Greetings iSTAR blogreaders, and Happy New Year. I write to you as we bounce once more over Pine Island Glacier’s sastrugi (“dunes” of snow formed by wind) en route to our 20th site of the overall 22. Yes, the finish of the traverse is approaching fast …
Read Full »Ocean2ice studentship
An iSTAR PhD studentship has been announced at the University of East Anglia: “Ocean-ice interaction in the Amundsen Sea Embayment, Antarctica”. This forms part of Ocean2ice (iSTAR A). Note: application deadline: 6 Jan.
Read Full »New Year update
We can see mountains on the horizon! Or are they just mountain-shaped clouds? After many weeks on the ice plains of Pine Island Glacier, our eyes sometimes deceive. However, whilst driving one of many radar lines away from camp, Damon pointed his camera north yesterday, and took a picture of dark silhouettes rising from the flat surface, with clouds draping the peaks – they must be the Hudson Mountains!
Read Full »iStar C preparations update
The iSTAR-C team have completed preparations at Rothera and are ready to join the traverse. Poor weather over Rothera delayed our flight from Punta Arenas by one day, so that we arrived on Sunday 24th November ready for a week of hurrying to catch up with the tractor train as it drove along Pine Island Glacier.
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Last traverse staff depart
All but two of the scientists going on the tractor train this season are now either in Antarctica or on their way south, with the last two leaving tomorrow. For most of the traverse personnel, the journey south starts either at Heathrow (if they are travelling through Chile) or at RAF Brize Norton (if going… Read more »
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