Written 31 Dec 2007 3730 meters above sea level Maximum & Minimum temperatures: - 30 to - 38 °C The kilometers we logged today, the last day of 2007, brought us near to the Pole of Inaccessibility, which is the place on the Antarctic continent that is farthest from any coast. As 2007 came to a close, we reminisced about our journey, which started a month and a half ago from the Norwegian Troll Station near the coast of Dronning Maud Land. On this traverse so far we have drilled three deep ice cores and many shallow ice cores, in search of clues to our changing climate. We have worked toge...

Written 29 Dec 2007 3689 meters above sea level Maximum & Minimum temperatures: - 32 to -38 °C Originally, seven countries made claims in Antarctica. These were Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway and United Kingdom. One region of Antarctica has not been claimed by any nation. Argentina, Chile and United Kingdom have overlapping claims at the Antarctic Peninsula. Norway’s claim has an undefined border both in the south and in the north, spanning from 20 W to 45 E. Norway claimed Dronning Maud Land in January 1939 to protect its whaling interests. We left Dronning Maud Land today and will be in the Australian sector on the remaining time of the expedition. ...

Written 30 Dec 2007 3710 meters above sea level Maximum & Minimum temperatures: - 29 to -37 °C The ice in Antarctica holds two thirds of all freshwater in the World, including lakes, rivers, groundwater, glacier ice and moisture in the atmosphere. While the average ice thickness is around 2000 meters, the deepest ice has been measured to 4776 meters. Still, large parts of Antarctica are not well mapped with respect to ice thickness. This figure is important for estimating Antarctica’s role with respect to global sea level. Thus, on the traverse we use low-frequency radar to measure ice thickness alon...

Written 28 Dec 2007 3672 meters above sea level Maximum & Minimum temperatures: - 26 to -35 °C We have selected site 33 as a science stop for a chance to have a closer look at some unusual scenery. That there is immense variety in the details on this uniform, white plain does not mean that we do not appreciate the unusual. On this location the satellite images show a series of large-scale ripples in the snow, and we have been curious about their origin. High in expectations we stopped here last evening. Sure enough, some kilometers out west we could see a long shadow under the horizon. A slope! Two of us went out to have a closer look and take some radar profiles, and found the ripples to be several elongated rises, up to 5 kilometers long, runn...

Written 27 Dec 2007 3672 meters above sea level Maximum & Minimum temperatures: - 25 to -37 °C One of the more common questions we get is if we don't get tired of looking at the same unchanging scenery day after day, the same endless and level whiteness? No, we don't. One reason is that studying subtle differences in the snow surface is one of our reasons for being here in the first place. But there is more to the snow than just crystal size, permeability and density. The surface is carved and shaped by relentless and ever changing winds, and takes on an immense variet...

Written 26 Dec 2007 3670 meters above sea level Maximum & Minimum temperatures: - 25 to -33 °C Last night we packed down the Christmas tree and prepared for setting out this morning. We were rolling at 8am and made good progress without any kind of surprises, driving 86 km. Also, we passed a milestone when we crossed the 80 degrees south mark this afternoon at 3pm. We will stop for tonight and head out tomorrow morning for our next science stop which we probably reach in the afternoon. - Jan-Gunnar Photo: Lasse is leading our way towards the South Pole (Photo: Jan-Gunnar Wint...

Written 25 Dec 2007 3668 meters above sea level Maximum & Minimum temperatures: -29 to -36 °C We had a day off today and it was well deserved after many weeks of hard work. It has been a relaxing day where some played cards, other worked on their computers or caught up with their emails. For dinner we had sheep ribs, deliciously prepared by Einar (again!). After dinner we watched a movie while Lou chose to have a ski trip instead. We are now all set to continue driving tomorrow morning. - Jan-Gunnar Photo: Lou is inspecting the lunch table (Photo: Jan-Gunnar Winther) ...

Written 24 Dec 2007 3668 meters above sea level Maximum & Minimum temperatures: - 30 to - 36 °C We have been standing still today to celebrate Christmas, which we celebrated in a traditional Norwegian way with rice porridge for lunch and pork (“ribbe”) for dinner. And of course some linie aquavit. Kjetil and Einar have also replaced another differential (#5) that broke on 23rd December. Preparations for Christmas went on all day and we had a very nice traditional Norwegian dinner in the evening. Surprisingly many gifts had found their way to the deep south. - Jan-Gunnar P...

Written 23 Dec 2007 3668 meters above sea level Maximum & Minimum temperatures: - 31 to - 38 °C An antenna on the roof of each of our vehicles continuously receives signals from several of the twenty-odd satellites of the Global Positioning System (GPS). The time-coded radio signals from the satellites allow for very accurate distance measurements relative to the known positions of the satellites, and thus the position of the vehicles can be calculated instantly with an accuracy of a few meters. A screen shows the driver the bearing and exact distance to the point of destination. Aided by this tool, we can head for a chosen point ahead, perhaps a previous observation site marked by a single aluminum pole, and hit it spot on even after hundreds of kilometers' ...

Written 22 Dec 2007 3670 meters above sea level Maximum & Minimum temperatures: - 28 to - 36 °C With general coordinates of the abandoned station determined by satellite images of the long-buried packed snow runway, today we stopped at Plateau Station. This was the site of a US science camp from 1966-69, but had not been occupied or visited by any US field team since then. No one could tell us what evidence of the abandoned station may still exist above the drifting snow. Immediately visible upon our arrival was the tall meteorological tower, still standing solidly above five smaller towers and the top of a flag mast. To our delight, on closer inspection, also immediately visible at snow level was the clear dome of the aurora tower and the top ...