Real life Antarctic experiences
Adele Walker
Tractor train taking equipment to Lake Ellsworth.
Lake Ellsworth advance party success
This week a team of four British engineers has successfully completed a gruelling journey to Antarctica to deliver equipment and supplies for the exploration of subglacial Lake Ellsworth later this year.
Enduring temperatures of minus 35oC, the advance party used a powerful 'tractor-train' to tow nearly 70 tonnes of equipment across Antarctica's deep snow and steep mountain passes. In December a science and engineering team will begin the project to collect water and sediments from the lake, which is buried 3km under the ice.
Ellsworth will be the first Antarctic subglacial lake to be measured and sampled directly through the design and manufacture of space-industry standard 'clean technology'; scientists have been planning the project for more than 15 years.
Chilly addiction
Rothera from North Bay.
Projects like Ellsworth can sound like pure science fiction, but drama aside, what is it really like to spend time in the icy wastes? On Radio 4's Saturday Live last weekend, BAS communications manager Athena Dinar owned up to her Antarctic addiction, and painted a vivid picture of the fascination the white continent holds for her and its many other temporary inhabitants. Athena's feature runs from 17:40.
Posted on 17 January 2012
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