Blog Archive
Overwintering at SANAE IV
November 9, 2018
Hi! My name is Will Jelbert. I am one of the team currently overwintering at the South African Antarctic research base SANAE IV.
Leading a more sustainable life – A response to one of our most asked questions
October 24, 2018
We are often asked by people ‘what is the best thing I can do to lower my carbon footprint?’ or something along these lines.
Experience in Karthaus as a student
October 2, 2018
The Karthaus course was absolutely amazing in many different ways.
How to get started within polar research?
September 6, 2018
There are many ways to begin polar research, or even just to experience polar regions as a medical personnel, engineer, or logistics personnel.
Let’s Talk Science: But What About Beryllium and Aluminum?
April 11, 2018
Last week, we shared with you how we use carbon to help us date the rocks.
Let’s Talk Science: C-14 Dating
March 28, 2018
Last week, we mentioned how isotopes are created in quartz. One of these isotopes is carbon-14.
Let’s Talk Science: Why Quartz?
March 21, 2018
So, last week on Let’s Talk Science we talked about cleaning up our rock samples to so that they become pure quartz. But why quartz?
Let’s Talk Science: The Quartz Car Wash
March 14, 2018
Welcome to our blog series, “Let’s Talk Science,” where we break down the science behind our team’s work.
Sarah Sams Takes Over the AGU
March 9, 2018
This past week, our very own Sarah Sams was the official #guestgrammer on the American Geophysical Union Instagram page.
Living Module Tour: With Your Host, Dr. Robin
March 7, 2018
Unfortunately, 5-star, luxury hotels are hard to come by in Antarctica. Instead, our team uses Arcs (or living modules) for all their comfort and home space needs.
Let’s Talk Science: Bringing Antarctica to the Classroom
February 28, 2018
In this week's installment of Let's Talk Science, we feature some of the ways in which our team has been talking science with students of all ages!
Let’s Talk Science: Mapping
February 21, 2018
We use remote sensing images to see the ice from a bird’s eye view.
Last Stop: Novo
February 20, 2018
With a heavy heart I see five of my expedition friends shrink to pixels and vanish through the Twin-Otter window.
7 Everyday Things that are Weird when Returning from Antarctica
February 16, 2018
Seven everyday things that are strange when returning from Antarctica.
Leaving Antarctica
February 13, 2018
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to try to leave Antarctica? It's not as easy as it seems!
MAGIC-DML leaves (almost) Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica
February 9, 2018
Over the last week, our conversations have revolved around the practicalities of leaving Antarctica.
Let’s Talk Science: Ice Streams
February 7, 2018
Last week, we talked about nunataks (rock that is exposed when the ice moves). This week, we’re sharing one way the ice moves and allows those nunataks to become exposed.
Looking for traces from within the ice sheet
January 26, 2018
Yesterday we drove our snowmobiles up to the Høgskavlen Mountain, 2 256 m above sea level, and 850 meters higher than the location of our camp.
Let’s Talk Science: Mapping and Verification
January 25, 2018
In our last article, we began explaining how remote sensing helps us with our mapping, the first “M” of our acronym.
Straumsnutane January 10th – 12th
January 17, 2018
With a few days of good weather, the team had a very productive time at one of our most northerly field sites, Straumsnutane.
SANAE on January 3rd
January 14, 2018
We had our best day yet collecting samples and seeing evidence of past, higher levels of the east Antarctic Ice Sheet.
SANAE on January 2nd
January 13, 2018
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day were productive fieldwork days for the MAGIC-DML field team.
Let’s Talk Science: What is “remote sensing”?
January 9, 2018
Remote sensing uses satellites to help us see a big chunk of land from a bird’s-eye-view.
Let’s Talk Science: Nunataks
January 3, 2018
Last week, we talked about how we look for certain things in the ice to improve our mapping and eventually begin measuring how the ice has changed. But how do we find those clues?
Ship to Sanae (just in time)
December 28, 2017
After unloading all of our gear from the ship on Dec 26th, on Dec 27th we left the ship to head inland.
Still onboard the SA Agulhas II
December 24, 2017
During the helicopter trip between Troll and SANAE research stations, we had a view of our field area.
Unexpected Turn, We are at Sea!
December 24, 2017
This article was originally posted by our partners at Polar Research Secretariat.
The team is on the S.A. Agulhas II
December 22, 2017
The team is now on a ship!
Troll Research Station, Antarctica
December 21, 2017
Our short time in Cape Town was spent discussing the upcoming work and rounding up last minute items.
Last Stop Before Antarctica: Cape Town, South Africa!
December 19, 2017
All expedition participants are now gathered at Breakwater Lodge in Cape Town.
The Foundation of Our Logo
November 30, 2017
For #AntarcticaDay 2016, MAGIC-DML ran a logo competition, inviting people to design our logo for us.
Eating in the Extreme
November 12, 2017
“An army marches on it’s stomach” the famous quote attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte resonates well beyond the military.
Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden
October 16, 2017
The week of October 2-8 was a busy one for the members of MAGIC-DML. It was spent preparing for the upcoming field season and reviewing progress from the previous one.
Field Training in Chilly Abisko, Sweden
May 15, 2017
Although it seems like the 2016/17 field expedition to Antarctica only just ended, preparations for the 2017/18 season are already well advanced.
What happened to the rock samples?
March 31, 2017
Remember those rock samples the team took from nunataks and erratic boulders in Antarctica? They have all arrived in Scotland.
Life at home after 2 months in Antarctica
March 22, 2017
Previous blogs have covered exactly what we achieved during the 2 months of field work in Antarctica, the challenges faced, and how we...
The Journey Home
March 10, 2017
Due to the weather making us wait over a week for our flight out from Wasa, with very little work to do, we were all ready and eager to come home.
The weather dictates all…And it’s rather unpredictable
February 20, 2017
This morning was an early start after an extremely busy afternoon and late night yesterday.
Sampling at the edge of the Antarctic Plateau
February 16, 2017
Learning from our success using both the trucks and snowmobiles to access sites during the fieldwork in Tottanfjella, it was decided to make a speedy return journey to Milorgfjella with the snowmobiles.
To Tottanfjella and back – our second major field excursion
February 14, 2017
In our first major expedition from Wasa, we visited Milorgfjella, the northeasternmost nunatak in the Heimefrontfjella (pronounced ‘Hime-a-front-fyella’) range.
What is it like to do fieldwork in Antarctica?
February 9, 2017
When we are out in the field, we are a team of eight people based in a field camp.
Mapping and Sampling in Milorgfjella's Rugged Beauty
January 29, 2017
On January 21st we headed out for our first major fieldwork in Milorgfjella (pronounced "Mee-lorg-feeyella") about 240 km SSE of the research station Wasa.
Christmas in Antarctica
January 27, 2017
And so, both Christmas and the boat arrived. We had an early Christmas service on Christmas Eve and unloaded the boat from the edge of the ice shelf.
We have the first rock samples in the bag!
January 21, 2017
The MAGIC-DML team has been out on their first major trip from Wasa.
Preparation for an Arctic Expedition: Carl Lundberg
December 21, 2016
I have never quite come to terms with some stories of expeditions in the old days.
Logo Contest - Winners Announced
December 1, 2016
We were thrilled at the response you gave to our logo contest, and very humbled by so many fantastic designs.
Nunataks as dipsticks
November 11, 2016
Antarctica is covered by a vast ice sheet (Picture 1). The colors of the ice sheet indicate thickness, with blues showing thinner ice and reds, thicker ice.
Our Arctic Trucks – the coolest members of our team! Part 2
November 2, 2016
In this post we will look at the process of building the trucks.
Our Arctic Trucks – the coolest members of our team! Part 1
October 27, 2016
Antarctica is not a small place, with an area of about 14 million square km it is about twice the size of Australia.
The Nunataks of Norway – testing equipment and concepts in preparation for our Antarctic fieldwork
October 25, 2016
The Scandinavian mountains and the East Antarctic Heimefrontfjella mountain range (where our fieldwork is based) have several characteristics in common.
Antarctica Expedition Training on the West Coast of Sweden
October 14, 2016
Last week, the MAGIC-DML took the first of its many steps at Röe Gård on the beautiful West Coast of Sweden.
Design Our Logo Contest Launched
September 24, 2016
In line with Polar Week we are launching contest to design a logo for the MAGIC-DML research project!
12 Week Countdown
December 2, 2013
12 weeks from today our field team will be departing from Oslo, their next stop.... ANTARCTICA!