The View From Our Lab
The view from our lab window. USAP field safety folks are out on the sea ice setting up huts for other science groups. Our field camp will be further away and off the left side of this image – as close as possible to the ice shelf. (photo: Peter Kimball)
I just wanted to share the view from our lab window. At this time of year, each day is basically an 8-hour sunrise, followed by an 8-hour sunset. These mountains are lit with beautiful pastel light all day, but the lighting angle changes as the sun swings around behind us. This picture was taken at about 11:30am. It was -25 F outside.
We walk to dinner at very nearly the same time each evening, so it’s easy to notice the lengthening days. True darkness is becoming more brief each night. At the same time, the C-17 landing was the last time I’ve felt direct sunlight (the station sits on the southern slope of Ross Island).
Meanwhile, we’ve been hard at work preparing the Sunfish vehicle to get wet and completing more required trainings (yesterday included Radio Communications, Waste Management, and GPS). We’re very excited for today’s training: Working On Sea Ice!
Reporting by Peter Kimball