Interviewing Scientists

We have had a great time here at Scott Base, meeting with scientists, talking with staff and getting out into the wide Antarctic world around us. Now that we are half way through our time here, I thought I would reflect on the work we have done so far and our plans for the next week and a half.

It has been great fun talking to all sorts of different scientists about their work. We have been learning about how they view the Antarctic environment, how they feel their research impacts the environment and how they make decisions about their work based on the environment. After inviting them to participate in our study we give them our information paper that describes our study and tells them about their rights as a participant. When working with humans for research there are a lot of ethics we need to be aware of, like how we recruit people, how we share our data to make sure it is anonymous, and making sure they know they have the right to withdraw their information at any time. Once all that is out of the way, the people who want to participate are asked to fill in a short questionnaire and then we interview them.

[Driving out to field camp - what will they do out there?]

So far we have been interviewing people who have come through Scott Base. In the next week we will be heading out into the field to meet with scientists at their camps. This should be fun, but will also be a lot of work as we will have to take the scientists away from their work for 20 minutes to an hour and try to find a quiet place to do the interview. Hopefully we will be able to find some willing participants to help us with our research.

Science in Antarctica

[Looking out the window and into Antarctica]

Scott Base was first built in 1956 to support both the Trans-Antarctic Expedition and the International Geophysical Year in 1956-1959. The buildings have since evolved and changed over the years, but their purpose remains much the same – to support scientific research in Antarctica.

Having been at Scott Base for a week now, we have been exposed to all sorts of different science going on down here. Through our job of talking to scientists about their environmental-behaviour, we have learned a lot about all sorts of neat projects. Some of them are based right outside our back door here and others further afield, in the dry valleys, out on the ice shelf and elsewhere. I’ll try to introduce you to a few of them here so you can get an idea of what sort of Kiwi science is going on.

Down in the wet lab there are lots of projects going on.

[The wet lab is located just down on the waters edge in front of Scott Base - it is busy with all sorts of science]

One project is looking at water samples taken from out front of Scott Base and comparing the water quality to samples taken 10 years ago from the same locations. The purpose is to learn about how the water filtration system in place here has affected the quality of the water outfall.

[Collecting water samples for testing quality]

[Drilling a hole through the sea ice to reach the sea water below - the sea ice thicknses was about 5-8 feet in depth]

Another project has lots of different pieces to it. The group is catching fish from various locations and looking at them for different things. From leeches that live in fish gills to learning how fish produce anti-freeze in their blood to keep from freezing, this group has all sorts of little (and big) fish in their space.

[Look at all those fish tanks]

[Some little fish caught just outside - these fish keep from freezing in the cold water by producing an anti-freeze in their blood. Can you see the sea star eating a fish?]

[A toothfish, also known as Antarctic Cod or Chilean Sea Bass depending on where you are. These fish are highly prized around the world for their tasty meat, but we have very little idea of their population dynamics or life cycle, so we are trying to learn more before they are all gone - hopefully this will help us take better care of them]

There are also lots of projects out in the field.

[Looking out towards Mount Erebus - a tent is how most field scientists live in the field.]

Out in the dry valleys, there are several groups. Having mapped different ecological areas using satellite images, they are now exploring the place in person to ensure they have succeeded. This could hopefully lead to a new way of categorizing important environments in Antarctica without having to go there in person and possibly contribute to its degradation.

[The Dry Valleys - notice the polygonal ground shaped by permafrost action. Image taken from nsf.gov]

On the sea ice just around Hut Point Peninsula from Scott Base, there is a group learning about sea ice and the different processes of the Southern Ocean. They are looking at water samples and ice structure, to sea ice break up and dispersal.

[Other scientists have posh field camps like this one, with heated shipping containers converted for sleeping, cooking, eating and the pursuit of science]

[The sea ice - sea ice is ice that disperses and melts ever year]

Scott Base

[Welcome to Scott Base]

Scott Base is the name of the Kiwi research station in Antarctica. It is on the southern tip of Ross Island on the Hut Point Peninsula which points South towards the Antarctic continent. Just 3km from the American station of McMurdo, the two bases are connected by a winding gravel road.

[Mount Erebus with a tiny plume of smoke right at the top]

Ross Islands main geographic feature is Mount Erebus. Mount Erebus, along with Mount Terror and Mount Terra Nova are active volcanoes that are being studied all the time. But there are all sorts of other things to be studied here too. Like the sea ice, the fish, the birds, the weather and yes, even the scientists themselves.

After we arrived at Scott Base and had settled in I took some time to explore. The next few pictures were taken around the base and give you an idea of where I’ll be living for the next three weeks. What would be your favourite place to spend time?

[Lockers to store our outdoor gear in]

[The entire station is connected together with corridors, so there's no need to go outside in the cold]

[My bed - I share my room with two ther scientists]

[There are lots and lots of corridors]

[Just outside the mess - or dining hall - is a wall showing all the science projects going on with Antarctica New Zealand this summer]

[The mess hall, we have great cooks who make us delicious food. This morning we had waffles and bacon and eggs and hashbrowns and . . .]

[Because the entire station is connect together can you think of the biggest danger? - It's fire, there are fire hoses and extinguishers everywhere]

[Some of the corridors are more decorated than others. Also notice the metal poles along the walls, because it is so dry here there is a lot of static electricity built up and you have to touch metal every once in a while to discharge any excess - lots of sparks]

[This is Hatherton Lab where everyone can use the computers - with dial up speed internet - and we have our office]

[Another thing about Antarctica is having fun. We have lots of dress up parties and there are all sorts of costumes to choose from]

[Many scientists go out into the field to do their research, but some just do day trips from Scott Base. They have to drive vehicles that allow them to drive on snow. This is a Pisten Bully, it is a very bumpy ride]

[The Pisten Bully is driving out on the sea ice to go ice fishing to collect samples for some scientists. You can see a long way here because it is so flat]

[Just next door to Scott Base is McMurdo, the American Station. We share an airfield which is what you can see down on the ice. This is where we landed when we arrived]

[This is McMurdo. Can you guess what the big, round white tanks are for? They hold all the fuel for both McMurdo and Scott Base for the whole year because it can only be carried in once a year when the sea ice is out enough for a containter ship to come in]

[At the top of Observation Hill is a cross dedicated to Captain Scott and the four men who died with him on their return frmo the South pole in 1912. It is a lovely hike up to here and a great view out over the sea ice and towards the continent]