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Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 2001-02: VUWAE 46

LOGISTICS REPORT K049 Holocene Climate History from Coastal Ice 2001-02

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LOGISTICS REPORT

K049 Holocene Climate History from Coastal Ice

Antarctica New Zealand

page 1

*AIMS

Victoria Valley is the northernmost and largest of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, which lie within the Transantarctic Mountains and between the Ross Sea and the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. Differences in moisture and temperature of air masses originating from either the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, the rocky area of the Dry Valleys or the Ross Sea form a sensitively balanced climate system where they meet in the Victoria Valley. Therefore a climate record of the Victoria/Valley provides an ideal opportunity to study rapid, high frequency climate variations.

During the 1999/2000 and 2000/2001 seasons firn cores and snow pit samples were collected from Victoria Lower Glacier, Baldwin Glacier and Wilson Piedmont Glacier. Their chemical and isotopic signals confirm the climate sensitivity of Victoria Valley, and verify the good preservation of this record in the ice of the surrounding low altitude, coastal glaciers.

During the 2001/2002 field season a 180m core was recovered from Victoria Lower Glacier. The ice was expected to provide a climate record for the last 8,000 to 10,000 years. The site was chosen for its location and for the glaciological characteristics of the site, which were determined with ground penetrating radar and mass balance measurements.

In addition, snow samples were collected from the polar plateau to complete our database along a transect from the coast to the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. The comparison of the chemical and isotopic record contained in the snow and firn at sites along this transect will allow us to distinguish between input from local and distant air masses

*PERSONNEL

Name Designation Organisation Departed Chch Returned Chch
Ms Nancy Bertler Principal Investigator Victoria University 02 Nov 01 02 Jan 02
Prof. Peter Barrett Science Supervisor Victoria University NA NA
Mr Alex Pyne Expedition Manager & Drilling Expert Victoria University * 20 Dec 01
Mr Tony Kingan Drilling Expert Webster Drilling * 08 Dec 01
Mr. Bruce Koçi Drilling Expert USAP, ICDS # 20 Dec 01
Ms Nora Patterson Student Assistant Victoria University 02 Nov 01 20 Dec 01
Mr Matt Hill Student Assistant Victoria University 02 Nov 01 24 Dec 01

*PLANNING

  • Communications with Antarctica New Zealand staff

    Antarctica New Zealand staff appears competent and helpful

  • Provision of maps and aerial photographs

    N.A.

    page 2
  • Pre-season information

    The information received was timely and valuable.

  • Medicals, documentation and flights to Antarctica

    We did not encounter any problems

CARGO

Cargo Item Qty Approx. Weight (if known)
GPS equipment 2 300 lb
Ice core processing equipment 200 lb
Snow sampling equipment 200 lb
Computer 1 20 lb

*PREPARATIONS FOR THE FIELD

  • Reception and planning for your event

    The reception was well organised, friendly and efficient. The main issues of the event were promptly discussed and organised

  • Availability and condition of equipment received

    The equipment requested from Scott Base was supplied in time and in good condition. This included one skidoo, one generator and field equipment. The skidoo had to be abandoned during the traverse from SB to Marble Point due to an engine failure. The quick re-supply of a new skidoo was appreciated.

  • Field training

    The field training was helpful and appropriate. The additional crevasse rescue training was appreciated

FIELD TRANSPORT

  • Vehicles

    Hugglands were used in three traverses to transport field and drilling equipment from SB to Marble Point and back (Fig.1).

    Fig.1: First K049 traverse to Marble Point

    Fig.1: First K049 traverse to Marble Point

    page 3
  • Aircraft Operations

    All but one helicopter moves were done by HNO. We enjoyed the professionalism, friendliness and efficiency of the HNO staff. Dangerous cargo such as fuel barrels was handled in a very professional and safe manner. None of our loads got damaged or lost

Fig.2: Drilling equipment arrives at Victoria Lower Glacier

Fig.2: Drilling equipment arrives at Victoria Lower Glacier

*EVENT DIARY

Date Main Activities and Location Helo weights
02 Nov Bertler, Hill and Patterson NZSB
03/04 Nov Hill and Patterson AFT
05-08 Nov Bertler, Hill and Patterson Equipment preparation at SB and BFC
09 Nov Bertler, Hill and Patterson Traverse to Marble Point with Huggland accompanied by Reid
10 Nov ICDS drill flown from Byrd Station to MCM
10 Nov Bertler, Hill and Patterson put in to Victoria Lower Glacier, camp set-up, drill site preparation, GPS base station installation and mass balance measurements 5500 lb with HNO
16–17 Nov Pyne, Kingan and Koçi (ICDS driller) assemble, test and train on ICDS drill
18 Nov Pyne and Kingan traverse from SB to Marble Point with Huggland accompanied by Reid
19 Nov Pyne and Kingan put in at Victoria Lower Glacier 3500 lb with HNO
19 Nov Pyne, Kingan, Bertler, Patterson and Hill set up of drill and test drill hole
20 Nov Pyne, Kingan, Bertler, Patterson and Hill, drilling commences
23 Nov Core pick up to Crary Laboratory 1920 lb by HNO
29 Nov Koçi put in to Victoria Lower Glacier 300 lb by HNO
29 Nov Core pick up to Cary Laboratory 1920 lb by HNO
03 Dec Bertler, Patterson, and Hill to Marble Point waiting for weather to clear at Shapeless Mountain 1600 lb with US helo
03 Dec Kingan to Marble Point for traverse to SB 5400 lb with US helo
03 Dec Pyne and Koçi to Scott Base, core pick up to Crary Laboratory 2000 lb with US helo
04 Dec Kingan traverse from Marble Point to SB with Huggland accompanied by Reid
04 Dec Bertler, Patterson and Hill put in at Shapeless Mountain location, camp set-up and collection of snow samples from snow pit 1600 lb with HNO
08 Dec Bertler, Patterson, and Hill to Scott Base 1720 lb with HNO
08 Dec Kingan RT NZ page 4
09 Dec Bertler commences work on ice cores at Crary Laboratory
20 Dec Pyne, Patterson RT NZ
24 Dec Patterson RT NZ
02 Jan Bertler RT NZ

EVENT MAP

*WEATHER

Weather observations have been made using a 'meteorology kit' from Scott Base.

Victoria Lower Glacier site S 77° 19′ 48.365″, E 162° 31′ 55.491″, 637m above sea level
Date Time T (°C) P (hPa) Wind direction Wind speed Cloud cover Cloud type Visibility
14 Nov 10:30 −14.0 908 W 7 60% High Unres
14 Nov 20:50 −14.5 909 S 10 80% Interm Unres
15 Nov 10:26 −12.0 909 S 4 30% High Unres
15 Nov 19:00 −14.0 909 E 3 60% High Unres
16 Nov 10:20 −10.0 908 E 1 5% High Unres
16 Nov 21:07 −16.0 908 E 10 15% High Unres
17 Nov 10:05 −15.7 911 E 8 15% High Unres
17 Nov 20:40 −15.0 911 E 3 0% Unrespage 5
18 Nov 10:45 −14.0 906 E 7 100% Low 500m
18 Nov 20:20 −16.1 909 E 3 90% Low 5km
19 Nov 09:00 −11.4 910 E 1 5% Low Unres
19 Nov 22:45 −16.1 911 E 3 10 Low/high Unres
20 Nov 08:00 −15.0 914 E 1 5% Interm Unres
20 Nov 23:10 −9.0 913 0 5% Interm Unres
21 Nov 09:22 −11.0 911 E 1 10% Low Unres
21 Nov 22:45 −13.08 908 E 6 10% Low Unres
22 Nov 09:10 −11.8 906 E 3 5% Low Unres
22 Nov 22:56 −16.7 905 E 3 5% Low Unres
23 Nov 08:52 −8.0 904 E 1 5% Low Unres
23 Nov 23:00 −4.9 904 W 13 45% Low Unres
24 Nov 09:05 −9.9 905 E 3 100% Low/high 2km
24 Nov 23:39 −11.0 904 E 4 90% High Unres
25 Nov 08:55 −2.0 904 0 10% Low Unres
26 Nov 14:23 −7.1 912 E 5 0 Unres
27 Nov 02:50 −13.07 905 W 3 0% unres
27 Nov 15:13 −6.1 908 E 6 70% Interm Unres
28 Nov 15:21 −5.7 902 E 5 50% High Unres
29 Nov 02:43 −11.3 902 0 95% High Unres
29 Nov 12.17 −4.4 906 E 4 60% High Unres
30 Nov 02:36 −14.2 910 0 10% High Unres
30 Nov 12:08 −9.0 914 E 5 10% Low Unres
01 Dec 03:54 −9.2 907 E 1 10% Low Unres
01 Dec 13:27 −4.9 902 E 5 1% Low Unres
01 Dec 23:24 −13.2 898 E 6 2% Low Unres
02 Dec 11:49 −6.6 901 E 6 55 Low Unres
02 Dec 22:22 −11.6 904 E 5 40% Low/high Unres
03 Dec 09:41 −7.4 904 E 4 60% Low/high Unres
Polar Plateau (near Shapeless Mtn) S 77° 21.092′, E 159° 52.226′, ~2400m above sea level
Date Time T (°C) P (hPa) Wind direction Wind speed Cloud cover Cloud type Visibility
04 Dec 16:23 −19.4 737 S 17 5% Low Unres
05 Dec 17:56 −17.0 736 S 15 5% Low Unres
06 Dec 15:20 −19.2 730 S 12 70% Low Unres
07 Dec 20:34 −17.3 731 S 13 60% Interm Unres
08 Dec 08:15 −20.1 732 S 15 20% Interm Unres

*ACCIDENTS, INCIDENTS OR HAZARDS

NA

page 6

FIELD EQUIPMENT

  • Field Clothing

    The issued field clothing was appropriate and functional. A proportion however was damaged (ripped zippers, lost buttons etc.) or had not been washed.

  • Field Equipment

    The supplied field equipment was in good condition and very reliable.

  • 20 person day ration box system

    The food boxes were well packed in terms of quantity and nutrition.

  • Specific Field Equipment

    The allocated skidoos and generator were in good condition. One skidoo had to be abandoned after an engine failure during our traverse from SB to Scott Base. The quick supply of a new skidoo was appreciated

RADIO COMMUNICATIONS

  • Suitability and effectiveness of the radio equipment

    The issued radio kits (VHF and HF) were very reliable and good condition

  • Reception/transmission conditions and suitability of radio schedule timing

    Reception and transmission were generally good and the timing of the radio schedule convenient

  • Scott Base's general efficiency during radio schedule

    Radio communication was mainly very efficient, professional and appreciated

SCOTT BASE AND ARRIVAL HEIGHTS LABORATORY FACILITIES

Facility Use
Hatherton Geoscience Laboratory
Q-Hut Laboratory benches
Scott Base Wet Laboratory
Scott Base Summer Laboratory
Arrival Heights Laboratory

COMPUTER FACILITIES

  • Suitability and effectiveness of computer network: satisfying
  • Quality, suitability and performance of public computers: satisfying
page 7

REFUGE AND RESEARCH HUTS

N.A.

*ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

*Sites Visited

Site name Victoria Lower Glacier
Site location S 77° 19′ 48.365″, E 162° 31′ 55.491″
Dates occupied 10 Nov to 03 Dec
Total days (or hours) at site 24 days
Maximum number of people at site 6
Total person-days (or person-hours) at site 107
Main activity undertaken Ice Core Drilling

*Sites Visited

Site name Polar Plateau (near Shapeless Mountain)
Site location S 77° 21.092′, E 159° 52.226′
Dates occupied 04 Dec to 08 Dec 01
Total days (or hours) at site 5 days
Maximum number of people at site 3
Total person-days (or person-hours) at site 15
Main activity undertaken Collection of snow samples from snow pit

Protected Areas Visited

N.A.

Interference

N.A.

Geological Material

Location Victoria Lower Glacier
Specimen type Ice
Quantity (kg) 4700 lb
Location Polar Plateau (near Shapeless Mountain)
Specimen type Snow
Quantity (kg) 120 lb
page 8

Chemicals

Chemical form Isopropyl Alcohol
Quantity used 5 L
Location of use Victoria Lower Glacier
Storage/release details of unused chemicals

Explosives

N.A.

Importation

N.A.

Equipment installed/left in field

The drilling hole at Victoria Lower Glacier has been cased and capped to preserve the hole for future measurements. The casing consists of a 2.50m long, 5″ diameter plastic tubing, capped with plywood. Once the measurements are completed the casing can easily be removed.

Fig.3: Casing of the Victoria Lower Glacier Drilling hole

Fig.3: Casing of the Victoria Lower Glacier Drilling hole

*Other environmental impacts

All activities were based on permanent ice surfaces. Environmental impacts were less than minor.

*Differences from original Preliminary Environmental Evaluation (PEE)

None

HISTORIC SITES

N.A.

PROTECTED AND MANAGED AREAS

N.A.

ANTARCTIC GEOGRAPHIC PLACE NAMES

N.A.

* transferred on 16 Nov from K114 to K049

# transferred on 29 Nov from US project to K049 and transferred back to US project on 03 Dec