Leaving on Monday!
On Thursday, Bob Melville called me from the South Pole to see if I could fly to the pole earlier. Instead of leaving on the 15th, I will be leaving this Monday. Plans change quickly in Antarctica! Also, I will not be going to AGO 1 anymore, now I will be going to AGO 4. AGO 4 is colder and higher, but I think I am prepared to handle it. If I do not feel well when I am at the South Pole (which is at a higher altitude), then I will not go to AGO4, since it is unsafe. I'm hoping I feel okay at the pole so I get to go!
A picture of an Automatic Geophysical Observatory (AGO) in the Antarctic Plateau.
Getting Ready
Getting ready to go to the South Pole and an AGO site is a lot different than getting ready to go on a trip near Austin. There are a lot of things I need to prepare for, including the higher altitudes I will be at. The South Pole is 2,746 meters high and the AGO4 site is 3,527 meters high. McMurdo station is only 85 meters high.
A map of Antarctica shows the AGO sites, including AGO 4, and the South Pole. Courtesy of the Antarctic Digital Database.
A visit to the doctor
There are pills you can take to help your body adjust to the higher altitudes on the South Pole and AGO sites. They are called Diamox (Acetazolamide). Diamox is 75% effective in preventing illness for people who are traveling to altitudes at 8,000 - 14,000 feet. Although I do not like taking medicine, I will take Diamox the day before I leave as well as the next few days at the South Pole to reduce my chance of getting sick.
Michelle receives Diamox pills to help reduce the risk of altitude sickness.
Altitude Training Class
My preparations for going to the South Pole and the AGO site started a few weeks ago when I attended an altitude training class. The class taught me about the potential risks of traveling to higher altitudes.
What is so dangerous about high altitudes?
Although there is the same percentage of oxygen in the air at higher altitudes (20%), there is less of it because of gravity. The atmosphere, just like you and every object around you, is pulled to the Earth by the force of gravity. There are more molecules in the atmosphere at sea level than at higher altitudes like the South Pole and AGO 4. More molecules mean more pressure so the higher you go, the less air pressure there is. The South Pole is around 9,300 feet high, so it has a lower volume of air and less pressure than at McMurdo Station. Even though this is high, the South Pole actually feels like 11,000 feet because it is also cold in this area, which makes the atmosphere even denser at sea level.
The blue dots shown here represent air molecules, and the gray circle represents the Earth. There are more air molecules closer to the Earth and fewer as you get higher.
The lack of oxygen and low pressure can cause illnesses. At sea level, 95% of your blood is saturated with oxygen, however at an altitude of 18,000 feet, only 70% of your blood has oxygen in it. The major risks involved in traveling to higher altitudes are: Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE), and High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE).
What is Acute Mountain Sickness?
AMS is when people get sick because of the high altitudes. This could mean having a headache, dizziness, feeling like you might vomit, vomiting, not feeling hungry, feeling tired, having difficulty sleeping at night, or not being able to breath. Being at the South Pole or in cold temperatures makes AMS worse, because it makes it more difficult to circulate blood to the hands and feet. This sometimes causes side effects such as numbness, tingling, aching or swelling in the hands and feet.
Other altitude risks
Going to higher altitudes can be really dangerous if you are not prepared and don't listen to your body. Some illnesses are life threatening. High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) are dangerous illnesses that can occur at high altitudes, such as the South Pole. If HACE is left untreated, it can result in sever brain swelling due to leaky tissues. If HAPE is left untreated, it can lead to fluid in the lungs due to leaky tissue.
How to handle altitude sickness
Our body naturally tries to compensate for the reduced amount of oxygen at higher altitudes. Our respiration and heart rate increases, as well as our pulmonary artery pressure, red blood cell production, and we even create more urine. It usually takes about three days to feel better at a higher altitude.
Ways to control acclimation
There are some simple ways to control getting altitude sickness:
- return to a lower altitude
- climbing up mountains slowly
- sleep at a height that is 1000 feet lower than your daily altitude
- drink lots of water
- eat lots of carbohydrates
- stay away from alcohol and tobacco
On the South Pole and Antarctic Plateau (where AGO 4 is), it is impossible to go to a lower altitude. Instead, there are a few emergency procedures to follow.
Gamow Bag
One way to relieve serious altitude sickness is to place a person in a Gamow Bag. A Gamow Bag is a sealed bag that a person with severe altitude sickness climbs into. Another person adds constant air pressure to the bag by pumping it full of air. This creates more pressure and a higher ratio of oxygen in the bag, allowing the person in the bag to feel better. The downfall of the Gamow Bag is that it requires someone to constantly be pumping air into it.
Arthur Tarin goes into the Gamow Bag while another person pumps air into it.
Oxygen Tank
Another short-term solution for serious altitude sickness is an oxygen tank. Although this definitely fixes the problem of a lack of oxygen, it is not a long-term solution! Small oxygen tanks, like the one in the picture below, typically last about 11 minutes depending on the flow rate. Larger oxygen tanks still only last about 30 minutes.
Altitude instructor, Jen Erxleben, demonstrates how to use an oxygen tank.
Questions
The air is made up of 20% oxygen, and the rest is mostly nitrogen. At sea level, 20% of the air is made up of oxygen. What is the percentage of Oxygen at 10,000 feet? 20,000 feet?
What would you do to prepare to go to the South Pole? What would you bring? What would you keep at home?
Math Connections
How much higher is the South Pole from McMurdo Station? AGO4 from McMurdo Station? AGO4 from the South Pole?
If the South Pole is 2,746 meters and there are 3.28 feet in one meter, how many feet high is the South Pole?
If 20 people took Diamox before travelling to the South Pole , how many people are likely to get AMS? (Hint: Read the "A visit to the doctor" section to figure out the percentage).