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Was It All a Dream?

2/14/2012

Was It all an Antarctic Dream?

We departed Palmer Station in early February on the Laurence M. Gould (LMG) icebreaker ship. As we were leaving, Palmer scientists and staff took the "polar plunge" into the frigid waters to wish us a safe crossing through the Drake Passage.

Above is a movie created last November at Palmer Station depicting the ritualistic "Polar Plunge" for the LMG homebound passengers.

The Dread of the Drake

With an unforgiving storm on its way, the LMG immediately left the protective peninsular waters and entered the open sea. This meant that we had little time to get our sea legs before entering the infamous Drake Passage. Though ahead of the storm, we still encountered choppy 20 foot waves clearing the Southern Ocean and then three steady days of 60 knot winds. Needless to say, it wasn't a smooth ride and seasickness was almost inevitable.

After four days at sea, the winds finally diminished and we were able to safely move about the bow and deck outside. Nature's wrath had transformed into calmness and beauty as we approached the tip of South America.

A Bugger Reunion

We were able to meet up with our fifth member of the Buggers research team, Yuta Kawarasaki in Punta Arenas, Chile. He will be heading to Palmer Station, Antarctica on the next LMG cruise.

The End of the Road

Here is my favorite Antarctic landscape photo. I took it from Old Palmer Island near Palmer Station.

Eight days and 8,000 miles later, Dr. Lee, Dr. Denlinger, Dr. Goto and I safely made it back to Ohio. I was warmly greeted by my close family and friends with a surprise welcome home party in my hometown. It was wonderful mom:)

As I talked about my adventures, I quickly realized how my journey seemed dreamlike and nostalgic. Antarctica's unparalleled beauty, wildlife, and environment just tugs at your heart. One must experience it to know its profound effects on your mind and soul. If heaven on earth existed, it would be here.

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Saying Goodbye to Antarctica

2/2/2012

10 Comments

Until We Meet Again, Antarctica!

My final hike up the backyard glacier

I've reached the hardest part of my journey...saying goodbye to Antarctica. This has truly been a trip of a lifetime. My experiences here have helped me to grow personally, professionally, and spiritually. Antarctica is considered the last frontier, and I feel truly humbled that I have been one of its explorers.

My Final Hike in the Backyard

A Goodbye Waltz

Since I love to dance, I thought a goodbye waltz on the pier was fitting for the moment. Being at the underbelly of the world, I guess we are technically dancing upside down! We danced to the sounds of Antarctica...

Stay Tuned...

We will return the same way we came on the Lawrence M. Gould icebreaker ship (LMG). We are moved onto the ship, and we will leave when the weather conditions are good. Though I am leaving Antarctica, there will be plenty more posts added to the blog when I return home. Bon Voyage!

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Other Palmer Station Scientists

2/2/2012

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Meet Palmer Station Scientists

Since the station opened its doors in 1970, peninsula research has included a variety of disciplines, though the biological sciences are the most active. Of particular interest have been the marine ecosystem, and every level of animal life, from microbes to seals.

Exploring the Ocean with Gliders

Marine Microbiology

Ecology of the Keystone Species: Krill

Microbial Oceanography

Ecology of Sea Birds

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Gigapan #3 Antarctic Scenery

1/31/2012

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Explore Anvers Island

Take a virtual tour of Anvers Island and the West Antarctic Peninsula using Gigapan technology! Anvers Island is the largest and the southernmost island of the Palmer Archipelago. With its biologically rich environment, abundant fresh water supply, and easy ship access, it is the perfect location for Palmer Station.

How to Use Gigapan

Go on a Gigapan Scavenger Hunt!

Locate the following items within the Gigapan image above. When you find all 8 challenges, leave me a message on the blog. I'll add your name to the Gigapan Wall of Fame!

Challenge #1
Palmer Station

Challenge #2
Terra (Earth Science) Lab

Challenge #3
Melting Iceberg

Challenge #4
Snow

Challenge #5
Mountain Range

Challenge #6
Mt. Agamemnon
(2nd tallest mountain on Anvers island)

Challenge #7
Mt. William
(3rd tallest mountain on Anvers Island)

Challenge #8
Bird

23 Comments

Visitors at Palmer Station

1/31/2012

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Visitors at Palmer Station

Though it's hard to believe, we do receive visitors here at Palmer Station. Summertime draws about 8,000 tourists to the Antarctic Peninsula each year. Only about 1,500 people actually visit Palmer Station, arriving on various ships and yachts.

This Palmer Station sign displays the distance and direction of the other US research stations. We are 1744 miles from the South Pole!

Station Tours

The passengers of the Ocean Nova cruise ship recently toured the station. The scientists meet the passengers and answer questions about their research.

Bark Europa

When the Bark Europa visited, we were able to tour their incredible ship and meet with passengers at the station.

We are the Visitors

Some ships are too large to visit the station. So we visit them on board! Here is the Veendam cruise ship.

The Drifting Visitor

One day we woke up to a giant visitor in our harbor. Check out this iceberg that visited the station for about a week in early January.

Animals Visit Us Too!

Below is a video I made of an elephant seal crawling onto shore at the station. He stayed in the area for about two days.

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Explore Adelie Penguins with Gigapan!

1/25/2012

51 Comments

Explore Adelie Penguins with Gigapan!

In early January I took this photo.

Take a virtual tour of the Adelie penguin colony located on Torgeson Island, Antarctica using Gigapan technology. These Adelie penguins return to this exact breeding location each Antarctic summer. Here they use small pebbles and rocks to build nests for their eggs. I took the image below to show young Adelie chicks being raised by their parents. When we arrived, some eggs had not yet hatched. However, within three weeks other chicks were nearly the size of the adults and had begun to molt into adult plumage.

How to Explore the Gigapan Image

Step #1: Go Full Screen
Notice that your pointer changes to a hand as you move it across the Gigapan image below. Click the "fullscreen" icon shown here.

Step #2: Navigate the Image
Use the dial to navigate the image. The arrows help you to move up, down, left and right. The + and - buttons help you to zoom in and out.

Step #3: Take a Virtual Tour!
Double click the hand on an area that you would like to explore. Once it focuses, you can double click again to get a closer look at it. Use the dial
to continue to navigate the image.

Gigapan Scavenger Hunt #2
Locate the following items within the Gigapan image above. When you find all 6 challenges, leave me a message on the blog. I'll add your name to the Gigapan Wall of Fame!

Challenge #1
Penguin with Rock in Mouth

Challenge #2
Orange Lichen on Rock

Challenge #3
Penguin Grooming

Challenge #4
Basalt Rocks

Challenge #5
Penguin Chick

Challenge #6
Penguin on Belly

51 Comments

Explore Antarctica with Gigapan!

1/21/2012

34 Comments

Explore Antarctica with Gigapan Technology!

Gigapan is a robotic camera (used by both NASA and Google) that takes a patchwork of images, meshes them together, and creates a highly interactive panoramic image for you to explore!

Above I am using a Gigapan to take a 360 degree image of Antarctica from Torgerson Island (see image below). I want to thank Paul Queior for his assistance with using this incredible technology at Palmer Station.

How to Explore the Gigapan Image

Step #1: Go Full Screen

Notice that your pointer changes to a hand as you move it across the Gigapan image below. Click the "fullscreen" icon shown here.

Step #2: Navigate the Image
Use the dial to navigate the image. The arrows help you to move up, down, left and right. The + and - buttons help you to zoom in and out.

Step #3: Take a Virtual Tour!
Double click the hand on an area that you would like
to explore. Once it focuses, you can double click
again to get a closer look at it. Use the dial to continue
to navigate the image.

Go on a Gigapan Scavenger Hunt!

Locate the following items within the Gigapan image above. When you find all 10 challenges, leave me a message on the blog. I'll add your name to the Gigapan Wall of Fame!

Challenge #1
Adelie Penguin

Challenge #2
Cape Renard

Challenge #3
Emergency Caches

Challenge #4
Iceberg

Challenge #5
Mt. William

Challenge #6
Sailboat

Challenge #7
Geological Survey Marker

Challenge #8
Boundary Flag

Challenge #9
Palmer Station

Challenge #10
Adelie Penguin Colony

34 Comments

Meet the Buggers!

1/20/2012

17 Comments

Meet the Buggers!

THE BUGGERS
Dr. Shin Goto, Natalie Harr, Dr. Richard Lee and Dr. Dave Denlinger (left to right)

We study one insect and its name is Belgica antarctica. Not surprisingly, we are known as "The Buggers" here at Palmer Station. In fact, this wingless fly is the southernmost, free-living insect in Antarctica and it's the largest animal that remains on land throughout the year.

Photo by Dr. Richard E. Lee Jr.

The adults of Belgica antarctica live for only 10 days during the Antarctic summer. Although they are the largest Antarctic land animal, they only measure 3-4 mm in length!

Photo by Dr. Richard E. Lee, Jr.

In its two-year life cycle, Belgica antarctica undergoes complete metamorphosis. It spends most of its time in its larval stage (above).

Drumroll PLEASE!

The Bugger Team....

Dr. "Rick" Richard Lee

This is Dr. Lee's 8th trip to the Antarctic. He is a Distinguished Professor of Zoology at Miami University, Ohio. He specializes in entomology and adaptations of cold-blooded animals to survive in winter and in polar regions.

Dr. Dave Denlinger

Dr. Denlinger is a Distinguished University Professor at Ohio State University. Work in his home laboratory focuses on molecular physiology of insect overwintering. This is his 4th trip to Antarctica, and he has also worked in Africa and Central America.

Dr. Shin Goto

Dr. Goto is currently on the faculty of Osaka City University, Japan. He was a previous postdoctoral fellow in the Denlinger laboratory at Ohio State. His research focuses on insect overwintering and the function of clock genes.

Miss Natalie Harr (Nature Nat)

Miss Harr is a first grade teacher in Mantua, OH and serves as the team's educational outreach coordinator. With her master's degree in Biological Sciences, she is connecting her school district as well as 30 other districts nationally with current Antarctic research.

Field Collecting

We travel to several local islands and collect samples of Belgica antarctica using simple tools.

The wingless fly lives in the substrate between the soil and the rocks. In some places the adults and larvae are abundant. But in others, few or none can be found.

As we collect Belgica, we see other plants and animals living on the islands.

Once we return to the station, we immediately get Belgica ready for experiments.

Our Research

Our experiments this year focus in two areas. First, we are trying to determine whether larvae survive the winter by freezing or by dehydrating. A fifth member of our research team, Yuta Kawarasaki, will be here from February to May studying this question. Secondly, we are investigating whether adults and larvae can use changes in the length of daylight through the year to time their preparations for winter survival.

17 Comments

Miss Harr's Packing List

1/17/2012

18 Comments

What's in my Suitcase?

As I was preparing for my Antarctic adventure, it seemed like everyone was wondering the same question... What do you pack for a trip of a lifetime?

Antarctica is the most remote place on earth. In fact, its considered an enormous icy desert. Its unparalleled environment makes it similar to visiting another planet!

Check out my photos below. Does the underbelly of our planet compare to anything you've ever experienced before?

And, since there are no Walmart or Target stores nearby, I had to be extra careful to pack all the essentials for my six week adventure. I was very happy to receive help from Crestwood Middle School students below!

Crestwood middle school students have been learning about Antarctica's remote environment. They helped me brainstorm items to pack for my scientific polar mission! Thanks for helping me gear up for my trip!

After much deliberation, here is what arrived in my suitcase to Antarctica! Does anything surprise you?

Electronics/Travel Items:

backpack
laptop & case
watch
alarm clock
camera & case
batteries
Gigapan camera
notebook
journal
pens
book
Ipad
passport
Credit card
cash
polarized sunglasses
snacks
phone card
water bottle

Clothing:

fingerless gloves
insulated gloves
warm hat
scarf
thermal undershirts
thermal underwear
hiking socks
hiking boots
thermal vest
thermal fleece
sweater
thermal long sleeves
hiking pants
underwear
jeans
workout clothes
tennis shoes
pajamas
slippers
robe
swim suit
insulated rain coat
snowboots

Toiletries:

OTC Medicines
lotion
vaseline
toothbrush
toothpaste
hairbrush
shampoo
conditioner
bath towel
sunscreen
hairdryer
laundry bag
chapstick

18 Comments

Safety at Palmer Station

1/13/2012

20 Comments

Safety at Palmer Station

Upon arrival at Palmer Station, we began a series of safety courses to prepare us for our work in Antarctica. Take a look at the map. What kind of landforms do you see?

Many of the surrounding islands are the home to penguin rookeries, skua colonies, and most importantly, Belgica antarctica! Therefore, scientists must safely travel to the local islands around Palmer Station to do their research.

The Zodiac Boats

This is a zodiac boat. It holds 6-8 people comfortably to travel to and from the local Antarctic islands. Before we can use the boats, we must pass some safety courses first.

Safety is Priority

When working in Antarctica, safety is of the utmost importance. Check out some of the hazards described above.

Antarctic Safety Training

Our first safety course taught us basic survival skills in case we have difficulty making it back to the station from the islands.

Zodiac Time

Man Overboard Drill

Below I made a movie of our "man overboard" drill. While boating in the zodiac, we pretended a large bag in the water was a passenger overboard. We all work together to rescue the victim. First, we radio Palmer station for backup and point to the victim at all times so we don't lose sight in the icy waters. Last, we align the boat carefully so we can pull the victim back on board to safety. Once we mastered this skill, we practiced with real people overboard too!

Out and About on the Zodiacs

Below is a short movie highlighting our scenic boat ride from Torgeson Island to Palmer Station. Dr. Lee is driving the zodiac while I scan the waters for hazards. This first sunny day brings the water to life!

Crabeater Seals

Here are some photographs I took from the zodiac the same day. I really like learning about the Antarctic seals. Do you?

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Above is a movie created last November at Palmer Station depicting the ritualistic "Polar Plunge" for the LMG homebound passengers.

The Dread of the Drake

After four days at sea, the winds finally diminished and we were able to safely move about the bow and deck outside. Nature's wrath had transformed into calmness and beauty as we approached the tip of South America.

A Bugger Reunion

We were able to meet up with our fifth member of the Buggers research team, Yuta Kawarasaki in Punta Arenas, Chile. He will be heading to Palmer Station, Antarctica on the next LMG cruise.

The End of the Road

Here is my favorite Antarctic landscape photo. I took it from Old Palmer Island near Palmer Station.

My Final Hike in the Backyard

A Goodbye Waltz

Stay Tuned...

We will return the same way we came on the Lawrence M. Gould icebreaker ship (LMG). We are moved onto the ship, and we will leave when the weather conditions are good. Though I am leaving Antarctica, there will be plenty more posts added to the blog when I return home. Bon Voyage!

Meet Palmer Station Scientists

Exploring the Ocean with Gliders

Ecology of the Keystone Species: Krill

Microbial Oceanography

Ecology of Sea Birds

Explore Anvers Island

How to Use Gigapan

Go on a Gigapan Scavenger Hunt!

Locate the following items within the Gigapan image above. When you find all 8 challenges, leave me a message on the blog. I'll add your name to the Gigapan Wall of Fame!

Visitors at Palmer Station

This Palmer Station sign displays the distance and direction of the other US research stations. We are 1744 miles from the South Pole!

Station Tours

The passengers of the Ocean Nova cruise ship recently toured the station. The scientists meet the passengers and answer questions about their research.

Bark Europa

When the Bark Europa visited, we were able to tour their incredible ship and meet with passengers at the station.

We are the Visitors

Some ships are too large to visit the station. So we visit them on board! Here is the Veendam cruise ship.

The Drifting Visitor

Animals Visit Us Too!

Below is a video I made of an elephant seal crawling onto shore at the station. He stayed in the area for about two days.

Explore Adelie Penguins with Gigapan!

How to Explore the Gigapan Image

Explore Antarctica with Gigapan Technology!Gigapan is a robotic camera (used by both NASA and Google) that takes a patchwork of images, meshes them together, and creates a highly interactive panoramic image for you to explore!

Above I am using a Gigapan to take a 360 degree image of Antarctica from Torgerson Island (see image below). I want to thank Paul Queior for his assistance with using this incredible technology at Palmer Station.

How to Explore the Gigapan Image

Step #1: Go Full Screen

Go on a Gigapan Scavenger Hunt!

Photo by Dr. Richard E. Lee Jr.

The adults of Belgica antarctica live for only 10 days during the Antarctic summer. Although they are the largest Antarctic land animal, they only measure 3-4 mm in length!

Photo by Dr. Richard E. Lee, Jr.

In its two-year life cycle, Belgica antarctica undergoes complete metamorphosis. It spends most of its time in its larval stage (above).

This is Dr. Lee's 8th trip to the Antarctic. He is a Distinguished Professor of Zoology at Miami University, Ohio. He specializes in entomology and adaptations of cold-blooded animals to survive in winter and in polar regions.

Dr. Denlinger is a Distinguished University Professor at Ohio State University. Work in his home laboratory focuses on molecular physiology of insect overwintering. This is his 4th trip to Antarctica, and he has also worked in Africa and Central America.

Dr. Goto is currently on the faculty of Osaka City University, Japan. He was a previous postdoctoral fellow in the Denlinger laboratory at Ohio State. His research focuses on insect overwintering and the function of clock genes.

Miss Harr is a first grade teacher in Mantua, OH and serves as the team's educational outreach coordinator. With her master's degree in Biological Sciences, she is connecting her school district as well as 30 other districts nationally with current Antarctic research.

Field Collecting

We travel to several local islands and collect samples of Belgica antarctica using simple tools.

The wingless fly lives in the substrate between the soil and the rocks. In some places the adults and larvae are abundant. But in others, few or none can be found.

As we collect Belgica, we see other plants and animals living on the islands.

Once we return to the station, we immediately get Belgica ready for experiments.

And, since there are no Walmart or Target stores nearby, I had to be extra careful to pack all the essentials for my six week adventure. I was very happy to receive help from Crestwood Middle School students below!

Crestwood middle school students have been learning about Antarctica's remote environment. They helped me brainstorm items to pack for my scientific polar mission! Thanks for helping me gear up for my trip!

Safety at Palmer Station

The Zodiac Boats

This is a zodiac boat. It holds 6-8 people comfortably to travel to and from the local Antarctic islands. Before we can use the boats, we must pass some safety courses first.

Safety is Priority

When working in Antarctica, safety is of the utmost importance. Check out some of the hazards described above.

Antarctic Safety Training

Our first safety course taught us basic survival skills in case we have difficulty making it back to the station from the islands.

Zodiac Time

Man Overboard Drill

Out and About on the Zodiacs

Below is a short movie highlighting our scenic boat ride from Torgeson Island to Palmer Station. Dr. Lee is driving the zodiac while I scan the waters for hazards. This first sunny day brings the water to life!

Crabeater SealsHere are some photographs I took from the zodiac the same day. I really like learning about the Antarctic seals. Do you?

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Explore Antarctica with Gigapan Technology!

Gigapan is a robotic camera (used by both NASA and Google) that takes a patchwork of images, meshes them together, and creates a highly interactive panoramic image for you to explore!

Crabeater Seals

Here are some photographs I took from the zodiac the same day. I really like learning about the Antarctic seals. Do you?