I made it out into the field again on Monday. This time it was a helicopter flight to Ferrell AWS. The goal for this visit was to "raise" the AWS equipment. There is approximately 12" of accumulating snow at most locations across the Ross Ice Shelf. The means each year the tower and equipment gets progressively closer to the surface. To raise the AWS we remove all of the instruments and hardware, add a new tower section onto the current tower section, and then place the instruments and hardware back on the tower. The time for an AWS raise can be as long as, and some times longer, than a new install because of the additional work required to initial remove the instruments and hardware. We were able to have a spectacular day out in the field. The temperature was 5F and more importantly there was no wind. 5F may not sound real warm but it can be very reasonable, and sometimes a little warm, without the wind, wearing the right clothing, and keeping moving by always working. We were at the AWS site for about three hours and 45 minutes. On Monday we did not have "close support", which means the helicopter dropped us off and then came back to pick us up after we finished. Monday was the fourth of five work days in a row in the field.
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| The condition of Ferrell AWS when we arrived. Notice the height of the AWS. There is approximately 12" of accumulation each year and the AWS slowly gets buried requiring a "raise". |
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| Hero shot at Ferrell AWS with Mount Terror, on Ross Island, in the background. Notice the change in height of the AWS as the tower section was added and the instruments and hardware were moved to the top. |
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| Dave calling in on the radio to Mac Ops to let them know that we were finished and ready to be picked up by the helicopter. |
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| A-Star helicopter coming in for a landing to pick us up at Ferrell AWS. This was a "hot" drop-off and pick-up where the helicopter blades continued to spin as we unloaded and then loaded the helicopter. |
I have been in McMurdo for almost exactly three weeks. It has been quite amazing to see how much things have changed during those three weeks. The sun is now noticeably higher throughout the day and especially late at night. The sun that set for the last time three weeks ago now never comes close to the horizon. The temperatures have also warmed with temperatures in the teens and 20s over the last few days. Most of McMurdo is volcanic rock that was generally snow covered during the first two weeks. In the last week the sun has been melting the snow and the brown of McMurdo has emerged. The population also continues to increase. When we arrived there were 660 people in town. The last post I saw indicated around 950 people are now living here. There is no doubt that things will continue to change until I leave in mid-December and the peak summer is reached during the month of January.
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| A closer-in photo of McMurdo Station from the helicopter on the White Island AWS trip last week. Notice the amount of snow on the ground around McMurdo. A fair amount of that snow has melted in the last few days. The next time I get an opportunity I'll post a picture of the more thawed out McMurdo Station. |
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