About this Blog

This blog is dedicated to a research expedition to the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica. Through field mapping of geomorphic evidence, sample collection, and cosmogenic nuclide concentration measurements in the Noble Gas Lab at Harvard, we hope to better understand the behavior of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet during Miocene (~23 to 5 million years ago) and Pliocene (~5-1.8 mya) times. The Early Pliocene is the most recent period in which global temperatures were significantly warmer than the present, therefore providing us with a potential analog for a warming climate. This research is generously funded by the NSF Polar Science Program.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Making Lemonade

As the old saying goes- when life gives you lemons, go explore New Zealand. Thus, because our flight to McMurdo was canceled, we used our spare time to roam the Canterbury countryside and fully absorb the beauty and fragrance of fields, trees, and flowering plants before we head off into a frozen wasteland.

I thought you folks back in the northern hemisphere might enjoy some pictures of spring:

Christchurch Botanic Gardens

Christchurch Botanic Gardens

This is where sweaters come from. Merino sheep are raised EVERYWHERE in New Zealand due to its wool industry. Interestingly, possums are also everywhere in NZ because they were foolishly introduced to the island country and took over the place. To encourage the removal of the possum pests they make clothes out of possum fur too.

Cliffs in Canterbury

Tomorrow morning we will make a second attempt at getting to McMurdo- an attempt that involves leaving our hotel at 5:15 am, taking off at 9:00 am, and (fingers crossed) landing in McMurdo around 3:00 pm (New Zealand time). If all goes well, we won't be seeing any flora until 2009. Cheers!
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