The Antarctic Sun, December 25, 2005 - United States Antarctic

18 Pages·2005·1.47 MB·English

December 25, 2005
Scientists
seek to label
whale species
By Steven Profaizer
Sun staff
Patches of pure white splashed on an
inky black body. Two-meter-tall dorsal
fin slicing through the water’s surface. An
attraction at SeaWorld. A pack hunter with
cunning intelligence and stunning power.
The killer whale, or orca, is one of the
most universally known animals in the
world. They are also one of the most wide-
spread mammals, second only to humans,
and inhabit all of the world’s oceans.
Yet scientists are still working to deter-
mine how many species of killer whales
exist. Only one species is currently rec-
ognized, but many people, including
researcher Robert Pitman, believe there
may be two additional species among the
estimated 20,000 to 80,000 killer whales 5
Deep Freeze turns 0
that inhabit Antarctic waters. Pitman is
far from the first to believe this: Soviet
Union whalers in the early 1980s first
observed the killer whales’ differences in
diet, preferred habitat and coloring. He By Emily Stone
does, however, hope to be part of the team Sun staff
that finally solves the mystery. Al Hisey spent one of his first nights at McMurdo Station by accident.
Pitman, of the National Oceanic and It was 1955, and he was ferrying supplies by tractor from Navy ships across the
Atmospheric Administration, led a team sea ice of McMurdo Sound to the spot on Ross Island where the station was being
to Antarctica last year on a two-week mis- built. During one of the first trips, there was a major break in the ice between the
sion that used sophisticated technology to fledgling station and the ships. The 10 or so men on shore had to hunker down for
hopefully gather enough information to a few days while the ship repositioned itself, Hisey said.
finally solve the killer whale controver- They needed extra food. So the men walked into Robert F. Scott’s hut nearby to
sy. They used several methods, including look for supplies. Hisey, then 22, remembers that the Cadbury chocolate was still
See DNA page 17 good.
“When we went up to the hut, we knew we were the first ones to be there in a
long time,” he said.
Quote of the Week It has been a similarly long time since Hisey and his fellow Navy men
were here. In fact, Scott’s trip to the South Pole was a less distant
“Don’t laugh. It’s McMurdo
memory to those men than their trip to McMurdo is to us today.
Christmas shopping.” This month marks the 50th anniversary of Operation Deep
Freeze’s arrival in Antarctica. Deep Freeze I, which is how the
— Man at the store with a basketful of soda
and snacks chosen as gifts for local friends. See NAVY on page 8
INSIDE
See related stories inside:
Monitoring mountains Little America V is constructed, then abandoned, page 9
The IGY spurs modern Antarctic program, page 11
Page 3
Time line of events since Deep Freeze, page 8
Polie couture
Page 7
AntarcticSun.usap.gov
2 • The Antarctic Sun December 25, 2005
Performing with a purpose
Cold, hard facts
USAP ships
Lawrence M. Nathaniel B.
Gould (LMG) Palmer (NBP)
Jena Ferrarese
plays the bas-
soon at the Type : Research Research
10th annual & supply & icebreaker
Women’s Soiree
at McMurdo Builder: North American
Station. This
Shipbuilding
year, the event
raised more than
$3,200 for Breast Made: 1997 1992
Cancer Support
Services of the Length: 70 m 94 m
Caterbury/West
Coast Division Breadth: 14 m 18 m
of the Cancer
Society of New
LMG installed power: 4,575 horse-
Zealand.
power from two Caterpillar 3606
diesels
NBP installed power: 12,720 horse-
power from four Caterpillar diesels
The NBP circulates a water-anti-
freeze mixture under working decks
to prevent freezing and ice build-up.
Source: Raytheon Polar Services Co.
Rachel Murray / Special to The Antarctic Sun
Level 1 Comix Matt Davidson
The Antarctic Sun is funded by the
National Science Foundation as part
of the United States Antarctic Program
(OPP-000373). Its primary
audience is U.S. Antarctic
Program participants, their
families, 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: Emily Stone
Editors: Steven Profaizer, Peter Rejcek
Copy Editors: Rob Ford, Bill Jirsa, Rob
Jones, Traci Macnamara, Melanie Miller,
Hilary Oliver, Erin Popelka
Publisher: Valerie Carroll,
Communications manager, RPSC
Contributions are welcome. Contact The
Sun at [email protected]. In McMurdo, visit
our office in Building 155 or dial 2407.
Web address: AntarcticSun.usap.gov
December 25, 2005 The Antarctic Sun • 3
TAMDEF data may redefine ice models
By Peter Rejcek
Sun staff
In Mike Willis’ world, the earth below the Antarctic ice sheet Geoff Linnell
is positively dynamic, pulling apart and rising up at tremendous repositions
speed. a chock-ring
Of course, Willis measures geological movement in milli- waveguide
antennae on
meters along a stretch of the Transantarctic Mountains. At four
Deverall Island
millimeters a year, the uplifting of the ground, mostly caused
Nov. 15. A net-
by the recession of the ice sheet, might not seem like a lot. But work of Global
watching the earth literally bounce back into shape as the weight Positioning
of the ice decreases could help researchers better predict how System receiv-
future sea levels may rise. ers in the
“Sea level is rising faster than we understand it should be,” Transantarctic
Mountains
explained Willis, a graduate student at Ohio State University’s
is providing
Byrd Polar Research Center. “Where is that water coming from?
important data
As yet, that’s a mystery.” to scientists
To unlock that mystery, scientists in a project called studying the
Transantarctic Mountain DEFormation, or TAMDEF, are using horizontal and
a network of Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers to track vertical move-
the vertical (uplifting) and horizontal (rifting) movement of the ment of the
continent.
continent.
Over the last decade, they’ve installed high-quality geodetic
rock pins into exposed bedrock across a quarter of a million
Kathleen M. Heideman / Special to The Antarctic Sun
square kilometers of the mountains and on several islands to the
east, in the vicinity of McMurdo Sound and the Ross Sea. The “It is pulling itself apart,” Willis said. “It’s really, really obvi-
pins mark the spots where the GPS antennae are placed each ous. … What’s surprising is that half of the rifting is on land and
field season. The receivers are left on site for up to 90 days, con- half offshore.”
tinually recording the points’ positions. The data is compared to A rift is a place where the Earth’s crust and lithosphere, which
previous years to detect the amount and direction of movement. consists of the crust and upper mantle, are being pulled apart.
About 10,000 years ago, there was a lot more ice on top of This horizontal movement is much easier for researchers to mea-
Antarctica during what’s referred to as the last glacial maxim. sure compared to the vertical rebound, according to Willis.
In West Antarctica, including the McMurdo Sound area, the ice The main reason why the vertical change is so difficult to
surface was about 700 meters higher than at present, according measure is the orbit of the GPS satellites, Willis said. For hori-
to Willis. Far more static, East Antarctica has lost less than 100 zontal movement, you get measurements from all directions (360
meters over the last 10 millennia, Willis said. degrees around the point you are measuring from).
Scientists generally focus on “the problem child” of West “For vertical measurements, the Earth blocks half of that
Antarctica, where icebergs are calving. But Willis said East circle, so you only get measurements from the hemisphere above
Antarctica is also losing ice mass. Though the loss is smaller, the ground — an arc of 180 degrees,” Willis explained. “In
it can’t be ignored due to the area’s sheer size, he explained. In Antarctica, you don’t even get that because the satellites skirt so
fact, based on TAMDEF’s data, it’s likely that it was only 5,000 low across the sky, only achieving a maximum elevation of 65
years ago when ice started to disappear from the larger area east degrees from the horizon.
of the Transantarctic Mountains. “Therefore it is harder to get a vertical solution as you’re only
“It does look like there was a more recent ice withdrawal from getting about half the data to work with.”
East Antarctica than most people suspected,” he said. Another challenge is that the horizontal movement has
This is the last year of TAMDEF’s second field campaign. definite points to measure against, versus the vertical movement
Between 1996 and 2000, researchers made their initial forays where the point of reference is not so obvious.
into the mountains as well as onto islands like Beaufort and “Where is zero? Is it at the Earth’s core?” Willis said about
Franklin in the Ross Sea. Over the last three years, they’ve gone trying to determine a baseline against which to measure how far
much farther south and now have equipment occupying about the continent is rising.
35 sites. There are also several continuously running observa- While the vertical question of glacial rebound is harder to
tion points, which they can monitor from the states throughout answer, it is more vital in terms of sea level rise. What the
the year. TAMDEF group is finding is that traditional models of what
The team spent the first part of this season making helicopter the Antarctic ice sheet looked like 10,000 years ago do not sync
trips to their sites to set up equipment. Thanks to advances in with its data. For example, where the ice sheet was believed to
technology since the first TAMDEF campaign, the GPS receiv- be thicker, the data supports a thinner slice of ice based on the
ers can operate with less power but collect far more data. That amount of glacial rebound.
means they can run unattended for much of the austral summer. “We’re actually testing these models as we go along,” he said.
The TAMDEF team will return in January to recover their equip- The ice models are used to predict sea level change. If the
ment. They will then spend the next 18 months crunching the models change, then those predictions will change as well, Willis
data. noted. How changing the ice models will affect sea level rise
Willis said he expects his group — led by Principal Investigator predictions is uncertain right now. But Willis said he’s not ready
Terry Wilson, also of Ohio State University — will publish some to invest in oceanfront property in Florida any time soon.
groundbreaking conclusions.
Topping the list: TAMDEF scientists are certain that the NSF-funded research in this story: Terry Wilson, Ohio State University,
Antarctic plate is rifting, contrary to other theories. http://www.geology.ohio-state.edu/TAMDEF/
4 • The Antarctic Sun December 25, 2005
Perspectives sevitcepsreP
Missing the scent of the season
By Rich Jeong
Special to the Sun
I’ve been on the Ice for a little more than
two months, and it’s time to stop and smell
the roses. That can be pretty complicated
here in Antarctica, as it has been a long
time since any summer worker has smelled
a rose. This is the first time in my life I’ve
been so deprived of smell.
I started thinking about smells after
hearing Lonnie Clayton’s talk about his
experiences at McMurdo 50 years ago with
Operation Deep Freeze. He referenced a
memory he had of sailing across the sea
and being able to smell life as he got near
the coast of New Zealand. The thought of
being able to smell life has stuck with me
as I keep catching whiffs of smells I miss
from home, like lavender, sage, and espe-
cially pine.
If we were at home in the States during
the Christmas season, we’d be walking in
and out of stores or houses where wreaths
and pine trees would abound. In McMurdo,
we’ve got decorations going up, like fake
Christmas trees with great ornaments and
fake wreaths with garland and decorations. Photos by Steven Profaizer / The Antarctic Sun
There’s definitely something missing Rich Jeong sniffs the fake Christmas tree in the galley, searching for the scent of pine. The
holiday season has reminded him of all the many scents missing from Antarctica.
when you don’t have a log burning in the
fireplace, a Christmas tree aglow in lights
and candles, and Christmas dinner in the But it is the holiday season, and we exist just get things like cleansers, sweat, deodor-
oven. without smells like pine. No trees grow ant, dirty coats, stale offices and cigarettes.
Of course the chefs here prepare a bril- here. We have no dogs; we have no grass. What Mactown misses is the basic scent
liant meal for the holidays, and even day to There is nothing alive but humans, some of life. We have to resort to our memories
day we are treated to the pleasant smells put plants in the greenhouse, a few skuas, and of things like the smell of a dog, a blade
out by the hard- undoubtedly lots of grass, a blooming tree, a garden, or rich,
working people of bacteria that warm soil. It’s a tough gig when you’ve
in the kitchen. like the cold. missed it for so many weeks.
But it is the holiday
This is prob- Sure it’s the Antarctica is a desert of snow, ice, and
ably our olfac- windiest, driest, lava rock — where the dry air saps every-
season, and we exist
tory savior. It is coldest and most thing of water, and the cold and six months
always interest- lifeless continent of darkness inhibit most life. The smells that
without smells like pine.
ing to walk next on Earth, but it we bring with us in bottles, cans, food and
to Building 155 never dawned on air fresheners, along with that of snow and
and get a sense me when I signed wind, are what are possible here.
of what the next on to come to Sure we might get smells of the sea when
meal might contain. At night, you can get McMurdo that I wouldn’t smell much of the ice breaks up, but for now, when we
the smell of freshly baked bread and some- anything pleasant for about 130 days. smell sage, red pepper, lavender, or even
times you can tell when night shift workers We take smells for granted in the civi- someone who’s put a bit of cologne on, it’s
are having fried chicken. The kitchen gives lized world, where on any given day your a shock to the system. It’s a bright spot in
us life in food and triggers memories of the nose could try on a thousand different this smell-deprived bubble we live in on this
world beyond this beautiful landscape. smells. McMurdoites, on the other hand, harsh island.
December 25, 2005 The Antarctic Sun • 5
a r o u n d t h e c o n t i n e n t
bring the holiday cheer to a place far from
SOUTH POLE home.
There will be a traditional dinner on
Christmas Eve split up over three seat-
Summer brings changes ings to accommodate the entire population,
and many departmental gatherings have
By Mike Mulvihill happened all over station. On Christmas
South Pole Correspondent morning, there is the much anticipated
The end of the calendar year is fast Race Around The World, a three-kilome-
approaching, and it’s hard to believe that ter long, three-lap race around the Pole
the summer season has already past the that is sure to be the highlight of the
halfway point. weekend. Participants will join in on foot,
Seeing the transformation of the sta- skis, snowmobiles or any other mode of
tion from the beginning of the season to transportation they can get their hands on.
what it looks like now is quite remarkable, A nice weekend of festivities and fun will
and it’s obvious that all the hard work that get Polies ready to head into the second
happens around here is paying off. There half of their season rested and ready to fin-
are some major changes happening to the ish the projects ahead.
station’s landscape, and walking outside
each day offers a different view than the
night before. PALMER
Enormous piles of snow get moved
around from place to place by the heavy Tom Lohr / Special to The Antarctic Sun
equipment operators as part of a plan to Jodi Dobson rolls out some cookie dough Greetings from space
Dec. 21 in the dining hall of the South Pole
allow for buildings to be moved and con-
Station. Program participants at all three
struction to continue. Where there once By Kerry Kells
stations have filled their weeks with holiday
was a pile of snow, now there is a smooth, activities. Palmer Correspondent
raised pad and a great new home on higher The past week we contacted another
ground for the Cryo facility, cargo offices outlet for Polie creativity. group working on science at an isolated
and their do-not-freeze storage. The place With the warmer temperatures, outdoor station.
where the buildings were is now filled in. recreation has picked up and Polies are get- Our satellite communications technician,
Instead of a valley, there is a smooth tran- ting outside more often. McMurdo instruc- Chuck Kimball, contacted the International
sition into the surrounding areas. tors have come to Pole for the past three Space Station via ham radio on Dec. 17.
Looking out toward the dome is prob- weekends and given folks an opportunity Expedition 12, as the current U.S. Space
ably where one of the most noticeable to get off station and learn how to camp Station crew is known, is run by American
changes is occurring. Like a giant silver and survive in extreme environments. The Commander William McArthur, a retired
submarine, the bio-med arch is slowly hearty souls who took the class learned army colonel, and Russian Flight Engineer
making its way out of the frozen tomb that valuable skills that will surely be remem- and Sovuz commander Valery Tokarev, a
has encased it for so long. Each day we bered, like erecting a Scott tent and build- Russian Air Force colonel.
get to see a little more of its curved shape ing a snow shelter. Expedition 12 launched on Sept. 30. The
emerge. The mountains of snow that get There is also a freshly groomed ski loop mission is set to run for six months, and the
pulled away from it and moved around to venture out on, football games being NASA website mentions that Expedition 12
allow us to view the dome entrance and played — both American and Kiwi style will focus on preparations for space station
the connecting arches as they were when — and a general desire to be outside and assembly, maintenance, education and sci-
they were fully above ground. enjoying the polar sunshine. ence in microgravity, Earth observation and
Continuing to pan around the land- The other obvious event that comes other scientific experiments.
scape, we see quite a few large snow boul- at year’s end is Christmas. It is a pretty Chuck made an attempt at 3:34 p.m.
ders hanging around summer camp. These big event at Pole, and it promises to be local time to contact them by VHF ham
boulders are just waiting for an artist to an enjoyable weekend. People are baking radio. The first attempt was unsuccessful.
come and sculpt new life into them, as an pies and exchanging gifts in an effort to See CONTINENT on page 6
the week in weather :
McMurdo Station Palmer Station South Pole Station
Max Temp: 37F / 3C High: 41F / 5C High: -1F / -18C
Min Temp: 20F / -7C Low: 25F / -4C Low: -15F / -26C
Min Wind Chill: -15F / -26C Max. sustained wind: 14 mph / 22 kph Peak wind: 19 mph / 31 kph
Max Sustained Wind: 37 mph / 59 kph Precipitation: 0mm Max. Physio-altitude: 3,162m
6 • The Antarctic Sun December 25, 2005
Continent Operations had to be suspended over-
From page 5 night Dec. 14 due to repairs on the turbo
on one of the engines, which went down
around 10 p.m.
At 5:08 p.m., we made our second and final
The great news of the day came with the
attempt for the day, and Palmer Station suc-
reception of the most recent RADARSAT
cessfully contacted the International Space
image of the area: it looks as if our first
Station. We spoke with McArthur for about
and biggest iceberg, A-52, is now free of
five minutes. He is a frequent user of the
Clarence Island, on which it seemed to be
space station’s ham radio equipment and
stranded early into the cruise.
is attempting to gain a ham radio certifi-
We decided to head back to A-52 the
cate for working ham stations on all seven
next evening.
continents.
Both engines were back up in the wee
He spoke about their supply ship (and
hours of Dec. 15.
the oxygen supplies on board), the sci-
The day started with deployment of the
ence under way and also acknowledged the
CTD with the dreaded hose for deep trace
commonality of a “hostile environment” in
metal sampling, followed by deployment
both Antarctica and space. Due to the space
of the remotely operated vehicle (ROV)
station’s orbit, Palmer Station is the only
late in the morning.
U.S. Antarctic station far enough north to
The ROV carried an improvised net
“see” the station for ham radio contact.
mounted to the front of its frame to scrape
Our Wednesday night science lecture
underwater organisms off the iceberg,
was presented by John Dacey, with the
which was successful.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in
Massachusetts. Dacey is at Palmer study- Courtesy of Jess Walker / Special to The Antarctic Sun Close to midnight on Dec. 17, we
ing the volatile sulfur gas, dimethylsul- This map shows the progress and current deployed the Biosonics sonar to try to
fide (DMS), which makes up about half of location of this year’s icebreaker, the Krasin, image the subsurface area of the iceberg
as it rounds Ross Island. The ship should with mixed results.
the total non-anthropogenic sulfur flux to
make it here on or before Dec. 28. After the We kept the Biosonics sonar deployed
the atmosphere. DMS is also oxidized into
Krasin leaves, the tanker should arrive on
overnight. After more CTD casts, a suc-
compounds that tend to form aerosol par- Jan. 15 and will be followed by the arrival
cessful deployment of the ROV was com-
ticles. By doing so, they may reflect incom- of the freighter on Jan. 24.
pleted in the morning, followed by another
ing sunlight and cool the Earth. Ninety
tow with the MOC-10 with the towfish in
percent of the global DMS flux is emitted
the water simultaneously. The day ended
from the ocean.
SHIPS
with deep (1500 meter) CTD casts in the
Dacey also spoke about his experience
evening.
on the Polarstern in the western Weddell
Sea. The 11-week cruise last summer had LMG
three main research components centered NBP
Compiled from reports
on the melting and spring breakup of sea Compiled from reports
by Stephanie Suhr
ice. by Harold ‘Skip’ Owen
Marine Projects coordinator
We have also seen the return of the sea Marine Projects coordinator
We recovered the 10-meter Multiple
ice around station. This has hindered sci- We departed Lyttelton, NZ, on Dec.
Opening/Closing Net and Environmental
ence in the field. Science in the labs contin- 18, one day behind schedule. The delay
Sampling System (MOCNESS or MOC-
ued with available samples. Rounding out was agreed upon with the chief scientist to
10) on Dec. 12, followed by two conduc-
our week were holiday preparations. Next ensure all inbound cargo was received and
tivity, temperature and depth (CTD) casts
week we will see the return and departure all scientists were able to fully set up and
and pumping for trace metal samples.
of the Laurence M. Gould. check out systems prior to departure.
Who’s your favorite Antarctic hero or explorer and why?
“Amundsen, “Douglas “Zorac of Mars.
because he rarely Mawson. It’s his UFO at
gets the credit he Anybody who can the South Pole.
deserves for hav- put his feet back He is the galaxy’s
ing made it to the together and most underrated
South Pole first.” keep on going — explorer.”
that’s hardcore.”
Chuck Kimball, Josh Roney, Tom Lohr,
Palmer satellite com- McMurdo firefighter South Pole HR/Finance
munications technician from Espanola, N.M., specialist from
from Glenwood Springs, first season Jane Lew, W. Va.,
Colo., seventh season first season
December 25, 2005 The Antarctic Sun • 7
On Your Head
Polies don’t put a cap on their self-expression
By Tom Lohr as a dining room attendant. Her job
South Pole correspondent is to keep the polar population sup-
Choices for personal expression plied in sparkling and hygienic din-
are rather limited at the South Pole. nerware. Accessorizing is the key to
Clothing, the venue for person- keeping Gryting in style: her white
ality propagation in much of the gloves gracefully complement the
United States, becomes problematic colorful kerchief that makes her the
in the Antarctic climate. A pair of fashion envy of the kitchen crew.
brightly colored Keds high-tops will It is a little known fact that scien- Adam Rein
broadcast much about your inner tific brains must be kept at optimal
being, but does little to keep the operating temperature to process the
piggies warm. Your favorite team’s endless streams of data and formu-
sport jacket won’t block the biting las that make the Pole a goldmine of
sub-zero wind. Jeans that look like scientific information.
they’ve been run over with a lawn IceCube researcher P.J.
mower may be hip, but are too ven- Charpentier ensures that his gray
Beaver Cohen tilated for our icy world. matter keeps humming along by
In the brutal chill, one wears donning his infamous “mad bomb-
either a red or green parka. An occa- er” cap. The cap gives Charpentier
sional smattering of Carhartt brown a very Roald Admundsen-like look
adds some flavor. that says, “I just stepped off of the
Exacerbating the blandness is the dog sled.” In fact, Charpentier’s mad
unchanging polar landscape — flat bomber cover may rival Amundsen
and white for as far as the eye can for time on the Ice. Bought in 1999,
see. In an environment that is 90 the hat has kept Charpentier’s noodle
percent red, green, brown and white, warm for multiple winters. Scuffed
how does one become distinguish- but tough, it’s been repaired with Brian Taylor
able from your average Antarctic dental floss to keep it in operation.
explorer? For many, the solution is Alaskan-turned-Antarctican,
to exhibit a little cranium creativity. Adam Rein sports a homemade knit
If you ask materials handler hat to stand out from the crowd. A
Dehlia Sprague what she has sitting birthday present on a previous trip
on her head, she’ll tell you without to the Pole, the carpenter’s knit cap
hesitation: a “possum.” Using crit- also contains a strand of historical
ter fur to keep warm and comfy is significance that he has been sworn
a centuries-old technique, but never to secrecy not to share.
Dehlia Sprague
has such an ugly marsupial looked Some Polies do fancy issued
so dashing as it does perched atop extreme cold weather (ECW) gear.
Sprague. And it’s as close as one Technical Support Manager Martin
will come to having a pet at the Lewis is never without his Yazoo
Pole. cap, which looks like an Elmer Fudd
Working in a construction area hunting cap. “It’s practical, versatile
at the elevated station necessitates and keeps me warm,” he reasoned.
head protection. Brian Taylor, one “Plus it has earflaps.” P.J. Charpentier
of the Pole’s many carpenters, pre- Chef Boyardee would be envious
fers to protect his noggin with a rock not only of Beaver Cohen’s skill in
climbing helmet. “It’s a California the kitchen, but also of his trademark
thing,” Taylor explained. chef’s hat. Not only does it keep the
A self-described “ski beanie” heat from escaping Beaver’s smooth
keeps Todd Nemnich’s top toasty. scalp, but he uses the flat top as a
Also a carpenter, Nemnich is an model when he forgets how to make
Antarctic veteran and knows the pancakes.
tradeoff between comfort and Besides serving as an outlet of
warmth. The hat, strictly for indoor originality, personalized headgear
use, is a signal that Nemnich is at the South Pole also is very useful
near. for identification. From ten meters,
Martin Lewis That’s no rag on Randi Gryting’s a Polie bundled up in traditional
head. A vibrant bandana keeps her ECW gear might be Rein, Lewis or
coiffeur in fine form while working Robert F. Scott. Randi Gryting
8 • The Antarctic Sun December 25, 2005
Navy comes to build first bases
TIME LINE
U.S. Antarctic
moments from From page 1
Deep Freeze operation’s first year is known,
brought 1,800 men here to start
to the present
building the modern era’s scien-
tific stations on a continent that
1953 was still largely unexplored. The
The oldest trac- mission was to have seven sta-
tor still operat- tions ready for the International
ing at McMurdo Geophysical Year, which began
is built by in 1957.
Caterpillar, Inc. The first wave of construction
started in 1955 at McMurdo Station
1955 and Little America V. McMurdo
The U.S. Navy’s was not originally intended to be
Operation Deep a major scientific base in its own
Freeze begins. right. It was primarily an airfield
Its goal is to for the planes that would fly to the
build seven U.S. South Pole to establish a base there
scientific stations the following year. Little America
Dave Grisez / Special to The Antarctic Sun
on the continent V would be the country’s primary
in two years. scientific station, as well as the
staging area for the crew building
Dec. 18: Byrd Station farther inland.
Deep Freeze It wasn’t until December 1959,
ships arrive at when Little America was closed,
McMurdo Sound. that McMurdo evolved into the
main U.S. station.
1956 The Navy’s construction goals
Feb. 19: and the scientists’ research plans
McMurdo Air might have been lofty, but the
Operating men who came here to work that
Facility renamed first year saw the task primarily
Williams Air as just another job. It might have
Operating been an adventurous one that took
Facility after them to a remote place, but they
Richard Williams, didn’t see themselves as pioneers
who died in a or explorers.
tractor accident a “I’ve never looked at it as any-
month before. U.S. Navy photo / Special to The Antarctic Sun thing heroic,” said Dave Grisez,
who was at McMurdo as a 20-
Oct. 25: First year-old machinery repairman.
cargo air- “It was just part of being in the
dropped at the Navy.”
South Pole. That doesn’t mean the men
didn’t enjoy the job. They worked
Oct. 31: Gus hard, but they had their fun,
Shinn lands first whether it was playing poker and
plane at the pinochle, staging a reenactment of
South Pole. the marriage of Grace Kelly, com-
plete with gowns and bridesmaids,
Nov. 20: First or enjoying perhaps a bit too much
construction “whiteout punch.”
crew arrives at Even 50 years later, many of
the Pole. the men say they never worked
with a closer group of people than
1957 the Deep Freeze crew and still
First International consider them their best friends.
Geophysical Dave Grisez / Special to The Antarctic Sun “There was some cold weather,
Year begins and Top, the Seabees established a base camp in 1955, known as “Tent City,” but we had a good time,” said
runs 18 months. to live in while building McMurdo’s permanent structures. Middle, sled Grisez, who gets together regu-
dogs were used during Operation Deep Freeze. Lieutenant Junior Grade
Scientists from larly with Hisey in Indiana, where
Jack Tuck drives a sled in 1956. Bottom, Seabees erect a Clement’s Hut at
67 countries con- McMurdo. The prefabricated huts snapped together quickly, enabling the both men live. “I got home safe.
duct research at crew to build an entire town in a few weeks. Some of the seabees practiced I’ve got a lot of good memories.”
65 stations. erecting the huts at an Army cold weather room in Detroit. See SEABEES on page 13
December 25, 2005 The Antarctic Sun • 9
1957 cont. Little America to be primary station
March 11: Adm.
Richard Byrd
dies at the age By Emily Stone
of 66 Sun staff
Traveling to Antarctica was an
Oct. 15: First adventure in an unknown land for
commercial most of the men in Operation Deep
plane lands at Freeze. For Rear Adm. Richard
McMurdo. The Byrd, it was a homecoming.
Pan Am jet was Byrd had been to Antarctica
chartered by the four times already. In 1929, he
Navy for deploy- completed the first flight over
ing Seabees and the South Pole. He returned three
VIPs. Female more times to lead scientific
flight attendants expeditions. During each visit, he
onboard become established a base on the Ross
first women to Ice Shelf, which he named Little
visit McMurdo. America I through Little America
IV.
1959 It followed, then, that in
National Science December 1955 he would return
Foundation to the same spot to establish Little
takes over America V. About 725 kilometers
the Antarctic away, another Deep Freeze con-
program from tingent was building McMurdo
the National Station. Jim Waldron / Special to The Antarctic Sun
Academy of Despite the fact that McMurdo Men stand outside the operations building at Little America V in 1957, with
Sciences. was on solid ground while Little the Air Traffic Control tower in the background. Little America was built
America V sat on an ice shelf to be the main U.S. Antarctic science station during the IGY. Adm. Richard
First permanent moving steadily toward the ocean, Byrd chose the site, which was near the four previous stations he had built
laboratory, the Byrd decided that Little America on the continent, named Little America I through Little America IV.
predecessor to V would be the primary U.S.
what is now the scientific station for the upcoming International was a jumble of bright orange, prefabricated build-
Crary Science Geophysical Year. Little America was also the stag- ings, on Jan. 4, 1956. The next major goal was to
and Engineering ing area for the crew building Byrd Station, 1,000 establish a route to Byrd Station.
Center, is built at kilometers inland.
McMurdo. The station served its purpose. It was closed at the First attempt at Byrd
end of 1959, and McMurdo became the main U.S. A seven-man reconnaissance party set out in mid-
U.S. turns over Antarctic station. Today, Little America no longer January to find a safe route through crevasse fields,
Wilkes Station exists. It has fallen into the ocean, joining the previ- leaving bamboo poles every half a kilometer to
to Australia and ous Little Americas that calved off the edge of the mark the trail. They trav-
Ellsworth station ice shelf. eled about two weeks,
to Argentina. “We disappeared,” calling in for air support
said Ed Ehrlich, the doc- “There’s no remnant to each time they reached
The 12 leading tor at Little America that an impasse so they could
member nations first year. “There’s no really maintain any kind of reconnoiter by plane. On
of the IGY sign remnant to really main- Feb. 3, after blazing 600
the Antarctic tain any kind of memory memory of what we did.” kilometers of trail, they
Treaty, which of what we did.” decided they’d gone as
pledges that the — Ed Ehrlich, the doctor at Little
far as they could at that
continent “shall Building starts America V, on the station’s closing point.
continue forever
Byrd intended to build A small plane picked
to be used exclu-
Little America V next up part of the group. But
sively for peace-
door to his previous camps at the Bay of Whales, the it never returned to station. There was no backup
ful purposes.”
same spot where Roald Amundsen launched his trip plane, so an icebreaker came from McMurdo with a
to the South Pole. plane and helicopter to help with the search.
Dec. 31: Little
But when the Deep Freeze ships arrived, they “We didn’t know whether we were going to be
America V is
found that iceberg calving had ruined the bay. The able to find them,” said Ehrlich, who went out in the
closed.
group traveled about another 50 kilometers to Kainan helicopter to search for the men.
Bay, where they found a suitable spot. The mostly intact plane was found on the crest of a
1960
The men started transporting cargo several kilo- mountain and the helicopter crew followed footprints
Twelve C-130s,
meters from the ships to the station, which required until they found the men in remarkably good shape
equipped with
bridging two large crevasses. Some of the crews slept six days after the crash. They had decided to start
both skis and
in unheated buildings instead of returning to the ship walking back to Little America.
wheels, start fly-
at night to save time. “Of course, there was a great celebration,” said
ing Antarctic mis-
Byrd formally commissioned the station, which See WINTER on page 10
sions.
10 • The Antarctic Sun December 25, 2005
73
1961 Winter crew of hunker down
Construction
begins on a new
Byrd Station, 10
kilometers from From page 9
the old site. Ehrlich, now 77 and living in
Wisconsin.
First winter medi- The station wasn’t as lucky the
cal evacuation following month. Another tractor
completed when train set out to leave fuel caches
a scientist is along the reconnaissance party’s
flown out of Byrd route to prepare for the trip the
Station with an following summer. On March 5, a
undetermined tractor fell into a crevasse, crush-
stomach ailment. ing and killing driver Max Kiel.
“That was devastating,” said
McMurdo bowl- Bill Stroup, chief construction
ing alley opens. electrician at the base. Stroup said
Kiel had taught him how to drive
1962 a tractor when the ship was being
Nuclear power unloaded, and Stroup learned that
plant built at Kiel’s father had been killed in an
McMurdo. It is equipment accident.
decommissioned
10 years later. Winter
The 73 men who spent the
The first dedi- winter at Little America contin- Photos by Jim Waldron / Special to The Antarctic Sun
cated research ued with the station construction.
vessel, Eltanin, They also organized the cargo for
joins program. Byrd Station, and kept their win- Above, a group
of tracked vehi-
ter supplies within easy access.
cles prepares
Jan. 12: Williams Temperatures dipped down to to depart Little
Air Operating negative 61 degrees Celsius. America V for
Facility is offi- Ehrlich said he had few doctor- a trip on the
cially renamed ing duties, though he did perform Ross Ice Shelf in
McMurdo what he believes was the first 1957.
Station. appendectomy in Antarctica. Left, an aerial
view of Little
“Basically, we were dealing
America V in
Feb. 13: The with a healthy group of people,” 1957. The sta-
second Byrd he said. So he helped out with tion was built
Station is dedi- whatever was needed. on the Ross
cated. One of those jobs was handling Ice Shelf, and
the liquor rations. Ehrlich was therefore had to
1963 supplied with about 20,000 tiny be abandoned
after only a few
New Zealand bottles of brandy and some other
seasons because
instructors hired “medicinal” alcohol. One officer the moving ice
to teach the suggested that they refuse to give shelf was bury-
outdoor survival the men the drinks. Ehrlich argued ing the station
training program that the men should get them. under snow, and
at McMurdo. “I said, ‘you better do it, or would eventu-
ally send the
we’re going to have a mutiny,’”
station out to
Anvers Island he said. The decision was against
sea.
selected as regulations, but there were no
site for Palmer consequences. The men could also
Station. buy beer. The cases — enough themselves busy until late October, Traverse to Byrd
for about 50 per man — ran out when the first plane carrying pre-
Dec: South Pole after six months, he said. cious mail arrived. With summer underway, a sec-
residents find out Little America’s chaplain Stroup, who at 28 was one ond reconnaissance party set out to
that President didn’t organize entertainment the of the older men on station that find a suitable route to the location
Kennedy was same way McMurdo’s chaplain winter, said the average age of the for Byrd Station.
killed 20 days did, so the men were left to find enlisted men was about 21. The They radioed back on Dec. 4
after the fact, their own fun. They played poker young crew did great. that they’d found a good path, and
due to problems and ping-pong, watched mov- “They met the challenge,” he the 19-person tractor traverse team
with communica- ies, talked and read during the said. “We had some [challeng- set out. The United States wanted
tions equipment. long winter, and had parties with es] and we had some personality to build a station there because
the doctor’s doled out supply of clashes. But nothing ever inter- scientists believed the spot was
liquor. They managed to keep fered with the job.” See DANGEROUS on page 12