Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 01/01/2013 - 19:25
Forums
Space Weather Monitoring on the Antarctic Plateau 2013

What is it like being on an expedition in Antarctica since it is so cold?

From the data you collected are you able to predict future weather from the different patterns?

Mon, 01/21/2013 - 10:54

Tim Spuck

We are far from being able to predict Space weather ... this is a relatively young area of science so we have a long way to go before we can make predictions. Right now we have been working to get the equipment in place working reliably. As far as what was it like ...
I think the toughest thing is being away from family and all that you are familiar with. I've traveled to different parts of the world ... Alaska, Japan, Chile, Europe, etc., but nothing compares to Antarctica. It's very much being at a space colony on a distant planet. The vehicles they drive are different, there is NO vegetation ... it's either dirt, rock, or ice and when you're out in the field it's nothing but an ice cube 2 miles thick and it's just you and your crew which in my case was four other guys. Then there's the 24 hours daylight which leads to a complete loss of time. You realize that time only has meaning because society has given it meaning. You have an appointment ... the stores open and close at a certain time ... etc.. Out in the field you have none of that, so time quickly looses its relevance ... time no longer dictates when you sleep or when you eat or when you work ... you just do. And that is strange.
Your body also goes through changes acclimating to the environment ... your brain swells to acclimate to high altitudes. Before I went to Antarctica I rarely remembered my dreams. I came back home nearly a month ago, and I now have vivid dreams that I remember on a regular basis. It was a change I noticed at the South Pole but it's something that continues with me today.