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Immediate report of Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expedition 1988-89: VUWAE 33

MOUNT EREBUS ERUPTION MECHANISM STUDY (K044) - R.R. Dibble

page 32

MOUNT EREBUS ERUPTION MECHANISM STUDY (K044) - R.R. Dibble

Aims

The aim of the IMEEMS project is to understand the mechanism of the strombolian eruptions of Erebus Volcano. The present methods are telemetry recordings at Scott Base of seismic, infrasonic, and video data from the volcano, over as great a part of the year as possible, supplemented by short term measurements of volcanic gas output, infrared thermometry of the liquid lava lake, and petrology of the lava being erupted, made during expeditions to the volcano by an international group of cooperating scientists from USA, Japan, and France.

Planning

This has been carried out at three levels: Event proposals to RDRC; discussions within the VUW Antarctic Research Centre; communications between foreign scientists. The International communications are distributed through the year, and concern the expeditions, distribution of data, presentation of results at conferences, joint publications, direction of future work, and the willingness and ability of each National group to do it. The VUWAE discussions are concerned with finance and grant applications, selection of student research assistants, and the preparation of yearly reports.

The RDRC proposals are the earliest formal plans, but on a continuing project such as IMEEMS are strongly guided by the thinking of the International group on Erebus. If everyone did their own thing without concern for the others, the International group would fall apart. It is mutual friendship which holds it together.

This is the reason I am concerned by the lack of a visible RDRC policy on cooperative International Research. The cooperation cannot be turned on and off like a tap.

Cargo

Cargo movements were as follows:

May 88 Sony playback recorder to Japan for overhaul 100 kg
Aug 88 Handcarry computer seismograph, San Fran-Wgtn 30 kg
Oct 88 Cargon of NZ/Japan equipment, Wgtn-Scott Base 200 kg
Nov 88 Handcarry computer seismograph, Wgtn-S.B. 30 kg
Dec 88 Sony recorder, tapes, and paper Tokyo-S.B. 150 kg
13 Dec 88 TV camera for repair, S.B. to Auck 5 kg
18 Dec 88 Handcarry WBA computer, S.B.-Wgtn 30 kg
19 Dec 88 Air freight tape and disk drives, S.B.-Wgtn 50 kg
24 Dec 88 Repaired TV camera, Auck to S.B. 5 kg
28 Dec 88 Airfreight recordings, Wgtn to Tokyo 48 kg
18 Jan 89 Handcarry seismic recordings, S.B.-Wgtn 10 kg
18 Jan 89 Ship equip and records, S.B. to Wgtn 200 kg
8 Feb 89 Airfreight record to date, S.B.-Wgtn 20 kg
31 Mar 89 Airfreight record to date, Wgtn-Tokyo 5 kg
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Field Preparations

For IMEEMS, field preparations always begin with servicing the recording equipment at S.B., because the field telemetry equipment cannot be serviced reliably if signals cannot be recorded. This work was done by Ray Dibble, with assistance from Howard Nicholson, and so Kevin MacKay prepared the food boxes and checked the field equipment, with help and guidance from John Skilton.

Kevin attended the full survival course, but Ray rode Grizzly G2 out to join the course for the snow/ice craft practise, and to run-in, test, and familiarise the grizzly. It performed OK, but a few days later, the gearbox was out of oil, and after refilling, a fast run to the ski field and back into the garage was made to find the leak and prove the maximum power. Unfortunately, this test was both misunderstood and unsuccessful.

Relations with Base Staff

This was very good, and the willing help and cooperation from everyone was much appreciated.

Field Transport

The put-in was by helicopter Gentle 17, which also brought up the Grizzly next day from Royds, where it had been left over night. Although the Grizzly left Scott Base in a horizontal position, it arrived at Fang camp hanging vertically, and oil and battery acid had leaked on to the front cowl.

Grizzly G2 proved incapable of ascending Erebus with two on board, as required by the Field Manager, but it carried all our equipment, and much of S-081′s equipment up from Fang to the lower Erebus Hut, and together with the Yamahas stored at the hut, transported us to the telemetry equipment sites around the plateau. The gearbox continued leaking oil rapidly, until John Skilton discovered that a bolt had been left out and another not tightened after its last overhaul. It must be said that G2 was only able to do the work required because it was nursed along by Bill McIntosh of S-081. It seemed to lose and regain power in a cyclic way, and was nowhere near as good as in 1987/88.

Return to Scott Base was by helo from the lower hut for Ray, and from Fang for Kevin and John with the Grizzly.

The trip to the RTG Hut at the Windless Bight Infrasonic Array was made in the Haglund, after plans to use the Hovercraft became impossible for operational reasons.

Field Conditions

No unusual conditions were encountered. The snow was clean and hard, giving rise to predictions from Survival School members who had climbed Erebus before our put-in, that the Grizzly would have poor traction. In fact, traction was good along the flagged routes.

EVENT DIARY

17 Nov Dibble and MacKay, Wgtn to Chch
18 Nov Dibble and MacKay, Chch to Scott Base.page 34
30 Nov Dibble, MacKay & Skilton, Scott Base to Fang camp.
4 Dec Dibble, MacKay, Skilton, Fang Camp to Erebus lower hut.
4 Dec Kaminuma, Chch to Scott Base, from Japan.
4 Dec Dibble, Erebus Hut to Cones, and return.
5 Dec Dibble, MacKay, Skilton to TV at rim and return.
8 Dec Dibble, MacKay, Skilton to E1 and return.
9 Dec All to rim, and to Cones, and return.
10 Dec Dibble to E1 and return.
10 Dec Dibble, Erebus lower hut to Scott Base.
10 Dec Skilton, MacKay, Erebus hut to Fang to Scott Base.
14 Dec Day trip to RTG Hut, Windless Bight Array.
19 Dec Dibble, Scott Base to Chch.
29 Dec Kaminuma, Scott Base to Chch.
11 Jan Day trip to RTG Hut to raise antenna masts.
17 Jan MacKay, Scott Base to Chch.

Weather

The weather was good from 18 November to 19 December except for a snow storm on Erebus from 6 to 7 December, and a ground fog on 17 December at Scott Base. The latter delayed a second trip to the RTG Hut to complete the raising of the telemetry antenna above the snow.

Field Equipment

The use of Polar tents at Fang, and Dome tents at the lower Erebus hut again proved ideal. Normally the Polar tents would remain erected at Fang until the Grizzly was taken from there to Scott Base by helicopter. On this occasion, the S-081 camp at Fang provided security, and our Polar tents were back loaded during resupply flights. Purging the generator proved a problem. Running it out of fuel and inverting it proved insufficient. Finally it was flushed with DFA. Clear instructions are needed.

Radio Communications

The Tait VHF radio provided good comms everywhere except at Fang Glacier, and the Compac radio filled that gap adequately, in contrast with the Codan 8332 which had failed in previous years. The solar panel was again excellent. The only problem was loose and missing screws holding the top panels on the Taits. This caused intermittent operation of one radio, and a replacement was sent up. The radio skeds were very good, and the operators very helpful.

page 35

Laboratory Facilities

The Science Lab is a very good facility, and I am very grateful for the generous space provided, but it could be improved. Lighting was very poor, even after I had replaced all the blown bulbs. More protection against electrostatic damage to computer-type equipment caused by charged-up technicians, should be provided in the form of conductive floor and table mats (Senior Technician Nick Millar says the failure rate of computers at Scott Base is near 100%). There is not enough basic test equipment for more than one major problem at a time. The convenience of closely spaced power plugs on walls, floor and ceiling is compromised by the long individual feed wires to each plug, and the spike voltages induced in them by the D-region Radar. The technicians are frustrated by delays in buying minor tools and stock, and need authority to purchase it directly. Even so, it is the best facility on Ross Island, and I greatly appreciate the expert assistance of Howard Nicholson in maintaining and operating my new computer-based equipment installed in the Lab.

Huts

Both huts on Erebus are in good order, and equipped with adequate heating, cooking, and eating equipment, fuel and food. There are no tents or sleeping bags, except in the survival boxes outside. The lower hut (Jamesway) was extended this year by S-081 to provide an instrumental observing room with a large window, facing the crater.

Waste Disposal

No disposal areas are available on Erebus, and all waste is returned to Scott Base/McMurdo by helicopter.

Place Names

The 1984 eruption obliterated the Lava Lake, and the Active Vent, and new lava pools called (from NE to SW) the Main Vent, the Potato, and the Penny have formed. The Black Hole occupies the approximate site of Verner's Fumarole, which also disappeared in 1984.

General

A fine example of International cooperation and friendship was provided by Dr P.R. Kyle, in connecting his colour video camera to our TV transmitter, while ours was away for repairs, and by reinstalling ours when it returned after we had left the mountain.