Welcome to PLU Glacial Geology! In its current form, this blog will share the work of four National Science Foundation-funded researchers from Pacific Lutheran University, Berkeley Geochronology Center, and Tulane University as we investigate the glacial history of the northwestern Ross Sea, Antarctica.

The goal of this project is to track the retreat of the Antarctic ice sheet by mapping and sampling glacial deposits left behind by three glaciers in the northwestern Ross Sea - Tucker, Aviator, and Mariner glaciers. Our work will provide insights into ice sheet response to climate change and past contributions of the ice sheet to sea level rise.

Our field season is now complete!! We will use this blog to share our Antarctic experiences with you, including our field work, our time in McMurdo Station, and our time at Mario Zucchelli Station. Thanks for checking in!

Friday, January 16, 2015

Leaving McMurdo!

Hi Friends!

We are scheduled to fly out of McMurdo this morning! I thought I'd take this opportunity to share some pictures from McMurdo! This weekend, I'll add to this and return to news from our field work!
McMurdo is like a small town! During the summer months 800 - 1000 people live here including scientists and many professionals who support the scientists in their work. These professionals include carpenters, electricians, doctors, firemen, cooks, and many other positions! The hill in the background is called Observation Hill!
You can climb to the top of "Ob Hill" (as early explorers did to watch for parties returning from the South Pole!) and see Mount Erebus - an active volcano!
At the top of the hill is a cross inscribed with a quote from a Tennyson poem (Ulysses): "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield" in honor of ...
The cross has been in this location for a long time!
Observation Hill offers excellent views of McMurdo as well!
McMurdo is mostly powered by fossil fuels - see the big white tanks? The dining hall and my dorm are in the big blue building; can you find it?
Now it's time to go catch my flight! So one last picture - can you find the airfield in the background of this picture I took from Ob Hill? I'll be heading there in half an hour to catch my plane! I'll take lots of pictures and share them here. Thanks for checking in!!
Very, very sorry for the angle of this picture! I need to improve my selfie skills. The tiny dots just below the (slanted) horizon are LC-130s at the airfield. I'll be on one soon!
Check back! Have a great day,

Claire
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