tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83709168659085389902024-03-14T06:45:31.154-07:00Antarctic Fungi BlogHere we tell of the exploits our researchers undertake. The good, the bad, and the sometimes gross.Dr. Laurie Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707158826742628435noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-92050249947347641762014-04-25T10:29:00.000-07:002014-04-28T05:13:37.776-07:00Another Project Complete!<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
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Some of our regular readers may remember our post on <a href="http://antarcticfungi.blogspot.com/2012/06/dry-dry-again.html" target="_blank">cell desiccation</a> a few years back. Well, we are happy to say that we have finished the
experiment and our results are almost reached a publishable state. We
thought we'd just give you a little sneak peak of our findings here
first. <br />
<br />
So, first
things first. The McMurdo dry valleys SUCK to live in. They are cold,
dry, lack shade, lack food, and are overall a hard place to not die.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/e/x/exb100s_redo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/e/x/exb100s_redo.jpg" border="0" class="shrinkToFit decoded" src="http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/e/x/exb100s_redo.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Much like a blender in this regard. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
Yet these valleys are full of organisms that are very distinctly not dead. <br />
<br />
These
not dead fungi are the subject of our research. Specifically, we are
studying how long they can survive being completely dried out. Why? Well
we've talked in the past about the potential usefulness of desiccation
resistance in bioengineering and providing evidence for lithopanspermia (<a href="http://antarcticfungi.blogspot.com/2012/06/dry-dry-again.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>). Those fields of study, while interesting, are not what we are focusing on. Our focus is to look at... <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj344xvdvYSEH8Cdwivm8Zt47XxLMi-nxnC_sH4FtrsQ1OY-qOwhIeiV9HH3t-KPGDJf8TRSX3wVUYDy8zNL5w9S3OvOBjgOD2_coG7GFcZipkWyNi9FUZNEiR3tKi5kI7FaNBrJCWocQbf/s1600/title2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj344xvdvYSEH8Cdwivm8Zt47XxLMi-nxnC_sH4FtrsQ1OY-qOwhIeiV9HH3t-KPGDJf8TRSX3wVUYDy8zNL5w9S3OvOBjgOD2_coG7GFcZipkWyNi9FUZNEiR3tKi5kI7FaNBrJCWocQbf/s1600/title2.png" height="111" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The working title of our paper.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So
what do we mean by this? Well, in order to survive in an area an
organism needs to be adapted to it. For instance, a fish can't live on
land because it doesn't have the equipment necessary for it (legs,
lungs, etc). <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://forums.oneplus.net/attachments/ineedit-png.667/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="https://forums.oneplus.net/attachments/ineedit-png.667/" border="0" class="decoded" height="239" src="https://forums.oneplus.net/attachments/ineedit-png.667/" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summarized quite nicely here by Spongebob.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For
this same reason you will often not find animals like cows living in
the middle of the dessert; they don't have the ability to gather enough
water, or retain the water they have.<br />
<br />
However, the piece
that is often overlooked is that the opposite is true too. Organisms
that are adapted for a harsh environment often have a lot of difficulty
surviving in a not harsh environment. This is why you don't see cacti
growing in the middle of fields. The parts of them that allow them to go
for a long time without water use up a lot of energy and cause them to
grow slowly. Grass, which grows quickly but can be killed fairly easily,
quickly soaks up all the resources and leaves none for the cactus,
causing it to starve. This process of organisms fighting over resources is called Competition. <br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://stopsellingvanillaicecream.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/competitors.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="http://stopsellingvanillaicecream.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/competitors.jpg" border="0" class="decoded" src="http://stopsellingvanillaicecream.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/competitors.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those poor cacti.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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There
are many different organisms in the Dry Valleys, but not all of them
are found in the same areas. Some areas are full of one species, but
have almost none of another. In other areas, this trend could be
reversed.<br />
<br />
The Dry Valleys are dry, but not
uniformly so. Some areas are outrageously dry and have almost no water,
other areas can be surprisingly moist for large portions of the year.<br />
<br />
We were curious to see how available water effected where organisms could be found.
If we found that organisms that are very tolerant to drying out live in
only dry areas, while organisms that are not tolerant to drying out live
in not dry areas, we can conclude that the level of water strongly
effects where these organisms decide to live. In our experiment we dried out
fungi from different parts of the dry valleys and then checked how many
survived. Here is an abbreviated version of what we found.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisd7hrkAB_AP6NjAxJlowMRGFEu4C0KhiGUPYp9pTMlT9_1mTNMFzShUGyqZmx8iTf5DAVomgXiEVRUEf4GI51Jcs4R5051yfhSe5qX-Tiz3Nxg3FAwSRWCfaztA5DqtLmUiMZQLHN9qsI/s1600/graph.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisd7hrkAB_AP6NjAxJlowMRGFEu4C0KhiGUPYp9pTMlT9_1mTNMFzShUGyqZmx8iTf5DAVomgXiEVRUEf4GI51Jcs4R5051yfhSe5qX-Tiz3Nxg3FAwSRWCfaztA5DqtLmUiMZQLHN9qsI/s1600/graph.png" height="238" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
This graph shows how many individuals survived after spending various amounts of time
dried out. Some organisms did just fine and had almost no deaths (the
green line). Other organisms had a lot of deaths at the very beginning
of the experiment, but had their death rate slow down as the experiment
went on (orange line). The blue line on this graph represents an
organism that is not found in the Antarctic and should have absolutely
no tolerance for desiccation. As expected, this organism died off almost
immediately. <br />
<br />
So, the data above shows that some organisms survive drying out better than others.
By doing a bit of research we found that the organisms that survived
desiccation are the same ones that are often found in the very dry areas
of the Dry Valleys. However, we also found that these organisms were
not restricted to these areas, meaning we could find them in areas that
were very dry, and in some areas that were very wet. <br />
<br />
So
what does all this mean? Well, we know that all the fungi in the Dry
Valleys (or at least the fungi we tested) have at least some desiccation
tolerance. We know this because all the Antarctic fungus survived
longer than a species that was not from the Antarctic. Next, we know
that desiccation partially, but not completely, controls where an
organism can live. Organisms with less tolerance can't survive as well
in dry areas, but organisms that do withstand a lack of water do just
fine in wet areas. Since we now know that desiccation does not
completely control where an organism lives, we know that other factors
must also have some control on them. These factors are probably the
other stresses like cold, and high UV radiation, and food availability. <br />
<br />
Whew, that was a bit thick. Thanks for reading!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">By Ben Segee</span><br />
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<br />Ben Segeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04060479034329551252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-82909765512926812122014-02-21T06:51:00.000-08:002014-02-21T06:51:00.813-08:00Antarctic Vimeo!Recently McMurdo Station received some unusually high water levels, turing parts of the station into what is likely to be the least pleasant waterfront property on the Earth. Photographer Deven Stross was kind enough to document the whole thing.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/86191934" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://vimeo.com/86191934">Icy Winds</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5017292">Deven Stross</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
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<br />
Deven Stross has posted many entertaining, informative, and beautiful videos about Antarctica. If you want to see more, you can visit his Vimeo page by clicking <a href="http://vimeo.com/86191934" target="_blank">HERE!</a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">by Ben Segee</span>Ben Segeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04060479034329551252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-51346856944187093382014-01-24T05:34:00.000-08:002014-01-24T05:34:12.740-08:00<h1 style="text-align: center;">
Scientists face frozen world in Antarctica</h1>
<h1 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Is an article by </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="author">
<a href="http://www.utsandiego.com/staff/deborah-brennan/">Deborah Sullivan Brennan</a></span><span class="time">, it can be found <a href="http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/Jan/17/environment-scripps-antarctica-staudigel/?#article-copy" target="_blank">HERE</a>. The article contains some interesting facts about the preparation of going to Antarctica and highlights some of the importance of the research in this area.</span></span></span></h1>
UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-40117679418700731892014-01-09T05:35:00.000-08:002014-01-09T05:35:47.713-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><span></span></span>Exploring the Rock Bottom of the Food Web Beneath Antarctic Ice</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/AzVxUWFoKio?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Ice caves on the Mt. Erebus Volcano, frozen lakes in the Dry Valleys and
the ice covered McMurdo Sound offer diverse and extremely cold
environments in which highly adapted microbial communities use chemical
energy from rocks and volcanic gases to build new organic compounds.
Join Hubert Staudigel as he presents initial laboratory results and
stunning images from the 2012/13 field expedition, including SCUBA
diving under the ice and alpine exploration of ice caves. </div>
UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-33834462811614778022013-06-26T06:26:00.001-07:002013-06-26T10:56:40.273-07:00Antarctic DivingNot all of our samples are from Antarctic soils. Sometimes, we need to venture into places a bit less accessible, such as the bottom of the ocean.<br />
<br />
Henry Kaiser is a Grammy award winning musician and has recorded dozens of albums. He has spent the last several years working in the Antarctic as a research diver, and was kind enough to make a brief movie of our 2012 season dives. Rest assured, it is worth watching. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/CSlHYlbVh1c?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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THANKS HENRY!<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">by Ben Segee</span>UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-71165059606169730002013-06-07T11:30:00.002-07:002013-06-10T07:34:33.575-07:00What lies beneath the ice...Antarctica, as you may or may not know, is actually more than just a large floating block of ice. Beneath all the glaciers, snow and ice is a continent of rock. Because the continent is covered in a massive amount of ice, we have had very limited knowledge as to what the continent underneath looks like.<br />
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Now, thanks to the hard work of the scientists at the British Antarctic Survey, all that is changing.<br />
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To see their full article <a href="http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/about_bas/news/news_story.php?id=2085" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a><br />
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Using a number of techniques including radio echo sounding, satellite readings, and seismic techniques, the British Antarctic Survey has been hard at work making Bedmap2, the most detailed map ever created of the Antarctic continent.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZFrDXrTnO1oyP5ag80iWYBGHIDvADiVwWkJmoWYVgAMiY1-ni84Ep14eOMKd4D2I31O995kWwPabBzvdrTE_KnmkNNSERAGKdWaYdYlRbRrWmbHnCQT-vUg_JN8Mo8Ee_6Wx_lm9TlAgc/s1600/bedmap2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZFrDXrTnO1oyP5ag80iWYBGHIDvADiVwWkJmoWYVgAMiY1-ni84Ep14eOMKd4D2I31O995kWwPabBzvdrTE_KnmkNNSERAGKdWaYdYlRbRrWmbHnCQT-vUg_JN8Mo8Ee_6Wx_lm9TlAgc/s320/bedmap2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antarctica without ice<br />
(Courtesy of the <a href="http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/about_bas/news/news_story.php?id=2085" target="_blank">British Antarctic Survey</a>).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
Already the survey has revealed some interesting results. For instance, the survey has revealed that the amount ice on the continent is actually 4.6% greater than what was originally estimated. The team has also found an area underneath Byrd Glacier that is 2,870 meters (9416 ft) below sea level, making it the world record holder for lowest point on a continental plate. </div>
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In the teams press release, the studies co-lead author Dr. Hamish Pritchard says,</div>
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<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
"The Bedmap2 project is about more than making a map of the landscape.
The data we've put together on the height and thickness of the ice and
the shape of the landscape below are fundamental to modelling the
behaviour of the ice sheet in the future. This matters because in some
places, ice along the edges of Antarctica is being lost rapidly to the
sea, driving up sea level. Knowing how much the sea will rise is of
global importance, and these maps are a step towards that goal."</blockquote>
For more information about the Bedmap2 projects, and some really cool videos of Antarctica without ice, <a href="http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/about_bas/news/news_story.php?id=2085" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">By Ben Segee</span></div>
Ben Segeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04060479034329551252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-90381030554573530992013-05-31T10:57:00.000-07:002013-05-31T10:57:27.031-07:00Penguin Preperation for OutReach 2013Starting the summer off by getting ready for OutReach 2013, by preparing some Antarctic animal life samples. OutReach is a program providing outreach opportunities ranging from high school internships to work-study positions and to teacher workshops. More information about the Outreach program and Current OutReach programs can be found <a href="http://www.umaine.edu/marine/programs/outreach-initiatives.php" target="_blank">here</a>. Enjoy The pictures<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTg-yHS704N4y8pysxHVWWSJHTMxPmxlK50jbsfs-deUpDmY6_lRWsQ0F_xk4cUjZ4oETfYnBp7UOjWLADXmrBrJMKta0dZnCm6CFImNraGu5955qKJz-RsmmQ0hMZYVVKLv0xmvap7UNl/s1600/close+up+head+shot+penguin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTg-yHS704N4y8pysxHVWWSJHTMxPmxlK50jbsfs-deUpDmY6_lRWsQ0F_xk4cUjZ4oETfYnBp7UOjWLADXmrBrJMKta0dZnCm6CFImNraGu5955qKJz-RsmmQ0hMZYVVKLv0xmvap7UNl/s320/close+up+head+shot+penguin.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Picture 1. Penguin head close up</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKJ-9EszDZ6a6ICtg0GqearCDYX7CML0bMXhNiDXgGwskchODr6NQ-4K_ZznpucFaXH417LKJd_rBpPGBX7eXbH37z9k8t_4jpqFVuA8HmTlQaWoGKACl6QxwMOttVhu8wBWSvf1NbMsM/s1600/penguin+eggs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKJ-9EszDZ6a6ICtg0GqearCDYX7CML0bMXhNiDXgGwskchODr6NQ-4K_ZznpucFaXH417LKJd_rBpPGBX7eXbH37z9k8t_4jpqFVuA8HmTlQaWoGKACl6QxwMOttVhu8wBWSvf1NbMsM/s320/penguin+eggs.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Picture 2. Penguin Eggs</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6K7IVETMUhx3GvL8olmzJ0ttk5UAndT6BvZqzenVwD5IA0GM8NIt4kUJMWKgiCR8wTnWfvdT4T96b0JDYqTLGplE7l3Xt7Od16RxThh8pjFYdI70-qit2Dp2edzV6s9hSiuXjtgugJQ0/s1600/penguin+feathers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6K7IVETMUhx3GvL8olmzJ0ttk5UAndT6BvZqzenVwD5IA0GM8NIt4kUJMWKgiCR8wTnWfvdT4T96b0JDYqTLGplE7l3Xt7Od16RxThh8pjFYdI70-qit2Dp2edzV6s9hSiuXjtgugJQ0/s320/penguin+feathers.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Picture 3. Penguin Feathers</div>
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Picture 4. Penguin Feet and Flippers (yes they`re called flippers)</div>
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Picture 5. Penguin Heads</div>
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Picture 5. Skua Sample</div>
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<br />UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-59509830341255361012013-01-25T11:18:00.000-08:002013-01-25T13:05:15.427-08:00The Dry Valleys<br />
The Dry Valleys<br />
<br />
This is one of the parts of our trip that I enjoy the most. That is our trip to the Dry<br />
Valleys. We typically camp at a location that has a group of structures called Lake<br />
Fryxell Camp. I prefer to use the Scott tents like we did at Mount Erebus and on<br />
Fang glacier, but others prefer mountain tents. Either way we set up behind the<br />
camp away from the lake front.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKozBz9NJ3uSleQhTjuTgB3QE0cqNjaQxSdvqmaVl5IO6P0vxqOvYSBvWnC2ybwCbjPSkHO65Xd9-0h-onCrkyaR6zbobYjOEGIQ2e21N0FSOh_1trejA_N46v42EHOnpUZVp7koJqZ3au/s1600/Camp_Fryxell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKozBz9NJ3uSleQhTjuTgB3QE0cqNjaQxSdvqmaVl5IO6P0vxqOvYSBvWnC2ybwCbjPSkHO65Xd9-0h-onCrkyaR6zbobYjOEGIQ2e21N0FSOh_1trejA_N46v42EHOnpUZVp7koJqZ3au/s320/Camp_Fryxell.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Much of the work I do here is soil collection and for that we hike across the desert<br />
landscape for many miles. It is pretty bleak with no plants to be seen – just miles of<br />
glacial moraines. The walking is tough too since the moraines are loose sand and<br />
gravel sprinkled with larger rocks.<br />
<br />
But there is life there! Just beneath the surface there is a community of microbes<br />
that live off of very little. These are the oligotrophic communities we seek. The<br />
fungi that we find here have adaptations so they can scavenge enough energy<br />
to survive.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmU4jMOvpaaABg5GItUfwj_Pk7dfi3ygD_fgfjX_nFN027AF_DbtGpseCcOqkpFzJPBshHrpVMDjRC3c2aFSvYm_-k-O7z1-o07OCNR0Pyai9hEpkc1tVnBdDSmgTYij31M0hTTAkLq8zc/s1600/dry+valleys+blog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmU4jMOvpaaABg5GItUfwj_Pk7dfi3ygD_fgfjX_nFN027AF_DbtGpseCcOqkpFzJPBshHrpVMDjRC3c2aFSvYm_-k-O7z1-o07OCNR0Pyai9hEpkc1tVnBdDSmgTYij31M0hTTAkLq8zc/s320/dry+valleys+blog.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Here I collected many kilograms of soil for shipment back to Maine. Stay tuned to<br />
see what we will find in the samples after they get back.<br />
UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-72743503941708456802013-01-24T11:15:00.003-08:002013-01-24T11:16:39.520-08:00Antarctic Yeast Genome<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Our first Antarctic yeast genome is here!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Earlier this year we made a collaboration with the Department
of Energy, Joint Genome Institute (JGI) to determine the genome and
transcriptome of two Antarctic yeasts, <i>Cryptococcus
vishniacii</i> and <i>Diozegia cryoxerica</i>. The first one has been completed and so now
begins the hard and long task of gene annotation and digging through the data
to find out how these organisms can survive in such cold and dry habitats.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuzFR7qUH2RJnjMvduM5GBasIhh5jRnZ2Lf6rvZhNjQRwjiMlzMoutueceDtzqUSxRn51Lxkp7aujk1fxDnMGr4OKNu-0pZTlzRiZE2maPzJh9TlO0MfbiWNafFSv7NCsF_iv-6p5jdQh/s1600/Wright+Valley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuzFR7qUH2RJnjMvduM5GBasIhh5jRnZ2Lf6rvZhNjQRwjiMlzMoutueceDtzqUSxRn51Lxkp7aujk1fxDnMGr4OKNu-0pZTlzRiZE2maPzJh9TlO0MfbiWNafFSv7NCsF_iv-6p5jdQh/s320/Wright+Valley.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pictures of the Wright Valley. That is the normal
habitat of <i>Cryptococcus vishniacii</i> as
these yeasts are typically found in some of the driest areas.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-36205813067516045962013-01-03T07:38:00.000-08:002013-01-03T07:38:00.708-08:00Sponge Collection<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Sponge collection</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">One of the aspects of our project is to determine what the “background” organisms are so we can assess how different the microbial communities are on our traps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Laurie has been looking at the fungal communities associated with marine sponges- part of the group of animals we find near our trap at the Cape Evan’s wall. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Here is a picture of Hubert with one of the Volcano sponges near McMurdo Station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the kind of sponge that I was looking for on this collection day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMtrXJBGNEgh1JUS_Wh2xkjNKD-QBRv7Y2pqjWit_MfZKHXNeFDLevcb1kPcAwB2HYaQiqy7UZwHzCUWA0onX2wTqcAGUl-WfX-ldTEjmZbFb9feUMpBkZMlm0b7iYTbH5FL32S91offb/s1600/IMG_0970_HS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMtrXJBGNEgh1JUS_Wh2xkjNKD-QBRv7Y2pqjWit_MfZKHXNeFDLevcb1kPcAwB2HYaQiqy7UZwHzCUWA0onX2wTqcAGUl-WfX-ldTEjmZbFb9feUMpBkZMlm0b7iYTbH5FL32S91offb/s320/IMG_0970_HS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Photo of Hubert and sponge taken by Steve Rupp.</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">We have seen Hubert diving in McMurdo Sound before but it is worth posting again (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr7TJSSh8Ec).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the video you can see lots of sponges, this is before they begin their journey up onto the surface of the ice. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">We collected both live and now also some sponges that have been long dead- in fact dead hundreds of years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were brought to the bottom of the Ross Ice Shelf as part of anchor ice and slowly ablated through the ice to emerge on the surface.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today we flew out to an area that these sponges can be found called “the Dirty Ice” It is near Bratina Island, a small island at the tip of the Brown Peninsula.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reason it’s called the dirty is because, well….., it’s covered with dirt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Taken by Laurie Connell<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(77<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>58.96’ S<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>165<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>36.654 E)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sponges on dirty ice in Antarctica.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffPT7xxOm-UB8ztUNODUg6EgSAHZXxcnK1pJJUpag7wx0yhX9LBMmypM7qlZT4Uo8AAXhEbWBe5Fcpj10k3BAvD2vg0u3lNGZ0MfsfAXHyYgL5rIqtQ8t1ed0y-CJ6mV1buRJLqY013Gl/s1600/sponge1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffPT7xxOm-UB8ztUNODUg6EgSAHZXxcnK1pJJUpag7wx0yhX9LBMmypM7qlZT4Uo8AAXhEbWBe5Fcpj10k3BAvD2vg0u3lNGZ0MfsfAXHyYgL5rIqtQ8t1ed0y-CJ6mV1buRJLqY013Gl/s320/sponge1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Taken by Laurie Connell<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(77<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>58.96’ S<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>165<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>36.654 E)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sponges on dirty ice in Antarctica.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">After we get home we will culture fungi from these sponges to determine what species can be found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will also determine genetically which species are there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stay tuned for results in a few months!</span></div>
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<span id="goog_2016250869"></span><span id="goog_2016250870"></span>UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-9926060127959208382012-12-21T10:40:00.000-08:002012-12-21T10:40:04.883-08:0021 December 2012: Happy Solstice!<br />
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21 December 2012 </div>
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Happy Solstice!</div>
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When we first arrived in McMurdo we still had sunrise and
sunset, although the daylight was long.
On 23 October we got our last sunset for the field season and it is now
24 hours a day of daylight. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yFZgpxNnNLNJ_snTyE8ydQ6OkUbqBaiVsohsXbjCPpqmi19q0oIGcgMuULB9RF3rjeRJtsipMJbUrsc3MRfrraboMlHo4qzpNYy7VDLD3RV03IHB21WgtCkGZLshrV5MSaZynddgAeLn/s1600/DSCN0407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yFZgpxNnNLNJ_snTyE8ydQ6OkUbqBaiVsohsXbjCPpqmi19q0oIGcgMuULB9RF3rjeRJtsipMJbUrsc3MRfrraboMlHo4qzpNYy7VDLD3RV03IHB21WgtCkGZLshrV5MSaZynddgAeLn/s320/DSCN0407.JPG" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">One of the last sunsets.</span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Photographer- Laurie Connell, Location McMurdo Station Antarctica.</span></td></tr>
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But today marks a shift in our pattern. For us in the far southern hemisphere, the
December solstice is when the sun begins to shift downward toward the horizon
as we slowly move into our long winter night.
Our next sunset is 20 February, still quite a long time away. </div>
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Does all of this daylight bother us? Well, it can make sleeping difficult but if
you pull down your cap or put on eye shades it is plenty dark to sleep. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> Laurie Connell at Fang Glacier camp- photographer Hubert Stadiguel.</span></td></tr>
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We also work hard while in the field so can get so tired we
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<o:p> </o:p>So, enjoy the return of the sun in the Northern hemisphere
while we watch the sun slowly get ready to set again.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjllD4jRD1Ci2volEgKFZwd-907gYKVugFMxbOBm_ajTKVunatzsJSXtnoKihjCrOCJcvkg8aeXXhDODKTjc-2uMj_A5Exfwp2buTik6KPcs0pcHfnTSzKUJnTqMs3i9nZgM3xdUdRdv3z/s1600/RRsleep.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjllD4jRD1Ci2volEgKFZwd-907gYKVugFMxbOBm_ajTKVunatzsJSXtnoKihjCrOCJcvkg8aeXXhDODKTjc-2uMj_A5Exfwp2buTik6KPcs0pcHfnTSzKUJnTqMs3i9nZgM3xdUdRdv3z/s320/RRsleep.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Photo of Rusty Rodriguez and R</span><a href="" name="_GoBack" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;"></a><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">egina Redman sleeping in Helo.</span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Photographer Scott Craig, location some place over Taylor Valley Antarctica.</span></td></tr>
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UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-27180232760270642392012-12-06T05:56:00.003-08:002012-12-06T05:56:33.574-08:00Polar MirageBy: Dr. Laurie Connell<br />
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Here in McMurdo we often see mirages when looking across McMurdo Sound to the Royal Society range or Mount Discovery. These are specifically a form of superior mirage where alternating cold layers and warm layers of air bend the light and can form fantastical images, often appearing like cliffs or upside down mountains. This type of mirage is called a Fata Morgana after Morgan le Fay, who was a fairy enchantress skilled in the art of changing shape in the tales of King Arthur. How ever they are formed, they are enjoyable to watch.UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-41540185060412628382012-12-05T06:22:00.004-08:002012-12-05T06:22:58.368-08:00Photos of the Day: Cape Royds and Penguins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm out working at Cape Royds now. It is the location of the southern
most Adelie Penguin colony in the world. Here is a photo of my tent
with the Mr. Yeast flag on it and Mount Erebus in the background. A
second photo is of some penguins in the<br />
colony displaying for each other.UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-68491578884151631212012-12-03T08:41:00.002-08:002012-12-05T06:21:05.312-08:00Photo of the Day: Summit of Mount Erebus<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7WVEZUfGXx1dSmbmcCHZJr3B2a4TclBGixSPn7zsDh8eXiB2XRNTVRjIRIfXJi-aIAulXnf_msWTVrmFJg_EyTJdWj44ZnPS4hfvRG78HwQmvA-N-oqzAyCDgOQR68ZOMWPUMxDUGM41/s1600/Mr+Yeast+Erebus+summit_1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7WVEZUfGXx1dSmbmcCHZJr3B2a4TclBGixSPn7zsDh8eXiB2XRNTVRjIRIfXJi-aIAulXnf_msWTVrmFJg_EyTJdWj44ZnPS4hfvRG78HwQmvA-N-oqzAyCDgOQR68ZOMWPUMxDUGM41/s320/Mr+Yeast+Erebus+summit_1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Mr Yeast Flag on the summit of Mount Erebus, the crater rim.<br />
<br />
The person holding the flag is New Mexico Tech Mount Erebus Volcano
Observatory (MEVO) Graduate student Nial Peters. Photo by Anthony
Rigoni</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-28711877312912631702012-11-20T08:24:00.001-08:002012-11-20T08:34:58.729-08:00Cesium Chloride Density Gradients<br />
By: Sarah Turner<br />
<br />
I last spoke about our BrdU project <a href="http://antarcticfungi.blogspot.com/2012/10/while-dr-connells-away-what-does-lab-do.html">here.</a> Once we have incubated the Antarctic fungi DNA with BrdU, we then must seperate out the unlabelled DNA from the BrdU labelled DNA. We accomplish this by ultracentrifugation in a solution of cesium chloride. Ultracentrifugation is like normal centrifugation, only it's much faster and for a lot longer. We usually spin our CsCl density gradients for 48 hours at 48,000 x gravity. <br />
<br />
Due to the density differences of BrdU labelled DNA (BrdU labelled DNA is more dense than non-labelled DNA) the two seperate and form two bands, similarly to this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="160" id="il_fi" src="http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/notebook/images/grad.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="340" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/notebook/messtal.htm">Source</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
After 48 hours of ultracentrifugation, we are then able to fraction off the gradient in order to determine where the bands have developed in the tube. Fractionating separates the two bands into new tubes.<br />
<br />
After fractionating, we precipitate the DNA out of the CsCl solution so we now have pure BrdU labelled DNA.<br />
<br />
Here's a great video that helps to explain a similar application of CsCl density gradients, fractionating, and precipitating. <br />
<a href="http://www.jove.com/video/2027/dna-stable-isotope-probing-dna-sip"><br /></a>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.jove.com/video/2027/dna-stable-isotope-probing-dna-sip">JoVE: DNA Stable-Isotope Probing (DNA-SIP)</a></div>
<br />
Also, check out this video for more information on the chemistry of cesium chloride density gradients: <br />
<br />
<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/UvGCXtX5MAM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-72506218896217330322012-11-20T05:55:00.001-08:002012-11-20T05:55:18.383-08:0015 November 2012: Off to Mount Erebus!
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<br />
By: Dr. Laurie Connell<br />
<br />
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15 November 2012</div>
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Off to Mount Erebus!</div>
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<br /></div>
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We have been getting things ready here in McMurdo for quite
some time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our team is assembled and we
have been working with our mountaineer to hone our mountain skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it’s finally time to begin our trip
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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First we need to weigh all the gear and get it to the helo
hanger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Accurate weights are important
so the pilots know how much fuel needs to be on board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With six people and our gear we will need
several flights just to get to the acclimation camp at Fang Glacier.</div>
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We only bring what we need to rest and get used to the
altitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fang Camp is on a glacier at
about 9000 ft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will be staying in
Scott tents, a kind of tent that has been shown to be very good in the kinds of
conditions we can expect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkqFBIHXelvJuJSC2hUZnb-llga96MvBa0i-X1Tbmgyv4bduopQROWlbTFKLGIrY6zkXwMmeWxTAlijjSDKpkgbyUXNpOOPUR6cz4sqvGfU8eCtkWiDkmq7nwuLhbORbvbxGUWyfFBtVp/s1600/fang+glacier+camp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkqFBIHXelvJuJSC2hUZnb-llga96MvBa0i-X1Tbmgyv4bduopQROWlbTFKLGIrY6zkXwMmeWxTAlijjSDKpkgbyUXNpOOPUR6cz4sqvGfU8eCtkWiDkmq7nwuLhbORbvbxGUWyfFBtVp/s320/fang+glacier+camp.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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But if we get the chance to walk around we should do some
light exercise so we acclimate better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Below is a photo of the rock formation that gave Fang Glacier it’s name-
I guess it looks a bit like a fang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After two nights at Fang, we will move up again to Lower Erebus hut, we
call it LEH for short.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I won’t be using
email from Mount Erebus so we will post some photos and reports from back home
at the lab.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Cheerio!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCx12A1iNSysm_w0uVPPJTRMQUr_duO7aOUvdlBEh-0Eqf-vw_iyrtJyAA_6ej5wTiT_4BPXNleXN9Y22X9OBnUtzE1LQDhI5Lz_5WVgSwn9Pg5FZ4Az5yWnj-F5rYqcdbAmwKCINF5gsK/s1600/The+Fang.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCx12A1iNSysm_w0uVPPJTRMQUr_duO7aOUvdlBEh-0Eqf-vw_iyrtJyAA_6ej5wTiT_4BPXNleXN9Y22X9OBnUtzE1LQDhI5Lz_5WVgSwn9Pg5FZ4Az5yWnj-F5rYqcdbAmwKCINF5gsK/s320/The+Fang.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-10968495491081627152012-11-16T11:44:00.001-08:002012-11-16T11:44:08.740-08:0013 November 2012: Discovery Hut<br />
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13 November 2012</div>
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Discovery Hut</div>
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The history of this part of the world is pretty recent
compared to most places, but quite interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the McMurdo area there are several historic huts remaining from the
historic era of Antarctic exploration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These huts are now maintained by the Antarctic Historic trust and there
is an ongoing effort to archive the contents- in fact for some of the huts
artifacts are now being returned by people who had taken souvenirs in the
1950’s before the huts were protected.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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You can find a more complete list of Antarctic huts and
ruins at <a href="http://www.polarheritage.com/index.cfm/anthutlist">http://www.polarheritage.com/index.cfm/anthutlist</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5ZrPsfZheSabWv-yc7X762-trRHTBtPAC4zhyAfbr9AB94z1866X0K4MZKwTVZcvX5yAh24J57d0GJOqHw-7fh4gP_36eCdF7WUR_pRGeVvMmQu4nxuPHwHFu9OuTFdezqOVwFreWGRq/s1600/Discovery_hut+21.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5ZrPsfZheSabWv-yc7X762-trRHTBtPAC4zhyAfbr9AB94z1866X0K4MZKwTVZcvX5yAh24J57d0GJOqHw-7fh4gP_36eCdF7WUR_pRGeVvMmQu4nxuPHwHFu9OuTFdezqOVwFreWGRq/s320/Discovery_hut+21.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The hut that is closest to McMurdo station is called
Discovery Hut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Captain Robert Falcon
Scott built it for the British Antarctic expedition of 1901-1904.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the smallest of the three huts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Captain Scott decided that the members of the
party would live aboard the ship after it was frozen in for it’s two-year stay
and the hut was primarily used as a science observation hut, storehouse, a work
room and even a theater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was partly because the hut was difficult
to keep warm with the limited amount of available coal and there had been some
difficulty in digging into the permafrost for a foundation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hut was used by a number of other groups
over the next decade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNJLYYh9vArR21A8bQtRZLE9beu4LqDOu54pXc-76lQTNA_0KnInSA4ltfVcvLDHgL-dkSjALsYb4ungR32bYugS0UjEwSdrjRNv5uSPOs6TRv-ztu935bGcIFvp3cw1TNssGiQHYBHHb/s1600/199086_10150116603403693_515988692_6746399_798703_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNJLYYh9vArR21A8bQtRZLE9beu4LqDOu54pXc-76lQTNA_0KnInSA4ltfVcvLDHgL-dkSjALsYb4ungR32bYugS0UjEwSdrjRNv5uSPOs6TRv-ztu935bGcIFvp3cw1TNssGiQHYBHHb/s320/199086_10150116603403693_515988692_6746399_798703_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Originally there were a number of smaller huts used as
research labs for magnetic and seismographic work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the most interesting parts left in
the Discovery Hut is the pit that had been used by <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Louis Bernacchi and
Reginald Skelton for the pendulum apparatus used for gravity measurements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was constructed in November 1902 when the
seismograph was moved to the main hut.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWbM135gRip1VBAN-I3EB-jRApbIDhlHUNuAaNCDQfep0VY-pSo_Bo8D7doHfbfCttyAjxZq_JVn6gqvgwFBgWcCWui5hutaMF-yrKKD9Fo_SgHP5CdnJmkgel4X4eSeazESfMwX6U1Fk/s1600/pit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWbM135gRip1VBAN-I3EB-jRApbIDhlHUNuAaNCDQfep0VY-pSo_Bo8D7doHfbfCttyAjxZq_JVn6gqvgwFBgWcCWui5hutaMF-yrKKD9Fo_SgHP5CdnJmkgel4X4eSeazESfMwX6U1Fk/s320/pit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For more details and some great old photographs please check
the Antarctic Historic trust website</span></div>
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http://www.nzaht.org/AHT/HutPointP1/</div>
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UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-21580844028325589252012-11-14T10:55:00.001-08:002012-11-14T10:55:06.984-08:009 November 2012: Getting food!
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By: Dr. Laurie Connell</div>
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<br /></div>
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9 November 2012</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Getting food!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBtJop2WZq2rFwOCnKmiYvxsxtpkRiCnxLnvcCCW0l6o_ogAfQUeMAZF4YcEQXWpjta-II1ojniGuacp4D_0o6L2zdFcXkr65lneULGnu9iE3hcQnt1q2KC6rVgDqNw3B48AhjwFFvWGX/s1600/DSC_0202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBtJop2WZq2rFwOCnKmiYvxsxtpkRiCnxLnvcCCW0l6o_ogAfQUeMAZF4YcEQXWpjta-II1ojniGuacp4D_0o6L2zdFcXkr65lneULGnu9iE3hcQnt1q2KC6rVgDqNw3B48AhjwFFvWGX/s320/DSC_0202.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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As we prepare for our trips out into the field one of our
tasks is doing a “Food Pull”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We make a
calculation of how many days we will be out and how many people will be on the
trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also have to take into
consideration how we will be able to cook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In some places, such as Fang Glacier, we will make hot water only so the
food will consist of dehydrated meals, dry soups and tea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we are at a fixed field camp with a
building then we have a stove and more room so we can have more regular
meals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either way we have to collect,
pack and weigh all the food so it can be transported with us out to our
location.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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We did our dry food pull for our
Mount Erebus trip yesterday and will do the frozen foods (meat and cheese) on
Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just the dry part of the pull
took us well over 3 ½ hours to collect and pack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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So, What is the food room
like?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s kind of like a small grocery
store and the food manager, Peggy, has the inventory all bar coded so she can
keep track of how much goes out to each field party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-3386979015299656852012-11-13T07:32:00.000-08:002012-11-13T07:32:19.482-08:009 November 2012: Our First Samples Are Up!By: Dr. Laurie Connell<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
9 November 2012</div>
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Our first samples are up!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Most of our job while in Antarctica is to collect samples
and bring them back home for analysis but as we retrieve our samples they need
to be processed for the archive and travel home.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The first step is to open up the container.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this case the sample was from a dive site
at Cape Evan’s Wall.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The charge after opening.<br />
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirpW2SezmPahuij7SH36-c5laQExFAxN1S97hbqegjVGLZOznNKPs2vlqoBxEFSM5SzIdmM_Bai396j5Su_04HYpTXtV-xUfoPkJEE620mzRzxFLFGqquutAx3lT_WO0W9Q79fqQAaD97_/s1600/IMG_0341_CE_2012_1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirpW2SezmPahuij7SH36-c5laQExFAxN1S97hbqegjVGLZOznNKPs2vlqoBxEFSM5SzIdmM_Bai396j5Su_04HYpTXtV-xUfoPkJEE620mzRzxFLFGqquutAx3lT_WO0W9Q79fqQAaD97_/s320/IMG_0341_CE_2012_1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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The inside of the container had some small starfish and
crabs as well as the usual fouling organisms. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The star fish were released into the McMurdo
aquarium touch tank.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
The remainder of the sample was split into parts that were
fixed for microscopy and some that were stored for DNA extraction or for
culturing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a variety of rock
types as well as slides to determine how the microbes alter the glass surface.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQypoyE0YrwsoNiOcvzneFsvh9udF8UdqMC-xrqIvq0U75dF1XMlfGTC8p0jVE7IvAHEmrNGENl5n-Iht3PqVTTGQrUV2791WUi9EhqWtzzUbJ1AdKncK257Tl3pPK3WRfZhXnLTW88rc3/s1600/what+goes+into+the+charges.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQypoyE0YrwsoNiOcvzneFsvh9udF8UdqMC-xrqIvq0U75dF1XMlfGTC8p0jVE7IvAHEmrNGENl5n-Iht3PqVTTGQrUV2791WUi9EhqWtzzUbJ1AdKncK257Tl3pPK3WRfZhXnLTW88rc3/s320/what+goes+into+the+charges.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-31632806270272920342012-11-08T07:17:00.000-08:002012-11-08T07:17:08.183-08:008 November 2012: Getting down to science<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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By: Dr. Laurie Connell</div>
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This project is focused on determining what the microbial
community is that colonizes rocks from volcanoes- basaltic rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These rocks are high in iron (Fe) and
manganese (Mn).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are some microbes
that can get their energy directly from rocks and some that can get their
carbon from the air as either carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) or carbon
monoxide (CO).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our part of the project
is interested in the fungi in these microbial communities.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Four years ago we made microbe traps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were tubes and sachets with bits of rock
with various amounts of Fe or Mn in them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We then put them in several different habitats that have a natural
basaltic substrate nearby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEd3G48yNNi0jXDmv2qgY1o87odDTO1egHqJ_kuDwNSAAepNRupm1deRJlSxn3Aspfsl0G-qskaActGvqrnbdjosAErDkxWWzoBBDUnckwVFTPO6rI1FR7-DGktS5HUWndWN7XkXv1t844/s1600/microbe+traps.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEd3G48yNNi0jXDmv2qgY1o87odDTO1egHqJ_kuDwNSAAepNRupm1deRJlSxn3Aspfsl0G-qskaActGvqrnbdjosAErDkxWWzoBBDUnckwVFTPO6rI1FR7-DGktS5HUWndWN7XkXv1t844/s320/microbe+traps.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The first one we placed out is near a basaltic wall that is
under seawater- called Cape Evan’s Wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hubert and the divers will be recovering that trap later today.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2beQRGx1kpntrnj54Tf7fJ-lA8ce01wez8A3SkR4-k8XjeBwQAa5clqemV5BI3jw4ZgsNHgSDiDgxx_hiyr2IKBMWpbxZ47mCltRSqUUiUC53R9XnjfmrRZW7NSZxfNqct0QIixUWbAt7/s1600/Cape+Evan's+wall+traps.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2beQRGx1kpntrnj54Tf7fJ-lA8ce01wez8A3SkR4-k8XjeBwQAa5clqemV5BI3jw4ZgsNHgSDiDgxx_hiyr2IKBMWpbxZ47mCltRSqUUiUC53R9XnjfmrRZW7NSZxfNqct0QIixUWbAt7/s320/Cape+Evan's+wall+traps.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next we put traps at various depths in a permantly ice
covered lake in the McMurdo Dry Valleys- Lake Fryxell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ice is quite thick on the lake and
although light does penetrate the ice never goes off the surface.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibySHy1v27Mgyn_EldSfFmsL20Gks0md6mjnBbTtOA7bu_UwOAD_rkD68QQd8B5t1seMfFOwH7ULZ4rCALivaBshIPNDMrxRnL2L4gTpQHtxZTbjVEzqziLEVcen8O4Rt9PSuYokAwUzoz/s1600/Hughes+glacier.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibySHy1v27Mgyn_EldSfFmsL20Gks0md6mjnBbTtOA7bu_UwOAD_rkD68QQd8B5t1seMfFOwH7ULZ4rCALivaBshIPNDMrxRnL2L4gTpQHtxZTbjVEzqziLEVcen8O4Rt9PSuYokAwUzoz/s320/Hughes+glacier.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Two other sets of traps were put in seasonal streams from
Hughes Glacier and from Walcott glacier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These streams are usually frozen but flow a few weeks a year when the
glacier is actively melting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last
set of traps was put on the active volcano, Mount Erebus. We are getting packed
now to begin our Mount Erebus ascent next week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>More about Mount Erebus <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and what
we are doing up there in later posts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNaYnwMx8bXmAktHeezpFUPOcR0IPUouzJkCEW4BFv_x3DfisOeByQSOvsSEF_ZIq_QT28qnilxoH0A-e4h7FjlrKU1IJJO2qcukYOBKjyRYIt9687UH5DjjUw8brJs6kTs8gC1YVziyG1/s1600/Mount+Erebus.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNaYnwMx8bXmAktHeezpFUPOcR0IPUouzJkCEW4BFv_x3DfisOeByQSOvsSEF_ZIq_QT28qnilxoH0A-e4h7FjlrKU1IJJO2qcukYOBKjyRYIt9687UH5DjjUw8brJs6kTs8gC1YVziyG1/s320/Mount+Erebus.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Right now it is getting warmer as spring progresses but it
is still very cold in the wind with a -41<sup>o</sup>F windchill
temperature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That makes for a cold
skidoo ride out to Cape Evan’s Wall to pick up our samples today!<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-36002315354573699592012-11-07T07:31:00.002-08:002012-11-07T07:31:26.833-08:00Photo of the Day: Crevasse TrainingSubmitted by: Dr. Laurie Connell<br /><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOEAcXUxp3AcuEXxSfv5qOr32gPMUhWQDEKhgwFgFb5MndsYV2Lcb80lPgrAkcrgX3zR9z228i1xVoGPKtyS_AipionCNDjoN_fNHzgL3Vl0H9XT_EcSHgCe71uxkoYkmFShPTPCgGDBR/s1600/DSCN0529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOEAcXUxp3AcuEXxSfv5qOr32gPMUhWQDEKhgwFgFb5MndsYV2Lcb80lPgrAkcrgX3zR9z228i1xVoGPKtyS_AipionCNDjoN_fNHzgL3Vl0H9XT_EcSHgCe71uxkoYkmFShPTPCgGDBR/s320/DSCN0529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here I am all set for crevasse training. We need to be in climbing
harnesses so get into and out of the fumarole caves on Mount Erebus so
practice is important.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-11775158807596924742012-11-05T04:42:00.001-08:002012-11-05T04:42:16.269-08:00 30 October 2012: Driving to the South Pole By: Dr. Laurie Connell<br />
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30 October 2012</div>
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Driving to the South Pole</div>
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Yes, there actually is a pole at the South Pole, in fact
there are several!</div>
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There is the geographic South Pole that is put in each year
by the USGS and the ceremonial South Pole- that’s were people go to get their
photos taken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is a photo of one of
our friends at the geographic South Pole a few years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0E_lB03A2TRFTlxG7beEUpxQia16H4pR8DzqJCvk129ZVKsvYBkSg5EA3zjH5-_bvvJoqas03I2XWy2ALEh4kwLKRCQ_HRqaGbrb9gJBrbnEmIHA001IDVv21GVJCRjAwRBTqBgVtj0j-/s1600/ErikO_SP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0E_lB03A2TRFTlxG7beEUpxQia16H4pR8DzqJCvk129ZVKsvYBkSg5EA3zjH5-_bvvJoqas03I2XWy2ALEh4kwLKRCQ_HRqaGbrb9gJBrbnEmIHA001IDVv21GVJCRjAwRBTqBgVtj0j-/s320/ErikO_SP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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But did you know that there is also a Road to the South
Pole?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the ULTIMATE Ice Road and is
a bit over 1600km (that is nearly 1000 miles) long from McMurdo Station to The
Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
took several years to build by filling in crevasses in the steep glacier
section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The McMurdo Ice Shelf and the Polar Plateau
are relatively stable so required much less work to develop a road but the
section between that climbs the Leverett glacier and is a mass of
crevasses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is what is called the
shear zone- where two ice sheets collide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This highway to the South Pole was first used in 2007. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The South Pole Traverse, as it is known, is a
convoy of vehicles that carry fuel and other supplies up the glacier and onward
to the pole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It takes about 40 days to
get there but faster on the way back since they carry less weight.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzN5GuIsTze6RR93iDLGRbCGSaSf-NNNcgxSJBzLLcwyXL_Z3kP1cVD3tNgapSLU7H2hS94dR6XxwlUJXHNpibNJEgNWN8wwpdwDK8joPquLsfQTf2v1jFl8FejrK5dAsOhUNNNBHV31jt/s1600/718px-Map_of_the_McMurdo-South_Pole_highway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzN5GuIsTze6RR93iDLGRbCGSaSf-NNNcgxSJBzLLcwyXL_Z3kP1cVD3tNgapSLU7H2hS94dR6XxwlUJXHNpibNJEgNWN8wwpdwDK8joPquLsfQTf2v1jFl8FejrK5dAsOhUNNNBHV31jt/s320/718px-Map_of_the_McMurdo-South_Pole_highway.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map From Wikipedia</td></tr>
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It takes big vehicles to pull all that weight and equipment
up the traverse route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is one of
the Case tractors that have been fitted with treads that they use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They pull housing modules (also pictured) and
well as fuel bladders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first of two
trips will leave McMurdo in a few days and the second will leave a week or two
later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can transport enough fuel to
reduce the need for LC130 flights significantly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The LC130s burn 2 gallons of fuel for each
gallon they deliver but the traverse burns only 1 gallon for each gallon they
deliver- a significant savings on a precious commodity.</div>
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UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-11950442241773933832012-11-02T05:11:00.002-07:002012-11-02T05:12:05.660-07:00Photo of the Day: 1 Nov 2012: Say Cheese<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lDK0fz220hDjSetE7G1tlnUrCr2vLrsBlFboP-3_VP5UurkMAZs9ozi7XfZIytbihbRf_1c12Vm17CUXCGb2TjVRJVnteCZwP6xZHxDO7kWCfhxJpmxVj-WJinwMTNRk3X8BYifZIbrr/s1600/DSC_2659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lDK0fz220hDjSetE7G1tlnUrCr2vLrsBlFboP-3_VP5UurkMAZs9ozi7XfZIytbihbRf_1c12Vm17CUXCGb2TjVRJVnteCZwP6xZHxDO7kWCfhxJpmxVj-WJinwMTNRk3X8BYifZIbrr/s400/DSC_2659.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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Photo by Hubert Staudigel<br />
Emperor penguin on the Sea Ice near the Barnes Glacier, Ross Island, Antarctica.<br />
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The people in the photo are (Left to right) Anthony Rigoni, Laurie Connell and Forrest McCarthy</td></tr>
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<br />UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-32837209561323238122012-10-31T05:55:00.003-07:002012-10-31T05:56:14.665-07:00Snow Craft I Course Recap<style>
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28 October 2012</div>
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by Dr. Laurie Connell </div>
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I didn’t need to do the snow craft I course this year since
I have had the refresher course in the last 5 years but I thought I’d post some
photos from when we did take it back in 2002.</div>
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The first photo is our group cutting snow blocks for our
protection wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The snow in this area
of Antarctica is perfect for walls and igloos.</div>
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The second photo is of us ready to cook dinner- our wall is
up and a big storm is coming in.</div>
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Quinsy huts are like igloos but are built from packing snow
down on gear and then pulling the gear out – then you dig down and back up for
an entrance to keep the colder air out and the air you warm up by body heat
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are great places to be in a big
storm but take some time to build.</div>
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This is the whole camp out on the Ross Ice Shelf- it was a
cold night and very windy but we were comfortable in our Quinsy.</div>
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UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8370916865908538990.post-24448703971426071522012-10-29T06:30:00.000-07:002012-10-29T07:00:02.498-07:00Antarctic Update: 26 Oct 2012<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
by: Dr. Laurie Connell </div>
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When we arrive in McMurdo Station we have to take all sorts
of training before we can go out into the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This includes snow craft (camping in the snow
and survival training), helicopter training, sea ice training, environmental
protection training- the list goes on…As I wait in town to get my snowmobile
driver training all updated I am not allowed to drive one myself- but I can
ride on the back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today one of the
penguin researchers gave me the chance to go out to Cape Royds with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I jumped that the chance!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cape Royds is one of the most southern
penguin rookeries in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
are Adelie penguins there and they are just now starting to arrive for the
season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Check out the website for more
information about this location and nest checks throughout the season (<a href="http://www.penguinscience.com/classroom_home.php">http://www.penguinscience.com/classroom_home.php</a>).</div>
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Four of us ventured out and although the weather was not
clear and bright it was a great trip none the less.</div>
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I am collecting some penguin bones and skulls to mount for
display in classrooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You need a permit
for that so not everyone can collect penguin parts (and I have one.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got several but I’ll still need a few
more. Here is what they look like before we begin the process of getting them
ready for the classroom.</div>
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Hopefully we will be able to go back to make a bigger
collection next week and the weather will be better for photos.</div>
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On the way back we stopped at the Barnes Glacier and took a
few photos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The beautiful blue is the
real color of the glacier and the small bits of ice at the bottom make great
ice for drinks since it pops and fizzles as it melts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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UMaine Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889803450814437262noreply@blogger.com0