March 6, 2014 Throughout the duration of this cruise, we have experienced all kinds of sea ice, from newly forming frazil and pancake ice, to large slabs of thick, multi-year fast ice and old pack ice. Thick sea ice can force course changes and delays, and cause frustration as our forward progress is slowed to…
Monday, March 3, 2014 Today marks the beginning of another workweek and like any Monday, everyone on board is preparing for a busy week ahead. As can be expected, the weather forecast for the week is influencing our decisions. However, unlike a typical Monday at home, the weather will affect not only the morning commute…
February 28, 2014 Just as Fridays close out the workweek at home, this Friday brings to a close the fifth week of our cruise. In the past five weeks, we have been able to recover an incredible number of samples, filling coolers, crates, and racks with labeled bags, vials, and tubes. The massive number of…
Friday, February 21, 2014 As the week draws to a close, the Palmer has entered the Moscow University Ice Shelf region and the weather has taken a turn for the worse. Up until now, we have been incredibly fortunate in regard to the weather, as we have experienced calm waters accompanied by plenty of sunshine…
February 19, 2014 Over the last few weeks on this blog, the main focus has been on the sediment sampling and coring methods of the ship. While the sediment and associated analyses are an integral part of interpreting the history of the Sabrina Coast, it is only one piece of the story. Many oceanographic samples…
February 15, 2014 Apologies for the delay in updates, but we return with exciting news. The past few days have been a whirlwind of scientific exploration. Our captain steered the Palmer toward a small area of open water close to the Totten Glacier. With great weather, clear skies, and good visibility, we were able to…
February 9, 2014 Over the last two days we have been busy taking dredge samples from the Mertz Glacier region. Sites for bottom dredging were chosen based on the seismic data we collected earlier in the week that showed where rocks from specific time periods were exposed at the surface. Our goal was to bring…
Thursday, February 6, 2014 Tuesday: Today’s day shift awoke to a wonderful surprise; we’ve entered the ice! The transition was swift, and even our colleagues working the night shift last night were surprised by how fast the ice accumulated. For those of us working today’s day shift, it has been a beautiful sight. While stunning,…
February 3, 2014 Today is Monday. It is the first full day that the research crew has been standing an official watch. Our watches are set up into 12-hour shifts, with one shift starting at noon and lasting until midnight, and the other shift beginning at midnight and lasting until noon. This structure ensures that…
Saturday February 1, 2014 Today we are three days into our crossing of the Southern Ocean to reach Antarctica. The marine geology labs are out of commission because of the transit, in case of rough water. With all our materials stowed, we will not be taking core samples until we reach the Antarctic continental rise.…
Wednesday January 29, 2014 We are back in contact after two very busy days spent preparing for the crossing to Antarctica! The past 48 hours were completely filled with packing, knot tying, and hatch battening. But the most exciting part is that our ship is finally underway! Even though Hobart gave us a wonderfully warm…
Monday, January 27th Today, Eugene Domack led our group of students on a field trip. The sun was shining and it was a perfect day to get out of the city for a bit. To reach our destination, our group rented a van and drove north and west to reach Mt. Field National Park. The geology of the…
Sunday, January 26, 2014 Today is Sunday January 26, three days before our scheduled departure to Antarctica. After long travel days, most of the research crew has arrived in Hobart, and preparations for the voyage are underway. The research crew is ensuring that lab spaces are stocked and ready, as well as ensuring that all…
January 20, 2014 Welcome to the Totten Project website. This week, our team of researchers will be heading toward our departure point of Hobart Australia, for our journey south to study the Totten Glacier and Moscow University Ice Shelf, East Antarctica. The goal of our project is to advance our understanding of this poorly understood glacial system…
Exploring Totten 