11 November, 1999

McMurdo Station, Antarctica Thursday

The sun shone brilliantly all day! What a gift this is! The weather was mild enough to discard the heavy parka in favor of the lighter wind jacket. I wouldn't want to work outside in this coat but, for walking between buildings it was fine.

The laboratory is coming together. Bess spent the day rebuilding our gas chromatograph. Even after supper, when the rest of us were playing, she was working in the lab. The woman has such dedication to her science! I admire her tenacity but, sometimes I feel guilty for not being by her side constantly! Oftentimes, though, with my limited knowledge, I think that I can be more of a hinderance than a help! She is very patient with me!

Maite and Mark did some paperwork and taught me a few things about their end of the research. I plan on discussing the research in much more detail but I would like to wait until we have had a field day. It will make more sense at that point!

Under Mark's direction, I prepared some stock solutions. I made a 20% hydrochloric acid (HCl) stock for acid washing our sampling bags and serum vials. I made a 6N HCl solution for soaking a part of the sampling apparatus. It is important to have all items trace metal clean if they are to come in contact with the lake water we will be collecting. I also assisted Julie in constructing our glove box. The glove box is necessary because the organisms that we are interested in, live in the anoxic layer of the water column. These organisms respond the best when incubated without oxygen. The glove box allows us to work with the water samples and the bacteria in the water under an atmosphere of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. It was a frustrating task because the box is leaking. We fill it up with the compressed gas. Leave it for 20 minutes. When we return, much of the gas has leaked out. We spent much of the day trying to identify where the leaks were and fixing them. It still isn't perfect but, we're getting there! One interesting thing about working with the glove box is that we worked in a walk-in incubator that is kept at 4 degrees Celsius! Naturally, when you want to grow Antarctica bacteria, it must be at a cold temperature! We were cold!

The evening was spent much the same way as Wednesday although the talk quickly turned to our snow school that we will attend tomorrow. Journals for Friday and Saturday will be posted late because I will be camping out in the great white wilderness! Wish I'd thought to bring hand warmers!

Answer to yesterday's question: Cotton and wool and other natural fibers, tend to absorb moisture and stay wet. When you get wet, you get cold. Today, synthetic fibers are much better at wicking the moisture away from your body (you do sweat here in Antarctica) but the fibers dry very fast. You stay warmer and reduce the risk of fungal infections and, more seriously, hypothermia.

Today's question: How would you search for someone who is lost in a snowstorm?

Sharon

JUST FOR KIDS!!!!!! The sun shone brilliantly all day! What a gift this is! The weather was mild enough to discard the heavy parka in favor of the lighter wind jacket. I wouldn't want to work outside in this coat but, for walking between buildings it was fine.

I made chemical solutions in the lab today. These chemicals, made with hydrocholoric acid (HCl), will be used to clean the bags for collecting lake water samples. I also helped Julie make a glove box. This box will be used for growing any bacteria that is in the lake water. The bacteria cannot grow when oxygen is present. We put them in a box with hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen instead! Our box leaks. Julie and I worked very hard to find the leaks and fix them but we didn't find them all. That's more work for us!

Tomorrow we go to snow school! At snow school we learn all about surviving outside in Antarctica. We even get to sleep outside in the snow! Do you think your Mom and Dad will let you do that sometime? Would you want to sleep outside in the snow? My journals for Friday and Saturday will be late because I cannot take a computer with me! Please be patient!

Answer to yesterday's question: Cotton and wool and other natural fibers, tend to absorb moisture and stay wet. When you get wet, you get cold. Today, synthetic fibers are much better at wicking the moisture away from your body (you do sweat here in Antarctica) but the fibers dry very fast. You stay warmer and reduce the risk of fungal infections and, more seriously, hypothermia.

Today's question: How would you search for someone that is lost in a snowstorm?

Sharon