally…” Winther also writes.

In the beginning of January the traverse will reach the US research station at the South Pole. By then, they will have covered approximately 2800 kilometres.

The task of the twelve expedition members is to investigate changes in the ice sheet of Queen Maud Land in order to understand the role of Antarctica in the global climate. They will especially investigate the effect of changes in the Antarctic ice sheet on the global sea level. The expedition is headed by Jan Gunnar Winther, director of the Norwegian Polar Institute.

Read more about the Traverse here

NRK (The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) covers the traverse online. Read more here

Front- and top photo: Test-flying the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, with a 3.8 metre wingspan and a 2.8 metre length. The UAV weighs more than 20 kilos and carries 3-4 kilos of instruments.

Large picture: Journalist from NRK Unni Ødegård holds a 1000 years old ice core in her hands.

Last updated: 23.09.2008

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