Jeffrey Donenfeld

Tag: WAIS Divide

  • Disassembling the Deep Ice Sheet Coring (DISC) Drill at WAIS Divide, Antarctica

    Disassembling the Deep Ice Sheet Coring (DISC) Drill at WAIS Divide, Antarctica


    This year in Antarctica, I worked at the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) Divide Ice Core Field Camp for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) Ice Drill Design and Operations (IDDO) Group as a Field and Drill Specialist. I was on a team of four, with our primary mission being to disassemble, catalog, and package the Deep Ice Sheet Coring (DISC) drill and related equipment. The drill had operated for the past 7 or so years, and had completed its job and been decommissioned, so that we could pack it up and ship it back to Wisconsin for refurbishment and redeployment to a new site at some point in the future. Everybody had responsibility for multiple aspects of the mission. My specific responsibility, in addition to general mechanical and team duties, photographing and cataloging all gear and equipment that was disassembled and packed, as well as generally documenting our entire season – as catalogued in this blog.

    In addition to the four of us, we were joined by two master carpenters from McMurdo, who constructed custom crates and shipping containers for us, as well as organized and packed much of the equiptment in the National Ice Core Laboratory’s (NICL) ice core processing arch, adjacent to the DISC Drill Arch.

    We were at WAIS Divide for a little over two weeks, and during that (shortened) timeframe, we accomplished a huge amount of work. Here’s a brief timelapse video of the drill equiptment being disassembled and packaged.

    Below is a short collection of photos, focusing specifically on DISC Drill disassembly and packing operations.

    Walking back to WAIS Divide Field Camp after a day working in the drill arch. On days of low visibility, flags are the only way to tell which way to walk - and where the ground is.
    Walking back to WAIS Divide Field Camp after a day working in the drill arch. On days of low visibility, flags are the only way to tell which way to walk – and where the ground is.
    Walking to work every day through the snow was an experience in itself. We got along great as a team, and always had fun down-time hanging out.
    Walking to work every day through the snow was an experience in itself. We got along great as a team, and always had fun down-time hanging out.
    Walking down the ramp to our drill arch during stormy ways was a bit like entering a frozen polar base. The ramp leading from the surface down to the arch door frequently got drifted in, requiring digging out by our bulldozer support crew.
    Walking down the ramp to our drill arch during stormy ways was a bit like entering a frozen polar base. The ramp leading from the surface down to the arch door frequently got drifted in, requiring digging out by our bulldozer support crew.
    The inside of the main drill arch. Overhead you can see the blue heavy crane. The yellow safety fences are surrounding the Winch Pit, which housed the main winch, level wind, and related machinery. This winch pit leads into the borehole slot, which is about 40 feet deep, 40 feet long, 5 feet wide. Although the borehole is only a few inches in diameter, the slot must be long and wide to accomodate the swing room for the drill tower - it must pivot from vertical to horizontal in one motion.
    The inside of the main drill arch. Overhead you can see the blue heavy crane. The yellow safety fences are surrounding the Winch Pit, which housed the main winch, level wind, and related machinery. This winch pit leads into the borehole slot, which is about 40 feet deep, 40 feet long, 5 feet wide. Although the borehole is only a few inches in diameter, the slot must be long and wide to accomodate the swing room for the drill tower – it must pivot from vertical to horizontal in one motion.
    Looking from the back of the drill arch to the front, the optical table, yellow "light" crane, and heated control room are visible. Also notable is the heaving of the floor. As the ice shifts, the floor and overall structure of the arch shifts, buckling everything.
    Looking from the back of the drill arch to the front, the optical table, yellow “light” crane, and heated control room are visible. Also notable is the heaving of the floor. As the ice shifts, the floor and overall structure of the arch shifts, buckling everything.
    The WAIS Divide, Antarctica DISC Drill crew in January, 2015. From left Rick Smouse (ASC), Otto Neumuth (ASC), Jim Koehler (IDDO), Mike Waszkiewics (IDDO), Jeffrey Donenfeld (IDDO), and Don Kirkpatrick (IDDO).
    The WAIS Divide, Antarctica DISC Drill crew in January, 2015. From left Rick Smouse (ASC), Otto Neumuth (ASC), Jim Koehler (IDDO), Mike Waszkiewics (IDDO), Jeffrey Donenfeld (IDDO), and Don Kirkpatrick (IDDO).
    This is the core handling arch, connected to the drill arch. Notably, this arch is heavily insulated, to keep it extra cold.
    This is the core handling arch, connected to the drill arch. Notably, this arch is heavily insulated, to keep it extra cold.
    Reverse angle of the core handling arch.
    Reverse angle of the core handling arch.
    The storage space beneath the ice core processing arch, showing buckled floorboards.
    The storage space beneath the ice core processing arch, showing buckled floorboards.
    Extreme cold for long periods of time causes frost to grow everywhere. These large ice crystals had grown on the window separating the drill arch from the core handling arch.
    Extreme cold for long periods of time causes frost to grow everywhere. These large ice crystals had grown on the window separating the drill arch from the core handling arch.
    I did a bit of chainsawing too!
    I did a bit of chainsawing too!
    Lots of coordination and teamwork go into each move of the heavy equiptment.
    Lots of coordination and teamwork go into each move of the heavy equiptment.
    Rigging the levelwind for extraction from the winch pit. Each piece of gear was meticulously secured to be moved carefully.
    Rigging the levelwind for extraction from the winch pit. Each piece of gear was meticulously secured to be moved carefully.
    Finally, the large winch reel is hoisted out of the pit - next step is to drag it up the ramp to the surface, where it gets staged for air transport.
    Finally, the large winch reel is hoisted out of the pit – next step is to drag it up the ramp to the surface, where it gets staged for air transport.
    It takes two tractors to drag the massive winch reel up the ramp. Although the reel looks small, it's wound with over 10,000 feet of heavy steel-encased fiberoptic and power cable.
    It takes two tractors to drag the massive winch reel up the ramp. Although the reel looks small, it’s wound with over 10,000 feet of heavy steel-encased fiberoptic and power cable.
    The shipping container was located on the surface a short ways from the drill arch, and was packed with a variety of loose gear.
    The shipping container was located on the surface a short ways from the drill arch, and was packed with a variety of loose gear.
    Every piece of gear we disassembled and packed up was carefully labeled and catalogued.
    Every piece of gear we disassembled and packed up was carefully labeled and catalogued.
    I used a dry erase slate to note technical information about each container of gear we packed up. This custom-built palate is for the sections of the drill tower, and is designated Palate 05, Crate 04.
    I used a dry erase slate to note technical information about each container of gear we packed up. This custom-built palate is for the sections of the drill tower, and is designated Palate 05, Crate 04.
    Another one of the crates, as it's being packed and inventoried.
    Another one of the crates, as it’s being packed and inventoried.
    The tower base starting to come out of the ice.
    The tower base starting to come out of the ice.
    Jim staying safe while chainsawing ice to extract venting.
    Jim staying safe while chainsawing ice to extract venting.
    Moving large blocks of ice out of the way, in order to extract the heavy tower base feet, which were embedded in the ice under the floor.
    Moving large blocks of ice out of the way, in order to extract the heavy tower base feet, which were embedded in the ice under the floor.
    Now that the winch pit has been emptied, it's filled in with snow and compacted down.
    Now that the winch pit has been emptied, it’s filled in with snow and compacted down.
    Filling in the winch pit. Blocks cut to extract the tower base feet are re-used to construct a protective wall around the borehole slot, so snow only fills the winch pit, and leaves the slot clear.
    Filling in the winch pit. Blocks cut to extract the tower base feet are re-used to construct a protective wall around the borehole slot, so snow only fills the winch pit, and leaves the slot clear.
    Mike descending into the borehole slot, tethered by a steel cable.
    Mike descending into the borehole slot, tethered by a steel cable.
    Don took this pick lying on his back, looking up from the bottom of the slot.
    Don took this pick lying on his back, looking up from the bottom of the slot.
    The top of the borehole - with protective foam cap in place, and plastic cover lifted up. It's over 4000m down.
    The top of the borehole – with protective foam cap in place, and plastic cover lifted up. It’s over 4000m down.
    To get around WAIS, we used a number of snow mobiles, with attached sleds.
    To get around WAIS, we used a number of snow mobiles, with attached sleds.
    This is the improvised mount I used for my GoPro to take the timelapse video. The's a slot cutout for the camera, as well as holster for the power cable. Since the camera cooled down to sub-freezing levels while in operation, it had to be supplied externally - the battery just doesn't work in those temperatures.
    This is the improvised mount I used for my GoPro to take the timelapse video. The’s a slot cutout for the camera, as well as holster for the power cable. Since the camera cooled down to sub-freezing levels while in operation, it had to be supplied externally – the battery just doesn’t work in those temperatures.
    Representing UW!
    Representing UW!
    Smouse posing on one of our snowmobiles.
    Smouse posing on one of our snowmobiles.
    Although it's cold at WAIS, we try to keep a warm, tropical attitude. Don does a great job!
    Although it’s cold at WAIS, we try to keep a warm, tropical attitude. Don does a great job!
  • Communication and Control at WAIS Divide, Antarctica

    Communication and Control at WAIS Divide, Antarctica

    At the WAIS Divide Field Camp, communications and overall administration of the camp happens in the comms tent. A few photos:

    Outside of the comms tents, various antennas are setup, including VHF, HF, and Satellite.
    Outside of the comms tents, various antennas are setup, including VHF, HF, and Satellite.
    The HF Radio set is a standard military model - it looks bulky, but it works!
    The HF Radio set is a standard military model – it looks bulky, but it works!
    The comms, weather, and administrative tent at WAIS.
    The comms, weather, and administrative tent at WAIS.

    DSC02460-2015-01-16 Comms-Donenfeld-1920-WM

    Weather observer Heather at her desk, logging observations.
    Weather observer Heather at her desk, logging observations.
  • The WAIS Snow Pit

    The WAIS Snow Pit

    WAIS Divide sits on top of the antarctic ice sheet. Every season, a new layer of snow is deposited on the surface, which eventually gets added to the many, many layers of snow. Erin Pettit and her teammates this year dug a snow pit, showing the various layers of snow over the last few seasons.

    The West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide Field Camp Snow Pit, 2015
    The West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide Field Camp Snow Pit, 2015
  • WAIS Divide’s Recreation Tent – Warmth and Comfort on the Polar Ice

    WAIS Divide’s Recreation Tent – Warmth and Comfort on the Polar Ice

    Living and working at WAIS Divide Field Camp is rough – long hours of work, harsh environment, and living in a frozen tent for weeks, sometimes months on end. To get a bit of a break from the grind, an extremely important feature of camp is the Rec Tent. This tent is one of the hubs of social life and relaxation life, and offers basic comforts of home. A few photos.

    Layout of the entire rec tent. At the back of the tent is the entrance to the wash module, with sinks, showers, washeing machines, snow melter, and satellite phone booth.
    Layout of the entire rec tent. At the back of the tent is the entrance to the wash module, with sinks, showers, washeing machines, snow melter, and satellite phone booth.
    In the front of the Rec Tent, there's a small workout area with a spinning bikes, and various yoga mats and weights. Additionally, there are two computer terminals, a keyboard, and other reconfigurable space. This small space plays host to so many activities, and it's constantly busy. On the left, individual cubbies store personal good.
    In the front of the Rec Tent, there’s a small workout area with a spinning bikes, and various yoga mats and weights. Additionally, there are two computer terminals, a keyboard, and other reconfigurable space. This small space plays host to so many activities, and it’s constantly busy. On the left, individual cubbies store personal good.
    Movie nights happen almost every night at WAIS. We have a projector and screen setup, as well as a dedicated laptop. Everybody has hard drives full of movies and TV. Watching movies in relative darkness, warmth, and quiet is an essential respite from the harsh environment outside.
    Movie nights happen almost every night at WAIS. We have a projector and screen setup, as well as a dedicated laptop. Everybody has hard drives full of movies and TV. Watching movies in relative darkness, warmth, and quiet is an essential respite from the harsh environment outside.

    For video of the inside of the rec tent, be sure to click over to my full video tour of WAIS.

  • DISC Drill Arch, Condition 2

    DISC Drill Arch, Condition 2

    Here’s the exterior view of the DISC Drill Arch, where I’ll be working for the next few weeks. On the first day of work, camp was hit with a massive Condition 2 Storm. The drill arch was originally on the surface of the ice, but during the 7 or so years it’s been there, snowdrifts have slowly buried it to the point where it’s completely under the ice. There’s a long ramp carved down to the entrance, which we’ll be using the haul gear out.

    (Cheers from WAIS Divide Field Camp, Antarctica. Posted using email via satellite – I’ll post larger/more photos as soon as I’m off the ice.)

    Updated – a few additional pics and video clips:

  • Entering Tent City, WAIS Divide, Antarctica

    Entering Tent City, WAIS Divide, Antarctica

    After a successful landing at field camp and quick briefing in the galley, first order of business was to get our tents and gear setup. In this picture, I’m sitting in our gear sled as we snowmobile to “Tent City”, on the edge of camp. Everybody has their own tent, and it’s a blend of 4-season mountaineering tents, pointy “Scott” tents, and dome-shaped “Arctic Oven” tents.

    (Cheers from WAIS Divide Field Camp, Antarctica! Posted using email via satellite – I’ll post larger/more photos as soon as I’m off the ice)

    Update – Now that I’ve returned from WAIS, here are a few more high res photos of WAIS Tent City. Additionally, see a video tour of the inside and outside of my own tent in my video tour of WAIS Divide Field Camp.

  • Flying From Civilization To Nowhere – New Zealand to Antarctic Field Camp

    Flying From Civilization To Nowhere – New Zealand to Antarctic Field Camp

    Flying to Antarctica is an adventure in itself. Here’s a brief collection of clips during my 2014-2015 flights from Christchurch, New Zealand, through McMurdo Station, and finally ending up at the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide Field Camp – WAIS Divide. Both airplanes are LC-130 Hercules, operated by the New York Air National Guard 109th Airlift Wing, Operation Deep Freeze.

    DSC02066-2015-01-05 MCM>WSD>MCM-Donenfeld-1920-WM

  • Touchdown at WAIS Divide, Antarctica in an LC-130 Hercules

    Touchdown at WAIS Divide, Antarctica in an LC-130 Hercules

    The flight from McMurdo Station in to WAIS Divide, aboard a US Air Force LC-130 Hercules. As we flew from McMurdo and approached WAIS, the weather got worse and worse. We circled for a while, and then at the last minute swooped down and landed. The flight crew let me sit in the back of the cockpit and watch as suddenly black flags marking the skiway emerged from the solid white view in front of us.

    (Cheers from WAIS Divide Field Camp, Antarctica! Posted using email via satellite – I’ll post larger/more photos as soon as I’m off the ice)

  • After A Month Of Waiting At McMurdo Finally At WAIS Divide Field Camp

    After A Month Of Waiting At McMurdo Finally At WAIS Divide Field Camp

    After a solid month of waiting at McMurdo Station, I’ve finally made it to the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide Field Camp – commonly knows at WAIS.

    Last Saturday, after the holiday schedule shutdown had worn off, we received notice from the McMurdo Air Transport office that our flight to WAIS was first priority the next morning. Sunday morning we woke up, and miraculously, the weather was great, and we transported out to the Williams Field Airfield – built on the Ross Ice Shelf about 30 minutes drive across the ice from McMurdo. After a bit of a delay and a few cups of coffee at the field galley, we finally got on the LC-130 Hercules, and the Air Force crew got things started – for a minute. After two attempted starts of the engines, they realized a maintenance issue, and scrubbed the flight for the day. We almost made it, but had to wait until the next day. Monday morning came, and we once again had decent weather at McMurdo and borderline weather at WAIS. This time we actually took off, and after a month of waiting, were finally on our way to McMurdo.

    The flight from McMurdo Station to WAIS Divide Field Camp takes about three hours, however at the three hour mark we were still in the air. The weather at WAIS while were in flight had gotten worse, and the flight was forced to circle looking for a break in the clouds until finally, at the last minute, we swooped down, landed, and ran off the plane – finally at camp!

    The first day was spent prepping for work, and getting our field gear setup. Except for the pilots and doctor, everybody lives on the edge of camp in “tent city”, a grid of various tents. My team has fairly nice “Arctic Oven” tents, which are very roomy for one person, and do get a little warmer than the outside. The photo attached to this post is a pic of setting up one of the tents – pretty nice – and thanks to Enerplex for the solar panel I now have strapped to the top of my tent, which keeps all of my cameras and gadgets fully charged from the 24/7 sunlight here. We also got basic comms and organization gear setup in the science tent, and took an initial look at the Drill Arch, where we’ll be working for the next three weeks.

    It’s the end of day three now, and work has been going great. Over the next three weeks we have a ton of work cutout for us, and we’re all slowly getting more used to working in the extreme cold all day.

    Communications is extremely difficult from such a remote location. The camp has no internet access, except for one daily 10-minute satellite pass, which is restricted to only pre-queued emails under 50kb. Because of that, I’m experimenting posting to my WordPress blog via Email. If all works, you’ll also see a small picture attached to this post – it’s small to stay under 50kb, but I’ll try to send as many as possible.

    During my time at field camp, I’ll be filming and photographing as many activities as possible, higher res photos and video posted as soon as I’m back.

    Cheers from WAIS Divide Field Camp, Antarctica

  • I’m Going Back To Antarctica To Work At The West Antarctic Ice Sheet Field Camp

    I’m Going Back To Antarctica To Work At The West Antarctic Ice Sheet Field Camp

    usap_logoAfter a year of training, travel, expeditioning, and preparation, this Austral Summer I’m going back to Antarctica to work with the United States Antarctic Program on an science expedition at the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Field Camp, one of the most remote permanent field stations in Antarctica.

    I’m very excited to be going back to the ice, and luckily this time have more than the five days of preparation I had last time. Here’s a bit more information about my upcoming scientific deployment, including details on getting me to send you mail from Antarctica!

    My Job in Antarctica – Ice Drilling Field Specialist

    sseclogo_good (1)This year, I’ll be working at the WAIS Divide Ice Core Field Camp for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center as an Ice Drilling Design and Operations group Field and Drill Specialist. I’ll be on the ice from from December 2014 – January 2015, living and working inland in Western Antarctica .

    Basically, I’ll be living in a remote field camp in Antarctica working on a small team to disassemble, package, ship, and store the large DISC Drill. The DISC Drill is an ice coring drill, which has been used for past 7 years to drill 3000+ meters into the antarctica ice in order to extract pieces of ice from deep in the ice sheet. These “core samples” were then packaged up and shipped to a lab and storage facility in Denver. This season, the ice drill is due for some maintenance, upgrading, and relocation to Eastern Antarctica, and it’s my team’s job to take the whole thing apart and get it packaged up and flown back to McMurdo Base, where it will then be transported back to Madison, Wisconsin to undergo repairs and upgrades.

    Relevant Links and Files Regarding My Job In Antarctica Summer ’14-’15

    For a bit of background on the ice drill I’ll be working on, check out this TED Talk by Science columnist Lee Hotz. (Locally Hosted Video)

    Living at the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Field Camp

    I’ll be living at the WAIS Divide Field Camp, which is a remote field camp in Western Antarctica. To get there, I travel for about four solid days. First, I fly from my home in Colorado to Christchurch, New Zealand via standard commercial airlines. Usually it’s Denver>Los Angeles>Sydney>Christchurch. Then after going through the Extreme Cold Weather gear issue and associated training and briefing at the International Antarctic Center in Christchurch, I fly with the United States Air Force Operation Deep Freeze on a LC-130 Hercules cargo plane from Christchurch, New Zealand to McMurdo Base, Antarctica. Once at McMurdo, I layover for a day or two – until the weather is good, and then get back on an LC-130 and fly from McMurdo to the WAIS Divide Field Camp. Beyond that, I’m not 100% sure on living accommodations, camp setup, etc – those will all be sorted out in the coming months. Photos of WAIS Divide, courtesy of waisdivide.unh.edu.

    Photo from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ice_drilling/sets/72157626163425403
    Photo from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ice_drilling/sets/72157626163425403
    Photo from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ice_drilling/sets/72157626163425403
    Photo from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ice_drilling/sets/72157626163425403
    Photo from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ice_drilling/sets/72157626163425403
    WAIS Divide Ice Core: Backlit Snow Pit A researcher examines layers in a snow pit deposited by different storms. Credit: Dr. Kendrick Taylor (kendrick.taylor@dri.edu) Photo from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ice_drilling/sets/72157626163425403

    My first deployment in Antarctica, 2012-2013, South Pole Station

    My first deployment to Antarctica was during the Austral Summer of 2012-2013 at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, where I worked as the station’s breakfast cook, and as a field science assistant, wilderness-EMT, and station tour guide. I had a great time working at the south pole, and am excited to get back to the ice to reconnect with old friends and colleagues. During my time at the south pole, I wrote an extensive blog, covering every aspect of live at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. Here’s the wrapup, and links to all of my articles, photos, and videos. 

    IMG_0529-2013-02-09 South Pole Portraits-Jeffrey-Donenfeld-ProfilePic

    I also did a fun promo spot with San Francisco-based clothing brand Betabrand: