Ocean Realm

You may be surprised to know that Dallas, Texas has something in common with the South Pole: they both reach 100 degree temperatures in July. But that will be 100 degrees below zero at the South Pole. This is cold enough to freeze your blood in a very, very short time.

Even with these conditions, twenty-eight people commit six months to living at the South Pole. They have to deal with no sunlight, very little contact with the world, and no way to escape. They are there to maintain the U.S polar base and operate the telescopes and other scientific devices located at the research station. As communications and technology see advancements, their job is changing.

In the past, astronomers located in North America used satellites to operate the telescope at the South Pole observatory. This made history as the first time a South Pole telescope was controlled from another continent. It is the hope of astronomers across the world that some day they will be able to do this on a regular basis.

People in Antarctica deal with the coldest, driest, and windiest conditions on Earth. You will not find elevations as high as those in Antarctica anywhere else in the world. Due to this, breathing problems can also be an issue. The high elevations make it impossible for anything but cold-adapted plants and animals to survive. Some common plants and animals include penguins, seals, and various forms of algae and tundra vegetation.

Anyone who faces the challenges of working a winter in Antarctica is known as a “winter-over”. These crews are provided with a very large video collection, a small exercise room, various computers, a pool table, and wonderful food. Interestingly, they are well-known to be very silent about any occurrences between February, the time that the station battens down for winter, and October, when a military transport arrives to return them to civilization.

The notable expansion of the research program at the South Pole has resulted in a constant problem regarding a shortage of electrical power. The station has three oil-burning generators but they have not been able to generate enough power to stay abreast of the increasing demands of computers, telescopes, lasers and other power intensive devices. That being the case, the winter-overs must cope with insufficient power, tight quarters and cold buildings.

The winter months are broken up using some traditions. Once of the most infamous traditions is the introduction into the “300 Club”. In order to do this, a day is required where the temperature is at least 100 degrees below zero. The members heat the sauna up to 200 degrees. They then sprint from the 200 degree sauna into the minus 100 degree air and back again.

Another tradition looked forward to is the Airdrop. Every June, a U.S. Air National Guard military transport plane will fly over the South Pole to drop deliver pallets of food, mail and other supplies. Heavy equipment is used to collect the pallets in order to be broken down and used. That single airdrop is the most contact with another person these people get in six months of occupation.

They will also not be able to venture more than a mile from the pole during their stay in Antarctica. For one week out of their stay, the winter-overs can stay at McMurdo Station for a refreshing change of pace. There, the weather’s only 25 degrees, and they’re able to wear less restrictive and heavy clothing, giving them a peaceful respite from their troubles.

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