New Experiences

I have not written much lately because there has not been much to say. That changed in the last 36 hours, but I'll get to that. The rule of thumb is that it takes a week from when you arrive in McMurdo until you are ready to go into the field. Lately, it seems that delay has been decreasing but it still takes several days. Much of that time is spent in trainings, meetings, and briefings. There is also the time it takes to unpack the cargo and to prepare the equipment for the field. One of our last tasks on our todo list was to make a visit to Pegasus Field to get a tour of the facilities and decide on how we want things set up at Pegasus. We visited Pegasus on Thursday and had the hopes to do our initial UAV trial flights on Friday. The weather was poor Friday morning with light snow and limited visibility. On Saturday, we made it out to Pegasus with hardly a cloud in the sky. However, this time we had no winds and the UAVs require a little wind in order to launch the plane into flight. Sundays are typically off days but we were planning on doing the trial flights today. Those plans were scrapped due to once again having limited to no winds at Pegasus. The latest is that we will get in the flights tomorrow (Monday).

One of the highlights from the last couple days has been finally getting some cold temperatures. The first week of WinFly has been about as warm, if not warmer, than my first week of the field season late last October. The temperature in McMurdo started decreasing Thursday night and into Friday. The temperature around noon on Friday was -18F. I estimated that we'd have temperatures around -28F at Pegasus, where it is generally colder. Not long before leaving for the drive out to Pegasus, I checked the observations at the Willie Field automatic weather station (AWS) and the temperature had dropped 15F in the previous hour down to -42F. (Willie Field AWS is located along the drive to Pegasus.) This was now some seriously cold air and a strong contrast to the temperature in McMurdo. As we were driving to Pegasus, we drove by the Willie Field AWS and John held a Kestrel (a small handheld weather station) out the window and observed a temperature of -47F. We immediately pulled the van over to get out, experience the cold, and to take pictures of the moment. This temperature crushed my previous all-time personal cold temperature from when I was growing up in Minnesota. It was also extremely odd because I can honestly say it didn't feel crazy cold. We are confident with the temperature being in the -40Fs as we measured it multiple times and with four different instruments. The best guess why it didn't seem so cold was because we were fully bundled in our extreme cold weather clothing, there was no wind, and the sun was up and shining on us, albeit minimally. We returned to McMurdo about five hours later and the temperature was now around mid -20F. For the last day the temperatures have remained that cold and this evening the temperature was around -30F. The winds have been light to calm the last day so it has felt very cold but bearable when outside.

Standing outside in -47F on the Pegasus Road to experience a new personal all-time record cold temperature.

The sun above Ross Island when we pulled over to experience the -47F temperatures. It is actually very bright out at the time. The darker colors are from taking the picture with the camera directly pointed at the sun. 

Measuring the -47F temperature with the Kestrel handheld weather station. It was odd but the -47F did not feel that extremely cold. The cold temperatures in McMurdo the last day have felt cold.

In addition to the cold temperatures we have also been able to experience several other great outdoor sights. The first, and most basic, is that we saw the sun for the first time on Saturday during out drive to Pegasus. McMurdo is located on the south side of Ross Island. Because it is on the south side, and due to the low angle of the sun, McMurdo has been in the shadow of Ross Island whenever the sun has been up since the first sunrise two weeks ago. McMurdo will soon start seeing the sun as the sun gets progressively higher in the sky. The drive out to Pegasus allowed us to get out of McMurdo and out of the shadow. We were able to see the sun for the first time just as we were about to drive onto the snow road. We decided to capture the moment and we pulled the van over to take pictures. Throughout the afternoon I continued to take pictures of the sun to capture the low angle of the sun.

McMurdo Station and sea ice in front of McMurdo in the shadow of Ross Island due to the low sun angle.

The higher parts of McMurdo are starting to come out of the shadow and see the sun.

The first time we have seen the sun on this trip. The sun is low in the horizon but above Ross Island. Mt. Erebus, in the center of the picture, is an active volcano and it is emitted some steam.

Later Saturday evening, John went outside and he came back into the lab to let me know that the aurora australis (southern lights) were out in the night sky. The aurora were present, although a little weak and they came and went fairly quickly. I am hoping for a better display of aurora australis in the next couple weeks, especially when we are doing the night flights at Pegasus. Then this afternoon we were able to see nacreous clouds. Nacreous clouds, also known as polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs), are clouds in the stratosphere, above the level of the clouds that make up the weather. The PSCs require extremely cold temperatures to form, which is why they are a feature in the polar regions, and are typically illuminated by the sun shortly after sunset or before sunrise. The clouds, sometimes referred to as mother-of-pearl clouds, have a milky-white appearance and often include iridescent colors. The clouds that we saw today were fairly small and occurred before sunset. I took a few pictures of the nacreous clouds and I am hoping for a more impressive display before I leave the first week in October.

Nacreous clouds (also referred to as polar stratospheric clouds) in the sky shortly before sunset. 

Another photo of the nacreous clouds. Notice the distinct iridescent color of the clouds.

In the end, we are still waiting to do our initial trial flights with the UAVs but in the meantime we have been able to see and experience some of the features that make the WinFly season in McMurdo a special adventure.

A photo of Observation Hill near sunset on a Sunday afternoon. Notice all of the red dots near the top, which are the "big red" parkas that most everybody wears. Hiking Obs Hill is a common recreation activity, especially on beautiful days.

Sun During WinFly

We are navigating our way through the collection of trainings and meetings that occur immediately after arrival in preparation for going out into the field. The weather is forecast to be bad tomorrow so we are expecting a quiet day with some work to prepare the SUMOs for flying. Other than that, I’ll take advantage of the quiet day to get some work done on other projects related to my research position at the University of Colorado.

One of the big benefits of being in McMurdo during WinFly is being able to experience the dramatically changing daytime sun. McMurdo Station had its first sunrise on August 19 and that was the first time the sun had been above the horizon since April 24. McMurdo is located at approximately 78degS, which is south of the Antarctic Circle. Because it is south of the Antarctic Circle, McMurdo receives 24 hours of daylight during the austral summer (winter in the US) and 24 hours of darkness during the austral winter (summer in the US). The length of the day (when the sun is above the horizon) on August 19 was approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. By the time I arrived on August 27, just a little over one week later, the length of the day was up to 5 hours and 35 minutes. Today (August 30) the length of the day is up to 6 hours and 30 minutes. The length of the day will be increasing by about 15 minutes per day until I am scheduled to leave on October 3. On October 3 the length of the day will be 15 hours and 7 minutes. There are also very long twilight hours in McMurdo with the sun at such a shallow angle both above (during the day) and below (during the night) the horizon. Absolute darkness is considered to no longer occur starting approximately September 7. By the time I leave in early October it will appear that it never gets fully dark anymore. The last sunset will occur on October 23 and the sun will be continuously above the horizon until the first sunset on February 20. This dramatically changing length of the day and changing skylight conditions is one of the big reasons why I am excited for this WinFly experience. The low sun angles throughout the day should also make for great pictures with the soft light that is common around sunrise and sunset.

Observation hill being lit up by the sun not longer after sunset.

The horizon to the west not long after sunset. The location where the sun sets will also shift dramatically further to the south as it occurs later and later in the day.

Arrived in McMurdo

We have made it successfully to McMurdo Station. The C-17 flight yesterday went without any problems. In the end, the five day delay was within expectations for traveling to Antarctica, especially at the end of the winter. On top of that, every delay was provided with ample notice making the five extra days a relaxing time in Christchurch. The five day delay does not impact our science objectives. Our scheduled northbound flight, the first flight of main body, is in five weeks and there will be more than enough time to complete our work.

The objectives of this trip to Antarctica are to take observations of the atmosphere through the use of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). You can think of the UAVs as drones or remote control airplanes. We will be flying three Small Unmanned Meteorological Observer (SUMO) UAVs. The SUMO is a foam radio controlled plane fitted with an autopilot and meteorological sensors. The plane has a wingspan of 2.5 feet, weighs just over 1 pound, and is battery operated. The SUMO will take observations of temperature, moisture, pressure, wind speed, and wind direction of the lowest 3000 feet of the atmosphere, which is referred to as the boundary layer. We will be observing how the conditions of the boundary layer change over the course of several hours as well as how the boundary layer differs depending on the time of day and the incoming energy from the sun. A similar observation campaign was done in January 2014 to observe the summer atmosphere. For this field season, we will be measuring at the end of the winter and during the transition to summer. The observations of the characteristics and behavior of the boundary layer will provide an improved understanding of the polar boundary layer, which is extremely unique and critical for the local energy exchanges with the surface. The results will also be compared with numerical weather models, which are key to forecasting the weather for Antarctic operations, and used to verify or improve the performance of these weather models. Additionally, the results will be useful in evaluating climate models for the Antarctic to ensure correct handling of the atmosphere in future climate projections.

The SUMO UAV on the snow surface during the 2014 field campaign.

This is my fifth trip to Antarctica. I am making the trip with my friend and colleague, John Cassano, who is the lead on this field project. My first two trips to Antarctica were with John when we were graduate students at the University of Wisconsin. All of my previous trips have been during the main body with three in December/January, at the peak of the Antarctic summer, and last year's trip from late October to early December. Therefore, this "WinFly" trip will be a very unique opportunity for me and will have many new experiences. I am most forward looking to the extreme cold temperatures, seeing darkness in Antarctica, viewing aurora australis (southern lights), seeing nacreous clouds, and some of the unique snow and ice features still present from the winter. While it is unlikely that I'll see much for penguins on this trip, the pictures should be just as special.

This is a picture of me and John at the Antarctic Passenger Terminal while waiting for our first flight to Antarctica while graduate students at the University of Wisconsin.

The then and now pairing is complete with a picture of the two of us prior to this year's flight. Unfortunately, the person I asked to take a picture found the point and shoot camera a little too difficult to operate and the picture is not in focus.

Our C-17 landing was at about 7:00 PM and it allowed for me to see darkness in Antarctica for the first time as I walked off of the plane. The 21 passengers on the flight were picked up with two vans and we drove the ~30 minutes to McMurdo from Pegasus Runway. Throughout the drive I couldn’t get over how odd it was to see everything in the dark. Walking around McMurdo last night was strange as it is unlike any other time I have seen it before. I’ll cover more of the changing length of day and sunlight in a later post. The temperature was -12F when we arrived at Pegasus Runway. The temperatures are a little warmer in McMurdo and it was -6F when we arrived. Today there has a been a storm to the east that has generated some moderate winds and blowing snow in town. The forecast for tonight is for colder conditions with a forecast low of -24F.

Onboard the C-17 going from Christchurch to McMurdo Station.

For those that have been in McMurdo for months, a key part of the WinFly flights is bringing in "freshies" for the meals. The insulated pallet on the left is filled with eggs.

Anything and everything is done to fill the time on the 5 1/2 hour flight. Naps, reading, watching movies on an ipad/laptop, and working on a laptop are some of the common ways to pass the time.

As the C-17 made the final approach to the Pegasus Runway everybody bundled up in their extreme cold weather (ECW) gear in preparation for the Antarctic conditions. 

Getting off the C-17 at Pegasus Runway with the night landing.

The picture right after getting off of the plane in Antarctica has always been one of my favorite. With this WinFly trip is was extra special with the Antarctic darkness.

The C-17 keeps the engines running and only stays on the ground long enough for the passengers to get off the plane, remove the cargo, place any northbound cargo on the plane, and load any northbound passengers. The process is done as quickly as possible.

Being greeted by some of the camp personnel at Pegasus Runway. The contract workers at the camp have a tight community and for many of the veterans this was a reunion time of old friends/coworkers.

Immediately after getting of the plane, we are transported from Pegasus Runway to McMurdo Station where there is an in briefing going over many of the rules an procedures for life in McMurdo.

Today has been very quiet with it being Sunday and the one off day of the week for the contract workers at McMurdo. Tomorrow things will pick up as the day starts with our science in-briefing followed by two or three additional trainings to complete all of our basic trainings and orientations. From there we will start to work on getting the SUMOs ready to fly in the field.

Antarctic Passenger Terminal

I am writing this message from the Antarctic Passenger Terminal in Christchurch. This is where we wait for the final flight briefing and then to board the airplane. They were able to get an Airbus and a C-17 out yesterday. There are rumors (accurate information is sometimes scant) that an Airbus went this morning and we are scheduled for a flight on a C-17. Provided that the weather does not change and there are no mechanical problems, I will be leaving at 7:30 PM Colorado time and arriving at Pegasus Runway approximately 5 1/2 hours later. From there we will board a vehicle to take us into McMurdo Station. We will be landing at night. This will also be my first experience of seeing darkness in Antarctica. All of my previous trips have been with continuous daylight. Tomorrow is Sunday, the one day off each week, so we might be greeted with a quiet day immediately after our arrival.

The Antarctic Passenger Terminal for the United States Antarctic Program in Christchurch, New Zealand.

All of my gear for my six weeks in Antarctica. Everybody is limited to 85 pounds on the flights to/from New Zealand, not including your carry-on bag.

After your bags are checked in there is a waiting game until being brought to the airplane.

When it comes time to load the plane, we go through a security screening fairly similar to that by TSA at an airport in the United States.

After the security screening we are transported by an old school bus onto the tarmac to load the airplane.

The United States Antarctic Program works with the Air Force to provide some of the cargo flights to / from Antarctica and New Zealand. This is the C-17 and it is a pretty nice ride with a reasonable flight length at about 5 1/2 hours.

Seasonal Confusion

The last two days have had cool and overcast conditions in Christchurch. Given that I just came from a reasonably hot summer in Colorado, it has made me feel like it is fall. I had a very nice run yesterday where it felt like one of my favorite fall runs. Except it is not fall in Christchurch as it is instead early spring. In a couple days I will eventually be making it to Antarctica where it will feel like a bitterly cold winter, as the season there is changing to spring. Then in six weeks I’ll be returning to Colorado where it will be fall. Such contrasts in weather can make for confusing conclusions about the current season.

I am still in Christchurch and will continue to be here for at least another 36 hours. The current schedule has me flying south on a C-17 military cargo plan on Friday morning. Today was another day of weather delays due to weather in McMurdo and we have also slipped to a later flight to arrive closer to our cargo. Thus far all of our delays have been of the 24-48 hour variety. Such delays are considerably easier to handle than 24 hour delays when you go to bed expecting to be leaving first thing in the morning. Instead, you wake to a phone call saying 24 hour delay.

The Botanical Gardens in Christchurch is always a great place to visit. However, with it being at the end of winter the gardens are not the typical green paradise that I see when traveling to the ice later in the season.

The center rose garden at the Botanical Gardens is showing its winter colors, or lack there of.

Some tourist kayaking on the Avon around the Botanical Gardens.

Flight Delays

I am still in Christchurch, New Zealand. The original schedule had me flying to Antarctica on Monday (remember, I am 18 hours ahead of mountain time). It will now be Wednesday at the earliest that I will make it to Antarctica. I wouldn’t call such a delay as expected but it certainly does not come as a surprise.

This time of year is referred to as “WinFly” for the United States Antarctic Program (USAP). WinFly is short for winter fly-in, which occurs at the end of the winter and at the beginning of the transition to spring. WinFly is a special period where there are a series concentrated flights to increase the personnel at McMurdo Station in preparation for the main body season, which starts at the beginning of October. WinFly also used to be the first flights to McMurdo Station since the station closed in late February. However, this past year they started doing mid-winter flight and they have had a flight approximately every six weeks. There are three flights using an Airbus and two flights using a C-17 military cargo plane that are scheduled for this year’s WinFly. Once those flights are completed, that will be the end of flights into or out of McMurdo Station until the start of the main body season on October 3. The first Airbus flight was scheduled for Saturday and I was scheduled to be on the second flight for Monday. The weather at McMurdo Station (actually, the airfield - Pegasus Runway) precluded the initial Airbus from traveling on Saturday and Sunday. The reports that I heard today were that the weather had cleared but they needed a day to get Pegasus Runway in groomed conditions for the Airbus to land safely. The plan is now for the initial Airbus flight to go on Tuesday and if all goes well, I will get out on Wednesday.

After the initial training and briefing we go the Clothing Distribution Center where extreme cold weather (ECW) clothing has been pulled for us. At the CDC we try on the ECW clothing to verify fit and that we have all that is necessary.

I arrived into Christchurch Saturday afternoon. Much of Sunday was spent at the USAP Clothing Distribution Center going through some training and orientation, as well as being issued our extreme cold weather (ECW) clothing. They had us come back to the CDC on Monday to go through some more training, which eliminates some of the training to be done when we get to Antarctica. Tuesday will be the first day with no formal activities to be done related to the trip to Antarctica. I have spent some time doing touristy activities around Christchurch, as well as trying to relax and catch up on life. Things were really busy the days leading up to my departure. Generally, the delays when we know well ahead of time that we are not flying are easy to handle and can be relaxing. Once we are scheduled to fly the next day, then any delays can start to be wearing. In 2005 I had seven days of 24 hour delays, including one day where we flew half way and then returned to New Zealand. Hopefully, I’ll avoid any similar experience this time around.

Two of the key components of the ECW gear are the bibs and the "big red" parka. "Big red" can be your friend and comforter in extremely cold conditions.

Returning to the Ice - 2016

Hello, again! I am currently in Christchurch, New Zealand on my way for another trip to Antarctica. This trip will be much different from last year in that I am flying in at the end of winter, during the period known as "WinFly". The work will also be be different as I'll be part of a project flying small UAVs (unmanned aircraft vehicle), or you can think of them as small drones, to take observations of the lowest part of the atmosphere during the transition from winter to summer. I'll be sending out a more in-depth description of the project and the unique conditions I'll be experiencing during this late winter to early spring field season in a day or two. Similar to a year ago, I'll be using this email list to provide updates on the trip. If you are NOT interested in receiving the updates, please follow the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of this email. I'd much rather you unsubscribe than be annoyed every time you get a message from me. Otherwise, you will be automatically included in this year's trip. If you know of anybody else who would also enjoy following allow on the journey, they may subscribe to the email posts with the following form. Please let me know if you have any questions.

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