tent island fatamoragana

A beautiful sight across the sea ice today was Tent Island. The natural occurrence called fatamorgana played against this island today. Most folks are familiar with this phenomenon in desserts when it is frequently called a mirage. When the air density is thicker near the surface of the earth, the moisture magnifies whatever is on the ground (or in this case, on the ice).

I took a tour with the crew of the C-17 today and instead of bringing them to the store, which was closed, Kaska (the newest air services rep) and I drove them over the hill to Scott Base. Upon cresting the hill and descending on the small Kiwi station, we had a beautiful blue view of the rolling pressure ridges. This year they are much more dramatic than last and it almost look like the sea is rippling into shore.

Ross Island (where both McMurdo and Scott Base are comfortably situated) leans against a permanent chunk of sea ice. This ice chunk, fed by glaciers, is the largest of it's kind. Its thickness varies from 600 - 2450 feet of mostly floating ice, and it's breadth spans the area of France. The other side of the island is flanked by temporary pack ice. This tends to thin out and melt in the summer months down here. Pressure ridges appear along the shores of our island as both types of ice push against land. Ridges also form a bit as the temporary ice pushes against the permanent ice shelf.

My new Italian friend, Roberto, who is doing PhD research for the Smithsonian Institute on the Weddell Seals this year showed me some of his pictures today. The seals are beginning to give birth and he had some tender photos of mother and pup within hours of their birth. I like seeing the excitement of the grantees and their photos are a great reminder of what we are doing here to support this station and their research.