Where am I?


US permanent bases in Antarctica
Current conditions:  Con 2, Temp -6ºF (-28ºF with wind chill), snowing.  Population: 298

I'm embarrassed to say that it took me until yesterday to figure out precisely where I am. So now that I know, here's the scoop.

Antarctica is the fifth largest continent; larger than Europe and Australia and not too much smaller than South America.  The continent is home to forty or so permanent (i.e,. year-round) research bases scattered across the continent, respresenting 30 countries.  The US has three bases.  Besides McMurdo, the other two are:
  • Palmer (64.7ºS) is on an island just to the west of the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula and is actually above the Antarctic Circle (66ºS).  It's the smallest and warmest base with the most wildlife.  Yesterday, the temperature was a balmy 25ºF.  The crew (N=40 or so) arrives by ship from Punta Arenas, 650 miles away.  Most research at Palmer is biological, related to the seas and the ice.    They have one doctor and evacuations happen by ship or Twin Otter plane to South America.
  • Amundsen-Scott Base is at the South Pole (90ºS, of course).  Amundsen-Scott is cold, with temperatures never rising above -40º.  It is also at high altitude (9,301 feet).  Most of the research consists of physics and astrophysics.  The summer season there is short (this year, early November through early February).  About 200 people summer there (45 in winter).  Amundsen-Scott is known for having the best food.  They have one doctor (Chris, our current lead MD is heading there after a brief break back in the US) and one PA.  Serious medical conditions--including the inevitable high altitude illnesses--are sent to McMurdo.
Our station, McMurdo Station (77.5ºS), is one quarter turn counter-clockwise (ie west) from Palmer Station and is well below the Antarctic Circle.  We are 844 miles from the South Pole and 2381 miles from Christchurch, the closest city.

 Ross Island is on the left (the yellow area in the inset).   McMurdo Station and Scott Base are at the tip of Hut Peninsula which comes off at one o'clock. McMurdo Sound is currently frozen as is much of the Ross Sea, I believe.  PF and WF represent the approximate locations of the two air fields..
Like Palmer, McMurdo is on an island--Ross Island--discovered by James Ross in 1840.  The station itself faces almost due south.  Next to the station is Winter Quarters Bay, a cove that is opened by ice breaker in January.  The resulting seasonal port is the southern-most port in the world.  The "sea" to the south and west of McMurdo, remains permanently covered by the Ross Ice Shelf where our planes land.  The choice of which airfield depends on the quality of the ice and the weight of the plane.  Phoenix Field is pretty much always open but Willy is not; the ice can be problematic. 

Satellite view of Ross Island.  I've circled Mt. Discovery since I've posted many photos of it.
The red dot is Mt. Erebus.  It's very close and always "percolating".
Four volcanoes birthed Ross Island.  Three of these are now extinct, but one, Mt. Erebus (named for Ross's ship which, in turn, was named for the Greek God of darkness), is still active and, geologically, quite unique.  Mt. Erebus is a landmark here but I have yet to see it.  Because of its many volcanos, Ross Island has the highest mean altitude of any island in the world.

Compared to all the other stations in Antarctica, McMurdo is huge, with 1200 people expected this summer.  It is the base for the NSF administration, the stopping point for all summer field camps and is the main medical facility for Antarctica.  We receive patients not only from Amundsen-Scott and Scott, but also from any base on our side of the continent that needs acute medical care and transport off the ice.



Comments

Lauren said…
Are you ever going to get the chance to go to Amundsen-Scott? That would be pretty cool (no pun intended)!
September 25, 2019 at 4:28 PM
Jeffrey Parsonnet said…
I agree with Lauren. Have you really had the full Antarctica experience until you’ve spent a winter at Amundsen-Scott?
September 26, 2019 at 12:31 PM
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