Entries For: December 2007
2007-12-31
Approaching the Pole of Inaccessibility for New Year’s
Antarctica is the most remote continent on planet Earth, and on the last day of 2007 we approach the most remote place on this continent. read more...
2007-12-30
Enormous amounts of freshwater is stored in Antarctica
The mean ice thickness of Antarctica is about 2000 meters. Thus, an enormous freshwater reservoir is stored here. read more...
2007-12-29
We have left Dronning Maud Land
Norway’s claim in Antarctica is Dronning Maud Land. For the remaining part of our expedition we will be within the Australian claim. read more...
2007-12-28
"Hills of 33" with Polar Puzzle 7 answer
We have selected site 33 as a science stop for a chance to have a closer look at some unusual scenery. read more...
2007-12-27
Infinite variety
One of the more common questions we get is whether we get tired of looking at the same unchanging scenery day after day, the same endless, level whiteness? No, we don’t. read more...
2007-12-26
We have passed 80 degrees south
Finally, a whole day without any surprises! We drove 86 km and passed 80 degrees south at 3 p.m. this afternoon. With other words, we had a good day at work today. read more...
2007-12-25
Relaxing Christmas Day
It is really the first day off at the traverse even though some minor maintenance was made. We had a late breakfast, another typical Norwegian Christmas meal (sheep ribs, i.e. “pinnekjøtt”) and we watched a movie in the evening. read more...
2007-12-24
Christmas Celebration
We celebrated Christmas in a traditional Norwegian way with rice porridge for lunch and pork (“ribbe”) for dinner. And of course some linie aquavit. read more...
2007-12-23
Means of navigation have changed dramatically
Finding our way across the vast emptiness of the Polar Plateau today is very simple, with the aid of the satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS). When Amundsen reached the South Pole in 1911, navigation was an entirely different matter. read more...
2007-12-21
Firn quake
Some times a weak layer in the snow can collapse suddenly over large areas and with a great deal of noise. Actually, it can appear quite scary. This happened to one of the overwintering teams at the Plateau Station in the 1960-ies. read more...
2007-12-20
Two reasons for celebrating - with Polar Puzzle answer 6
Today, at the traditional Christmas lunch at the Norwegian Polar Institute Einar received the price “The Employer of the Year.” In addition, the ice core drilling team reached down to 90 meters depth. read more...
2007-12-19
2nd deep drill hole is well underway
After a series of problems, the drilling team is rocking again. They passed 60 meters this afternoon and had hardly time to eat dinner… read more...
2007-12-18
Test flight with the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
Today we made the first test flight with the UAV. Some modifications will be made before the first long flight. read more...
2007-12-17
The traverse was visited by a Basler aircraft today
The medical doctor at Troll paid us a visit today to inspect the wounded finger of our chief driller. In addition, we were supplied with spare parts for the vehicles. read more...
2007-12-16
Chief driller has a wounded finger
Our chief driller has been troubled with a bleeding finger the last week due to metal pieces that are stuck in the finger. The situation has become worse the last days and she is currently requested by our paramedic Kjetil to quit working. read more...
2007-12-15
We reached the 2nd long science site
We plan for four 5-days science stops on this traverse. The second was to happen at the Plateau Station, however due to a broken gear box on one of the vehicles we stopped 125 km before Plateau Station. read more...
2007-12-14
Today, 96 years ago, Roald Amundsen reached the South Pole - with Puzzle answer
On the 14th of December 1911, Roald Amundsen and his four men reached the South Pole. Thus, Amundsen, Bjaaland, Hanssen, Hassel and Wisting became the first persons to set their feet on the geographical South Pole. read more...
2007-12-13
NOR-USA traverse celebrates IPY Ice Sheet Day
Satellite telephone connection allowed us to make a presentation at the Ice Sheet Day symposium in San Francisco. read more...
2007-12-12
More ice cores retrieved
Due to extreme large ice crystals in a low accumulation area we struggled two full days to retrieve one 10 meter and one 22.5 meter cores. read more...
2007-12-11
The summer is approaching
We started out with day temperatures around minus 35 degrees Celsius and with night temperatures ten degrees lower. Now, there are signs of summer… read more...
