6 December, 1999

East Lake Bonney, Taylor Valley, Antarctica

Monday

Another day of sampling out in the wilds of Antarctica! Gale force winds had been predicted, but they never materialized so we were able to fly out in the morning. We finished our work early and spent the remaining 2 hours playing and enjoying the scenery before the helo picked us up at 5 p.m. It's amazing to watch the helo landing on the ice! The wind that the helo generates is incredible! We have to hold down some of our things so that they won't blow away! Scott, our pilot from Saturday, quizzed me all the way back to McMurdo on points of interest along the way. "What is that glacier, Sharon?" "The Ferrar Glacier." "Good!", Scott would say. "What is that island over there?" "Uhh...Inaccessible Island?" "Yes!" I wasn't always correct and Julie and Mark had to help me out on the questions!

We worked until late in the evening. Tomorrow I have the early gas chromatograph shift. That is, I have to be ready to begin injecting the gases at 7:30 a.m. Off to sleep!

ANSWER TO YESTERDAY'S QUESTION: Admiral Richard E. Byrd and his crew were the first people to fly over the South Pole on November 29, 1929. "For a few seconds we stood over the spot where Amundsen had stood December 14, 1911 and where Scott had also stood. There was nothing now to mark that scene; only a white desolation and solitude disturbed by the sound of our engines."

TODAY'S QUESTION: This year marks the 30th anniversary for something in Antarctica. Do you know what we are celebrating?

POLAR PROFILE: Robert de los Santos is a Staff Sergeant with the United States Air Force. I met Rob in Christchurch during our marathon wait for good flying weather! Rob is in Antarctica as an inspector for the Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC). AFTAC maintains sensors around the world that detect seismic activity (movement within the Earth's crust). When we think of seismic activity, usually we think of earthquakes. Rob's sensor are actually looking for something else. They monitor compliance with the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. This treaty bans the use or testing of any nuclear device by nations that signed the treaty. Rob is making sure that the equipment that is used to measure this seismic activity meets military standards. While in Antarctica, Rob will work at Bull Pass (between the Wright and McKelvey Valleys), at Mount Newell, and at Scott Base (the New Zealand research facility).

Rob is a veteran of Desert Storm and was involved in military activities in Panama in 1989 that led to the arrest of Manuel Noriega. Next year Rob will begin Officer Training School. He is active in his community, working for Habitat For Humanity. Rob is married and has 3 daughters. He lives in Cocoa Beach, Florida, where AFTAC is located.

Sharon

JUST FOR KIDS!!!!

I got to spend another day at Lake Bonney! We finished our work early and had time to play and enjoy the scenery!

On the way home, Scott our helicopter pilot played "Jeopardy!" with us! He would point out glaciers and islands and ask us to name them. I knew most of them, but on a few he stumped me!

ANSWER TO YESTERDAY'S QUESTION: Admiral Richard E. Byrd was the first to fly over the South Pole on November 29, 1929. "For a few seconds we stood over the spot where Amundsen had stood December 14, 1911 and where Scott had also stood. There was nothing now to mark that scene; only a white desolation and solitude disturbed by the sound of our engines."

TODAY'S QUESTION: This year marks the 30th anniversary for something in Antarctica. Do you know what we are celebrating?

POLAR PROFILE: Robert de los Santos is a Staff Sergeant with the United States Air Force. Rob is in Antarctica to check equipment that can sense movements within the Earth's crust (seismic activity). Usually when we think about seismic activity, we think of earthquakes. Rob's equipment also recognizes nuclear explosions that make the Earth's crust shake. Rob is repairing the equipment and making sure that it works correctly.

Rob is a veteran of Desert Storm. He lives in Cocoa Beach, Florida with his wife and daughters.

Sharon

This is the Mount Newall Station where Robert de los Santos works. Mount Newall is at an elevation of 1920 m.

Robert (on the right) atop the wind generator at the Mount Newall site.

Robert in front of Scott's Discovery Hut.