Published during the austral summer at McMurdo Station, , for the United States Program November 23, 2003 Finding a way to the Pole...

Photo by Kris Kuenning /The Antarctic Sun The team charged with finding an overland way to the left McMurdo Station Tuesday. This year’s journey will take the seven men to the Leverett Glacier and back by early February. See South Pole traverse on page 11, Science traverse on page 10 Moon to stage show for Ice people By Brien Barnett, Kristan Hutchison peak of the show lasts only about two min- cent of the sun’s disk covered by the and Kris Kuenning utes. moon. About 10 minutes later, South Pole Sun Staff Cross your fingers for clear skies. residents will see almost 90 percent of the Most times the best party is one with McMurdo forecaster Greg McQuoid said a disk covered. In your haste to witness the the lights off. weather system is due in from the Ross phenomenon, remember not to look So, hats off to the moon for agreeing to Sea on Monday and viewers there should directly at the sun. (See story page 9.) throw the switch midday Monday to kick expect a mostly cloudy day with an occa- One group of astronomy fans at start the total solar eclipse party. sional break. McMurdo is hoping to receive solar filter Most everybody in Antarctica will be At McMurdo station the show begins sunglasses from the States. able to witness at least a part of the Sunday at 22:08:57 UT or just after 11:08 “Otherwise, we’ll watch it through eclipse, with those in extremely remote a.m. Monday local time when the moon welder’s masks,” said Jennifer Wilson, areas seeing totality, or the actual shadow first starts to cross the sun’s edge. At 12:06 who has led a McMurdo astronomy club of the moon as it passes between the sun p.m., the time of maximum eclipse at in past years. Wilson started tracking solar and Earth. But don’t be late because the McMurdo, viewers will see about 75 per- See Eclipse on page 8

INSIDE Quote of the Week South Pole Making movies “You can’t be everywhere at telescopes update from the Pole once. Darn this physical life.” Page 12 - Photographer on the difficulties Page 7 of bilocating for the eclipse www.polar.org/antsun 2 • The Antarctic Sun November 23, 2003

Ross Island Chronicles By Chico It’s amazing how a tiny organism can beat Look ... overwhelming odds to survive such a hostile there’s a environment. nematode Cold, hard facts Let there be totality l A solar eclipse can occur only at new moon, when the moon passes between earth and sun. To think this little guy can survive such WAIT!!! l Total solar eclipses happen He’s moving. an extreme environment. It’s a wonder about once every 1.5 years. Give him he’s the toughest creature on the continent. l The longest duration for a total some room. solar eclipse is 7.5 minutes. l Only partial solar eclipses can be observed from the North and South Poles. (Monday’s eclipse holds true to that. The path of totality is not at the actual Pole.) l Nearly identical eclipses (par- tial, annular or total) occur after 18 I think this proves they’re not so tough years and 11 days, or every 6,585.32 days (Saros Cycle). after all, wouldn’t you agree? l The maximum number of solar eclipses (partial, annular or total) is five per year. l Eclipse shadows travel at 1,770 kph at the equator and up to 8,046 kph near the poles.

Sources: Space.com and MrEclipse.com

The Antarctic Sun is funded by the National ICEBERG UPDATE: On the move Science Foundation as part of the United States Antarctic Program (OPP-000373). Its pri- mary audience is U.S. Antarctic Program participants, their fami- lies, and their friends. NSF reviews and approves material before publication, but opinions and conclusions expressed in the Sun are not necessarily those of the Foundation. Use: Reproduction and distribution are encouraged with acknowledgment of source and author. Senior Editor: Kristan Hutchison Editors: Brien Barnett Kris Kuenning Copy Editor: JD Menezes, Wendy Kober, Melanie Conner Publisher: Valerie Carroll, Communications manager, RPSC October 2003 November 2003 Contributions are welcome. Contact the Sun at [email protected]. In McMurdo, visit In these images taken by satellites, giant icebergs B15A and B15J appear to be on the our office in Building 155 or dial 2407. move, with the larger one swinging west at the bottom and B15J rotating west and sliding east. The two were connected as one iceberg until they split apart in October. Web address: www.polar.org/antsun November 23, 2003 The Antarctic Sun • 3 Bare hooks lure tiny fish for research Scientists want to learn more about the species’ curious saltwater drinking habits

By Kris Kuenning Sun Staff o one understands the phrase “drinking like a fish” better than David Petzel. The researcher from NCreighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Neb. is studying how fish drinking rates relate to water temperature. “We’re trying to figure out how the temperature affects the amount of salt in the blood,” Petzel said. Further down the track, Petzel’s research may have applica- tions for hypertension problems in people. After doing PhD work with long-time fish researcher Art DeVries and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1982, Petzel knows a thing or two about Antarctic fish. Now he’s back at McMurdo station with his second grant to Photos by Kris Kuenning / The Antarctic Sun study the unique cold-water adaptation of Above, fish researcher David Petzel, left, Trematomus bernacchii. and his daughter Ann use a power auger to drill a fishing hole near . Petzel But first he has to catch them. is studying the tiny McMurdo Sound fish “We’re always looking for good fishing called bernacchii to learn more about how spots,” Petzel said. And good fishermen. they adapt to cold water. Petzel recruits dining assistants, con- struction workers and any other willing At left, Petzel pulls one of the small bernac- bodies to set and pull traps or try their luck chii out of the hole. He uses only a hook, at ice fishing. line and sinker attached to a wooden block to catch and reel in the fish. On a good day, Bernacchii fishing is a simple sport. First the research team will land about 30 fish you drill a hole near an old crack in the sea and rush them to the lab for further study. ice. A 2-meter long drill will break through the ice with a rush of seawater over the ankles in just a few minutes. Then hook, line and sinker are attached to a simple The fish use an enzyme in their gills to team has isolated the enzyme and viewed it wooden block and lowered to the seafloor. pump some of the salt out of their blood- under a microscope. The team found the The bottom-dwelling bernacchii are not par- stream. The lower the blood salt content, properties of the enzyme changed after ticularly wily, but it does take a quick pull of the more the fish has to drink to replenish four weeks in the warm bath. the line to snag the brown, palm-sized fish. water lost to the sea. Understanding more about how these A good day’s fishing will haul around Most fish have a blood salinity of cells work could be useful for under- 30 fish. The trick is to get them to the around 300 milliosmoles but the bernac- standing hypertension in humans, Petzel cooler bucket before the –10 C air temper- chii is almost 600. By pulling the fish out said. ature freezes them. of their –1.9 C waters and placing them “It’s a far-off application, but it could On a recent Sunday fishing trip, into the comparably tropical temperature be helpful for people with a high salt con- Petzel’s daughter Anne drove the sloshing of 4 C, Petzel’s team has observed an tent in their blood. We’re interested in the cooler of fish back to the station in a increase in drinking rates and an almost 20 fish’s adaptation to this unique environ- tracked vehicle. The outdoorsy 17-year- percent drop in the blood salinity. ment,” Petzel said. old works in the Crary lab when not out His research is working to understand Petzel’s three-year grant from the fishing. why the fish changes its salinity in differ- National Science Foundation includes two The sloshing helps keep the water oxi- ent temperatures. years of study in Antarctica. After analyz- dized long enough to get the fish safely “The question is ‘is it to resist freezing ing the data and making adjustments to the back to the laboratory aquarium. Petzel or conserve energy?’” Petzel said. focus of his research, Petzel will return to and his team, which includes pharmacolo- Higher salt content in the blood makes the Ice in 2005. gist Margaret Scofield, and cell biologist the fish more resistant to freezing but the “In year three of the grant we look for- Phil Brauer from Creighton University, adaptation might also be a trick for con- ward to determining the effects of temper- are observing how the fish can adapt the serving energy in the cold waters. By ature on hormone levels in the fish and salt content of their blood in different tem- looking at the oxygen consumption, Petzel their effects on blood salt levels, drinking peratures. is trying to determine if the fish use more rates and enzyme activity.” Oceangoing fish take in seawater, which energy at –1.9 C or 4 C. Petzel’s research is being followed on has a salinity of 1000 milliosmoles per kilo- He is also studying the specific enzyme the Web by high school students in gram. A milliosmole refers to the number of in the gill membrane that is responsible for Omaha, Maine, Washington State and particles in a specific amount of liquid. removing salt from the blood. The research Australia. 4 • The Antarctic Sun November 23, 2003

Perspectives Perspectives People make the Ice an experience

By Karen Murphy n Oct. 2, I stepped off a C-141 onto the continent of Antarctica for the very first time. A new Ofound friend told me not to hurry when I got off the plane, but stop and turn full circle. The ice sparkled, Mount Erebus was puffing, the air was crisp on my cheeks and the military plane I just got off was enormous. I was awed, excited and scared at the same time. It was my first time here and I knew that I would never experience these moments again. A first timer. We’re a little embar- rassed to be one because when others refer to us as such it’s not a compliment. We’re the tourists in town. We show “In a little more child-like awe at than seven weeks everything around on the Ice I’ve us with our mouths gaping at the beau- grown to love all ty of the landscape. Photo by Brien Barnett / The Antarctic Sun the good things We are judgmental, Karen Murphy works for McMurdo Station’s housing office and said one of the goals still on about being new.” arrogant, believing her to-do list is to hike to the top of Observation Hill, just outside of McMurdo. So far, she’s - Karen Murphy we could do things completed the Armitage Loop, which is a flagged trail on the sea ice from McMurdo to New better because we Zealand’s on the other side of Ob Hill. are smart, educated and experienced beyond our positions — through illness. One common thread to those who simply do something nice for so we may think. these experiences is emotion. you. In a little more than seven weeks on Emotion cements memories. There are There are so many. The person half my the Ice I’ve grown to love all the good no events remembered well, joyful or age who cared enough to ask me how I things about being new. I am still wowed painful, that do not stir strong feelings. was doing when he knew I might be hav- every time I come out of my dorm and see My first time in Antarctica is and will be ing a rough time; the person who made me a glimpse of the Royal Society Range. no different. I will always remember my a CD just because; the person who gave And I cannot wait to see how Winter first look at Mount Erebus, penguins me his phone card when he learned I had- Quarters Bay will look when the vessel walking on the runway and seals lazily n’t brought one; the people who wished arrives. I cannot imagine it now and I lying around on the ice looking like slugs. me a happy birthday and those who know this will be the only season I can However, more than any scenery or trucked out to the sea with me say that. We all need to acknowledge and wildlife, I will remember all the remark- and walked back together because they appreciate the excitement of the first sea- able people I have met—people who have knew that was what I wanted to do on my son and hope others who have been here given of themselves generously without a birthday; the person who sang me Happy before can, at times, remember how the second thought. Birthday in Swedish, the person who first season felt. I am fortunate to work in the housing carved me a penguin, the person who nick- To appreciate being in Antarctica for office because it allows me to meet every- named me “Karry-On.” There are so the first time or to recapture the feeling of one on station, from those who are new many more. the first time, we must be open to remem- like me to those who have come for many Just three weeks ago, I was calling this bering all the memorable first times in our seasons. I have met so many smart, funny, Papillon On Ice, in reference to an old life—going to school, making friends, creative and caring people. movie where a guy is sent to a prison moving away from home, falling in love, People who on their day off give tours camp on a tropical island. Now I know making love. Other firsts might include to newcomers, those who offer classes in leaving will be poignant. losing a pet, losing a loved one, getting their free time to share music, exercise, In the end, we go to a place for the first divorced, almost losing a loved one dance or the . And, time, but what we find are these people. November 23, 2003 The Antarctic Sun • 5 around the continent

mer activity. Classes are being scheduled, SOUTH POLE and folks are breaking out the skis – even though our temperatures have been hold- Changes under the Dome ing in the minus 40s. By Tracy Sheeley One of our unique offtime activities South Pole correspondent involves a ski or walk out to a buried LC- This week at Pole marks the true begin- 130. Roughly 1½ miles from station, the ning of a busy summer season – the last of LC-130 crashed upon landing on Jan. 28, our winter crew left the station and put it 1973. South Pole Station then was “Old in our hands on Nov. 14. We are all set- Pole” – the first South Pole Station in tling into our world here, even as it 1956, prior to the move to the Dome in changes before our eyes. 1975. There were eight people staffing Now that the new Elevated Station and Old Pole at the time. No one was serious- Photo by Kristan Hutchison / The Antarctic Sun kitchen are in use, the former dining area ly injured in the crash, but the plane was Pancake ice in the sea outside of Palmer under the Dome has been turned into an destroyed. The aircraft was making a Station earlier this year. exercise room, and the old kitchen is now ground controlled radar approach to South work under two principal investigators, storage for do not freeze kitchen and store Pole in poor weather and landed too hard. items. The freshie shack, which has Maria Vernet and Ray Smith. Vernet’s The wing tips hit the skiway, and the outer research focuses on the phytoplankton housed our fruit, vegetables, soda and beer wings, tail, landing gear and engines came for years, was demolished last week, and a ecology component. Smith’s research off and caught fire. looks at the bio-optical component; what bare space remains under the Dome. Two In the thirty years since, the aircraft has additional buildings will be taken offline kind of light the phytoplankton have to been almost entirely buried by drifting use. Our four researchers on station – team this summer – the Dome weight room and snow. Each summer, we dig it out, and the “black box”, another storage area. leaders Wendy Kozlowski and Karie make certain it is still safe to explore. So Sines, along with Peter Horne and Bryan These buildings were heated with electric on our flightless Sundays, the curious bun- heat, so the fuel savings will be consider- White – share the responsibilities of this dle up in ECW gear, wander out to the research from collections of samples to lab able. plane – and marvel at the history. They Oldtimers find themselves struggling a work to experimental work. also enjoy a nice warm dinner inside upon Their collection sites are at the end of bit with lingo as we adapt to these their return. changes. Old Galley? Dome Gym? Old Bonaparte Point (representative of inshore Galley Gym? Undoubtedly, we will devel- PALMER sampling) and at Station E, a point farther op new terms through the transition to the out at the end of Laggard Island (represen- elevated station – perhaps even some new tative of where the shore break falls off). Pack ice adds challenge They do water column samples twice a acronyms. By Kerry Kells The science population is growing at week. Defined as a volume or area of Palmer correspondent water going down in depth, a water col- Pole, as is the population in general. This past week the research vessel Inhabiting the new station has enabled us umn is a vertical profile equivalent to an Laurence M. Gould arrived at Palmer ice core. The “euphotic” zone of water is to raise our base population number to 232 Station, bringing with it more researchers – a gain of 12 bodies since last year. Our where the light filters into the water and and new staff. The Gould had to fight where the phytoplankton can use this light population is already in the 220s. In addi- through the pack ice that had returned to tion to the usual RPSC support projects to photosynthesize. Phytoplankton require surround our station. With the pack ice in, light and nutrients as a food source for and ongoing science, we will host a vari- our researchers were not able to Zodiac their survival and success. ety of visitors this season. One group is out to their research sites for samples. here now – the Light Ground Traverse Both projects, the bio-optics and the Another of the projects here at Palmer Phytoplankton ecology component, visit Crew. The first of them arrived on studies phytoplankton, the light dependent Saturday, and they hope to depart within these sites for samples. The bio-optical plants at the mercy of the ocean’s move- component collects conductivity, tempera- 10 days or so. Polies are enjoying watch- ments, and the physical parameter and ing the steps involved to get the science ture and density and other data at these optics of the water in which the phyto- water column sites. The euphotic zone in traverse rolling across the plateau. plankton live. water, where the light is available for use, As we have acclimated to the altitude Four researchers at rep- and the summer routine, more energy for is measured by different instruments resent two components of the Long Term brought to the sites. One of these instru- fun has emerged. Bingo Night with our Ecological Research project concerned acclaimed host, James Brown, has com- with primary production. Both groups menced and promises to be a popular sum- See Palmer on page 6 the week in weather

McMurdo Station Palmer Station South Pole Station High: 21 F / -6 C Low: 9 F / -13 C High: 41 F / 5 C Low: 19 F / -7 C High:-37 F / -38 C Low:-43 F / -46 C Wind: 21 mph / 34 kph Wind: 47 mph / 76 kph Wind: 16 mph / 26 kph Windchill: -27 F / -33 C Windchill: 10 F / -12 C 6 • The Antarctic Sun November 23, 2003 and socializing. At 3 p.m. the ship left Palmer From page 5 King George, heading north for Punta Arenas. The next day the L.M. Gould ments is the new Ocean Sensors Autonomous Profiling Vehicle, which is crossed latitude 60 south after passing still in the setup stage. The phytoplankton safely through an armada of icebergs north of . component focuses on basic physical The ship arrived in port Nov. 19 and oceanography. This includes looking at the temperature, salinity and water clarity and will remain there until Nov. 23. filters for particulate carbon and nitrogen, ------pigment composition, discrete chlorophyll Nathaniel B. Palmer and measurements of dissolved inorganic Compiled from reports by Don nutrients among many other tests conduct- Michaelson ed in the labs. Data are collected daily on Science started the week off pumping photosynthesis-available light and ultra water into carboys and filtering at a “fren- McMurdo violet radiation. Experimental work ana- zied pace.” The ship departed for New lyzes the effects of the microzooplankton Zealand on Nov. 12, and stopped the next Graphic by Kelly Brunt grazing on the phytoplankton or the day to continue water probes to measure chlorophyll biomass. salinity and temperature, filtering water and Wood Bay in search While phytoplankton are basically sin- for science crews and plankton net casts in of a location for a station. The Italian and gle-celled organisms not visible to the eye, what would turn out to be the last day for New Zealand Antarctic programs provided they survive by the sunlight and nutrients science stops. The voyage north continued transportation. The scout looked at five available to them, add a component to the with choppy seas and swells up to 20 feet. sites and selected one on the coast of water in which they livem, and serve as a “Right now I type with one hand while Wood Bay, according to a report presented source of food for the zooplankton. The holding on with the other,” Don at the July meeting of the Joint Committee data collected on phytoplankton and their Michaelson wrote in the daily report. On on Antarctic Data Management in position and dependency on the water Nov. 16, the wind and seas turned around Brussels. around them, as well as analysis of the and pushed the Palmer along at a solid 11 The chosen location is a small coastal ocean water, are an important part of the knots. The ship didn’t dare stop for water oasis, free of snow and ice, on basaltic marine ecosystem and the response of the samples because the seas would have moraine. At least five small shallow lakes ecosystem to their ice-dominated environ- caught up. The Palmer crossed into New were found in the area, most of them con- ment, the . With the sea ice Zealand waters that day and docked in nected by a stream discharging into the now blowing out and the water calm, our Lyttleton, New Zealand on Nov. 19 for , which the Estonians plan to use researchers will again be out sampling. unscheduled engine repairs. as a water source. The area had patches of relatively lush vegetation and was inhabit- SHIPS OTHER STATIONS ed by a few skuas, but no penguins. Estonia plans to build a summer-only Laurence M. Gould Estonia picks station site research station for six people. The station Compiled from reports by Steven Ager From a report produced by the will include two prefabricated huts, fuel The Laurence M. Gould arrived at King Institute of Geology at Estonia’s storage and a small workshop for storing George Island Nov. 15 to resupply Copa Tallinn Technical University two snowmobiles through the winter. The field station and drop off one scientist, Estonia is planning to establish a sta- snowmobiles will be the only means of Stacey Buckelew. Working in remarkably tion in Antarctica. land and sea ice transport at the station. A calm weather the crew hauled out the The small eastern European country on 20-meter ship will supply the station out accumulated trash and empty propane the Baltic Sea has sent scientists on expe- of Hobart, Australia, according to a report tanks. The second Zodiac took Palmer ditions run by other countries since 1957. by Antarctic Tasmania from the Antarctic Station passengers ashore to visit Polish In January, a representative of the Treaty Consultative Meeting in Madrid research facility Henryk Arktowski. All of Estonian Antarctic Expedition visited the Spain. Estonia expects to have the station them enjoyed an afternoon of exploring coast of in the region of operational by the 2006-2007 season.

“Mint leaves; spring rolls “Fried grubs. They go “Sushi. You spend all day What food do you with lots of fresh mint good with beer ... I had cooking, so you like it raw leaves.” them in Thailand a few sometimes.” most crave in Wendy Beeler, years ago.” Rich Anderson, Palmer Station cook from Bar Beaver Cohen, McMurdo Station Antarctica? Harbor, Maine, 13th season South Pole sous chef with production cook storage units in Missoula, from Leavenworth, Wash., Mont., fifth season first season November 23, 2003 The Antarctic Sun • 7 Changes ahead for Pole telescopes

By Brien Barnett Astrophysicists believe that Sun Staff the CMB is light that escaped The continuing search for the hot interior of the universe the secrets of the earliest about 400,000 years after the moments of the universe is event that sparked it. Because its prompting changes at wavelengths have lengthened Amundsen-Scott South Pole over time, the CMB is now Station. detectable only in the Probably the most recogniz- microwave portion of the elec- able telescope at the South Pole tromagnetic spectrum. The is being reconfigured to host researchers study data gleaned another planned instrument and from the observations to learn two more telescopes are in the characteristics about the uni- works. verse, such as the rate of expan- The Degree Angular Scale sion and what may compose the Interferometer, or DASI, tele- mysterious dark energy which scope was mostly dismantled seems prevalent throughout the earlier in November after four universe, but which they know years observing the cosmic little about. microwave background (CMB). Photo by Brien Barnett / The Antarctic Sun An upcoming project planned The CMB is light that emanated Stephen Padin stands inside DASI. One of the big boxes and much for operations beginning in aus- from the early universe. The of the wiring was removed to make room for a more sensitive tele- tral winter 2007, the South Pole $3 million scope recorded scope to probe the cosmic microwave background. Telescope will feature an 8- slight temperature differences meter diameter mirror and a in the radiation and measured 1,000-element bolometer array its polarization. to probe deep into the back- DASI had fulfilled its pur- ground radiation and possibly pose and made several impor- find clues about dark energy. tant discoveries along the way, Each bolometer measures the said John Carlstrom, lead scien- intensity of the CMB by sensing tist on the project and professor the tiny change in temperature of astronomy and astrophysics that occurs when the radiation is at the University of Chicago. focused onto the detector. The The two most important dis- radiation shield for the South coveries, according to Pole telescope alone will be 16 Carlstrom, were that DASI con- meters high and 45 meters in firmed the universe is flat and diameter at the peak. Carlstrom that ordinary matter, the stuff is heading the project. that makes up the stars and us, Another telescope that is now only accounts for 5 percent of planned for deployment next the density of the universe. year at the Pole is the smaller Another 25 percent of the den- Background Imaging of Cosmic sity is composed of dark matter, Extragalactic Polarization tele- which does not absorb or emit scope, or BICEP. The telescope light but can be inferred by its Photo by Brien Barnett / The Antarctic Sun sports a 30-centimeter primary gravitational pull. Surprisingly, John Carlstrom, DASI’s principal investigator, talks about the tele- aperture and a 96-bolometer very little is known about the scopes that helped in the hunt for cosmic background radiation. array in an attempt to precisely remaining component except map the polarization of the that it apparently is causing the CMB on angular scales of 1 to expansion of the universe to 10 degrees. These measure- accelerate. The confidence in ments will probe the physical these results was boosted when DASI revealed the background conditions that existed in the universe less than a nanosecond radiation is polarized precisely as predicted for such a universe. after the big bang. The discoveries support theories of modern physics. The polar- “One thing that’s fun about working on BICEP is that we are ization data were the cover story of the Sept. 2002 issue of the looking so far back in time with such a small instrument. Because scientific journal Nature. we’re interested in objects in the sky that are pretty big, about a Scientists now hope to use the DASI telescope and its promi- degree or so, we can use a very small telescope,” said Andrew nent brown wooden reflective shield for another, more sensitive Lange, lead scientist for BICEP from the California Institute of instrument. The new telescope would provide researchers the Technology. “BICEP will be a very important little sister to... the sensitivity necessary to study in detail the polarization of the 8-meter dish. The experiments together will allow us to study just CMB that was discovered by DASI. about every aspect of the CMB.” 8 • The Antarctic Sun November 23, 2003

Courtesy Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC The chart above indicates the path of totality, which passes over Mirny and ends near Novolazarevskaya. It also indicates the maximum of the eclipse as seen from other areas. For example, at Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole, the eclipse will reach nearly 90 percent. “We’re looking forward to it, and of the cosmos, an eclipse requires uncan- Eclipse From page 1 we’ve got our fingers crossed for clear ny timing. Technology has come a long eclipse predictions two years ago, during weather,” Grant said. “Many of the station way from the Styrofoam and wire eclipse her first season on the Ice. personnel have suggested taking the day models back in grade school, but the “A lot of people pay thousands and off in celebration, which should be no mechanics of an eclipse remain the same. thousands of dollars to come down and problem since it happens on our Sunday. Now people can log onto NASA’s eclipse see the eclipse. Being here already is very Others would like to do the Polar Plunge Web site to see animated previews of the handy.” – although we may have to push the sea event and learn how the three objects – the Wilson said an eclipse is a reinforce- ice out of the way before diving in. Either earth, moon and sun – align precisely to ment of the need for science beyond our way it will be a lot of fun.” form a shadow across the planet. A live planet. “It’s a reminder of how much there Just a few people at Russian bases, on a Webcast of the event also is planned at is to learn and how much we can be www.live-eclipse.org. amazed by the little things.” Although eclipses are not rare, occur- At Palmer Station on the Antarctic “There are strange primal feelings ring every couple of years, most people Peninsula the eclipse will be less dramat- when the Sun vanishes in broad have not been in the actual shadow. The ic, with maximum coverage of only about daylight.” last eclipse shadow to touch Antarctica 65 percent. The peak coverage will occur - Fred Bruenjes was 1985, according to records found on just after 8 p.m. Sunday Palmer time, just the NASA eclipse home page. The next before sunset at the station, which is out- one won’t zip over the ice until 2021. side the . tourist cruise ship or aboard chartered air- This eclipse is a bit unusual in that it “Even though it won’t be total, any planes will be in the area of totality where occurs near the bottom of the earth. Being interesting celestial event is cause for the moon blots out the sun entirely and just beyond the South Pole and within the some festivities,” wrote Glenn Grant, the allows a glimpse of the mostly unseen sunrise terminator where it is constantly Palmer research associate. He’s checking corona. If those in the totality are lucky, daylight, allows for the eclipse to traverse for welder’s goggles with a rating of 14 or they’ll see a visual effect in which the from east to west and begin and end at higher, which would allow people to look sun’s rays pop out at one spot while the sunrise. Also, the angle at which the sun- at the sun safely. But if Palmer has its typ- corona is in full effect, creating a pattern light strikes the surface of the earth creates ical rainy weather, there won’t be much resembling a sparkling diamond ring. a more elongated shadow of the moon point. Considering the seeming randomness See Eclipse on page 9 November 23, 2003 The Antarctic Sun • 9 Eclipse tips Don’t look Monday’s eclipse is an unusual sight, but if you’re not careful it could be one of your last. McMurdo station chief physician J.J. Lefford said looking directly at the sun dur- ing a partial eclipse can permanently dam- age the retina, leading to blindness. “The visible and near infrared light of the sun literally can burn the light sensitive cells of the retina,” Lefford said. Because retinas contain no pain fibers, it’s not something that can be felt. The dam- age to the retinas may not show up for sev- The star indicates the maximum eclipse point. Courtesy Fred Espanek, www.mreclipse.com eral hours after exposure. “The only effective treatment is to pre- From page 8 vent the injury in the first place,” Lefford Eclipse said. The doctor recommends a simple, pin- hole viewer as the safest way to view the than is normal at higher latitudes. interest in Antarctica itself, signed up eclipse. Still, you have to be in just the right for a month-long cruise on the spot to catch the shadow. Kapitan Khlebnikov. The 120-pas- Other viewing tips Several hundred people have con- senger Russian icebreaker left Port n Use welders goggles/glasses, No. 14 or verged on Antarctica by land, sea and Elizabeth, South Africa Nov. 8 to higher. Glacier glasses or sunglasses are not air to view the eclipse. Most of the travel to Hobart, Tasmania. The dark enough, Lefford said. visitors are hard-core eclipse follow- Khlebnikov will observe the eclipse n Make a filter mask using fully exposed ers, who paid from $900 for an aisle off the Queen Mary Coast, in the and developed black and white photograph- seat on a flight to $36,000 for a Davis Sea, west of the Shackleton Ice ic film, such as Tri-X, Pan-X or X-ray film. month-long cruise. Shelf. Do not use color film or newer black and The quickest, cheapest trips are on “Those people were so excited,” white film that uses dyes or any film with two flights, one on Qantas, which said Susan Anschutz, whose co- an image on it. Lefford recommends using leaves Sydney and the other on owner at Astronomical Tours two layers of film. LanChile, departing from Punta arranged the trips starting four years n Even with a filter, the concentrated light Arenas. Both sets of passengers will ago. “We serve a real niche market. of a telescope or binoculars will burn the end up viewing the sun when it is These were people who were not only retina. The same goes for the optical fully obscured by the moon during eclipse chasers, but also wanted to viewfinder on a camera. Do not look the 2 minute-25 second event, which see Antarctica.” through them directly at the sun. is 29 seconds more than they would For Bruenjes, the Antarctic eclipse Make a pinhole viewer experience if they were on the ice is the tenth one he’s attempted to see One safe way of enjoying the eclipse is below. and the fifth he’s traveled to, with through a pinhole viewer. All you need are Lan Chile’s Airbus 340 plans to previous trips to Zambia, Mexico, two thin, stiff pieces of white cardboard. fly over the South Pole as part of its Australia and Scotland. Punch a small clean pinhole in one piece of special package. The Qantas flight Bruenjes considers the eclipse an cardboard and let the sunlight fall through will sightsee for two hours before the opportunity to visit an obscure and that hole onto the second piece of card- eclipse, flying over Australia’s Casey unique place. He’ll have two days in board, which serves as a screen. An invert- base and along the Antarctic coast. , out of a 12-day ed image of the sun is formed. To make the “I suspect most occupants of those vacation. image larger, move the screen farther from flights are significantly more interest- “If the weather is good, seeing the the pinhole. To make the image brighter, ed in the eclipse than Antarctica” eclipse will make it worth every move the screen closer to the pinhole. Fred Bruenjes e-mailed from his penny,” Bruenjes said. “A total solar Remember, this instrument is used with home in San Diego, California as he eclipse is such a beautiful thing that is your back to the sun. The sunlight passes packed for his eclipse trip. so out of the daily experience it is over your shoulder, through the pinhole, Bruenjes will also fly to impossible to describe. Solar phe- and forms an image on the cardboard screen Antarctica, but he’ll see the eclipse nomena-like prominences and corona beneath it. Never look through the pinhole from the ground at leave the domain of textbooks and directly at the sun. Instead, photograph the Novolazarevskaya Airstrip with journals and stare you in the face. reflection. about 70 other eclipse chasers on a Decades-old mathematical predic- “A fun thing to do is to poke a pattern of tour arranged by Astronomical tions come true with near split-sec- holes into a sheet of paper, spelling out Tours. They plan to spend 72 hours at ond accuracy. words,” suggests Fred Bruenjes, an eclipse the Russian station, which is in the “There are strange primal feel- fan. “The words will then be made up of a path of the full eclipse. ings when the sun vanishes in broad multitude of crescents.” Tourists with the time, money and daylight.” 10 • The Antarctic Sun November 23, 2003 Antarctic errands Science traverse has a few things to pick up on the drive home By Kristan Hutchison Sun staff Eight people got one-way plane tickets to the South Pole last week. To get back, they’ll have to drive 1,500 miles to the Taylor Dome on the eastern Antarctic plateau. Two Challenger 55 tractors will creep away from Amundsen-Scott South Pole sta- tion next week, each pulling about 18,000 kg. The six sleds hold all the fuel, food and equipment the traverse crew and scientists will need for eight weeks. They’ll move about 8 kph, keeping a close eye out for crevasses. “If you see one, you get nervous,” said Dan Dixon from the University of Maine. Like many driving trips, their route is determined by the list of errands they need to accomplish along the way, in this case removing seismic equipment, dismantling or rebuilding field camps and collecting ice cores. For Dixon, it will be a chance to collect seven new ice cores from areas the previous U.S. ITASE traverses didn’t cover. The Photo by Peter Rajcek/Special to the Sun cores will contribute to the International To prepare for the upcoming departure, traverse mechanics Lynn Peters, front, and James Meinert check TransAntarctic Scientific Expedition , the tightness on the Caterpillar’s track spacer bolts in the new garage at South Pole. which is assembling a 200-year climate his- tory for the entire continent. winter. recent decades, caused by the larger human “To make the picture as fine as possible, “These layers are really clear,” Dixon and industrial presence in the US, Canada, I need lots of cores,” Dixon said. said. Large volcanic eruptions throw the Europe, Russia, China and Japan. The air So far, ITASE has more than 30 cores pattern off, coating the entire continent in masses of the northern and southern hemi- from . Dixon has analyzed sulfate for several years. Dixon has found spheres generally stay separate, with very ion chromograph data from many of these the sulfate residue from large eruptions little mixing occurring at the equator, Dixon to determine the levels of nitrate, sodium, including Pinatubo in 1991, Agung in 1963, said. With few human sulfate sources in the potassium, magnesium, calcium, chlorine southern hemisphere, Antarctica seems and sulfate. pretty well isolated from sulfate pollution. “Each ion or combination of ions tells “Thanks to the Southern Ocean, you a different story,” Dixon said. “I try to Antarctica is well-separated from the rest of figure out what they’re telling me, what the world. That’s why the water here is the they represent in terms of Antarctic climate cleanest you’ll ever drink and the air is the and atmospheric processes.” cleanest you’ll ever breath,” Dixon said. He started with sulfate, which comes While Dixon picks up ice cores to look mainly from dust, volcanic eruptions, and back in time, the traverse will pick up marine biological activity. Comparing sul- instruments seismologists Patrick Shore and fate levels around the continent can help Douglas Wiens left on the ice to look deep researchers figure out the atmospheric cir- into the earth. The traverse will be collect- culation patterns at different times in the ing 17 seismic stations Shore and Wiens continent’s past. installed along a line about 80 km apart Sulfate also helps date layers in the ice extending to a site near the top of the Taylor core, which can be read like tree rings. In Glacier behind the Dry Valleys. Since the the summer, an increase in local marine bio- Krakatau in 1883 and Tambora in 1815. project is coming to an end this year, the 60 logical activity creates an abundance of sul- “It’s pretty amazing to be able to see this cm by 120 cm instrument boxes need to be fate aerosols in the atmosphere. These over all West Antarctica, these layers should removed and the instrumentation returned aerosols get carried over the continent by air be detectable over the whole Antarctic con- to the U.S., Wiens said. masses and show up inland as a layer of tinent,” Dixon said. “I’m hoping to be able “It seemed the best way to do that is the increased sulfate concentration in the snow. to find these same signals over the east traverse,” said Wiens, from Washington In the winter the sea is iced over and there Antarctic cores from this year’s traverse.” University. “Some of them are over 1,000 isn’t any marine biology to release sulfate What he hasn’t found is evidence of pol- kilometers from McMurdo, so they’re diffi- into the air. On average, at an inland site, lution from anthropogenic sulfur sources. In cult to reach without a camp out there.” the northern hemisphere, the sulfate con- Dixon sees about 40 parts per billion of sul- See Science traverse on page 11 fate in summer layers and about 5 ppb in centration in ice cores goes off the scale in November 23, 2003 The Antarctic Sun • 11 South Pole traverse team heads out A line of tractors and towed supplies left bility of partially supplying the the glacier toward the polar plateau. McMurdo station on Tuesday pulling Amundsen-Scott South Pole station by “Gaining access to the polar plateau will enough gear to get seven men two-thirds of land. Five vehicles, pulling fuel and sup- exceed expectations,” said Rick Campbell, the way to the South Pole. Project manager plies, living quarters and power and water the project’s point of contact at McMurdo. John Wright formally announced the tra- production capability, are headed through In 2004-2005, the convoy will go the full verse departure from by the highly crevassed area called the shear distance to the South Pole and back. If the radio. “Mac Ops, Mac Ops... South Pole zone, across the Ross Ice Shelf and to the journey is successful and evaluations show Traverse is departing McMurdo for the Ross Leverett Glacier. Last year, the traverse the approach to be consistent with Antarctic Ice Shelf and points south, seven souls on got through the shear zone, filling in Treaty environmental protection measures, board five tractors. Estimated time of return crevasses as they went. The traverse’s this three-year proof of concept program to McMurdo: February 01, 2004.” challenge this year is to reach the Leverett will have blazed the way for regular ground The traverse project is testing the possi- Glacier and progress as far as possible up deliveries of equipment and material.

Photos Kris Kuenning/The Antarctic Sun Project leader John Wright, above, drives a modi- fied Challenger tractor around McMurdo. Russ Magsig, right, drives a Challenger pulling fuel tanks as the traverse begins its journey. Above right, the traverse’s living, dining, power and water production modules are pulled across the sea ice.

So far the results are preliminary, which is why Wiens needs the Science traverse From page 10 data the traverse will bring back, along with the instruments. Wiens expects data collected from the seismic instruments this “The second year should allow us to be more confident about year will confirm preliminary results from the first year’s data. the results,” Wiens said. The traverse team will also dismantle a The seismic stations were able to sense waves from earthquakes field camp used in previous years, loading portions of the camp coming from the north polar region and use them to look at the inner equipment into an LC-130 aircraft and carrying the rest 84 miles to core of the Earth, Wiens said. They revealed a large anomaly due to the new Megadunes camp. Megadunes will be set up for two sci- the orientation of iron crystal in the Earth’s core. ence groups working to survey and sample large snow dunes in East “This will be a very important additional constraint,” Wiens said. Antarctica, hence its name. He was also able to map the speed of the seismic waves going The scientific traverse is the sixth of its kind in the U.S. Antarctic through the Earth’s mantle below . From them he Program. On the way, the traverse crew and scientists will spend learned that the Earth’s mantle, below 40 km, is colder under East most of their time in dining and berthing huts mounted on modules Antarctica than in surrounding places. on two of the sleds. But now and then they’ll stop to enjoy the white “I guess that makes some sense to the person on the street, but scenery and stretch their legs. it really doesn’t have any relation to the cold weather above the sur- “It’s still beautiful when you’re out there and the sky is so blue. face,” Wiens said. When you look up close the crystals are amazing,” Dixon said. 12 • The Antarctic Sun November 23, 2003 Profile Pi keeps an eye on Pole life By Peter Rejcek/South Pole Correspondent omewhere between scenes of impossibly long icicles hang- “I’m always looking to get some fresher ideas and to do that I ing from the concave roof of the dome and footage of the just sort of talk to people or walk a different direction and look at S1957 South Pole winter-over crew, one of the narrators in something in a different light … walk around at a different time of Tom Pi’s documentary observes that the isolated station draws a day,” he said. Last year’s video, for instance, captures all those “band of nomadic people with a bad sense of drection and a broad events that Polies write home about — the bag drag, suiting up at sense of adventure.” Each year the 41-year-old filmmaker docu- the CDC in and even the ride on Ivan the Terra Bus ments those adventures at the South Pole. in McMurdo. That’s certainly the stuff that gives the video mass “It’s fun. It’s rewarding,” said the soft-spoken Pi, also known appeal. But Pi the artist also throws in fish-eye views of people as Tom Piwowarski, about making movies, whether they’re hour- moving cargo or flashes a silhouette of a lone Polie standing in the long documentaries or five-minute docu-comedies. “You get a desolation of the flat landscape. roomful of people watching it and they’re laughing. People rec- The documentary impressed Polie Gailyn Taylor, who attended ognize themselves in it,” he added. “That basically propels me to a recent showing of the video at the Summer Camp lounge. the next project. People see my work and they like it.” “It made me want to find out more of what’s going on here,” Pi works the swing shift as a carpenter on the exterior panel said the first-year carpenter. “I do want to get one for my family.” crew. This is his seventh Pi said he doesn’t script consecutive year coming the documentaries, but to Antarctica. All but one simply shoots what he sees stint had been spent at the and then edits it. This year, Pole. It was during his sec- though, will include less ond year on the Ice that he construction — a natural decided to share this per- bias given his job — and sonal interest in photogra- more science, he phy and videography with promised. his fellow Polies. “Ultimately, it will be a “I thought it would be product of what I have,” pretty cool to bring a video he said. “It’s kind of an camera down here,” he evolving thing.” explained. “I was pretty While the process may much doing it just to prac- be organic and ever- tice, because eventually I changing, there are certain want to get involved in elements that Pi says he’s making a feature movie of interested in as a filmmak- some sort. er. “Then somebody said, “What I’m interested in ‘Why don’t you compile is motion, mostly,” he your footage together and explained. “Flags waving show it to people.’” are good. People standing And, as the saying Photo by Peter Rejcek/Special to the Sun there with a sign and flags goes, the rest is history. South Pole filmmaker Tom Piwowarski documents the life and times of Polies. waving are even better. It’s “It’s become a seasonal about people and it’s about thing now,” Pi said. “This many years people expect it.” movement.” Over the summer seasons Pi has perfected his craft, and like Pi, who lives in rural Buffalo, N.Y., during the rest of the year, any artist he’s highly critical of his earlier efforts — the first ran has been interested in videography for about 15 years. He started upwards of two hours and featured a five-minute violin solo. Last doing film about seven years ago after seeing one bad movie too year’s video was the first to feature music and voice-over narra- many at the theater. His personal tastes run to art house movies — tion by several Polies he interviewed for the project. the kind featured in the Sundance or Toronto film festivals. One of the voices in last year’s film belongs to Mike Boyce, a “I prefer going to non-mainstream movies,” he said. “To me a carpenter from Denali Park, Alaska, who has worked with Pi in movie is not about making money, it’s about expressing your art. summers past. He said Pi has obviously made tremendous leaps in I’m doing both — there’s a practical side to any art,” he added “If his filmmaking over the years. people like your art and it turns into a career, that’s great.” “All of us are just blown away by the way he’s improved,” Professionally, Pi has made a video montage for the Buffalo Boyce said. “It’s good to see the hard work pay off.” Philharmonic back home. Some of his South Pole footage made it Boyce added that Pi is known as Tom the Tasmanian devil into the made-for-TV movie “Ice Bound,” starring Susan among his co-workers, so it’s no surprise he finds so much addi- Sarandon as Dr. Jerri Nielsen. Nielsen was the winter doctor in tional energy to pour into his craft. 1999 whose battle with breast cancer drew international attention. “Tom is an incredibly hard worker,” he said. “He never stops.” He also makes short movies. Last year he wrote and directed a After a half-dozen years of doing the documentary, Pi admits five-minute film about a general assistant whose quixotic task one of his biggest challenges is to please his own artistic tastes consisted of filling in the snow void around the dome. while still including the scenes that make the annual video so pop- Boyce, friend and fan, said of the filmmaker, “I think he’s got ular — from the frenzied preparations of Thanksgiving dinner to the ability to go places.” the breathtaking shots of the LC-130 as it lands on or takes off Pi will showcase his 2003-04 video several times near the end from the Pole’s short ice runway. of the season.