”It was for the best, so Nature had no choice but to do it.”
– M. Aurelius
Wind is the artist shaping the surface of the Antarctic ice sheet. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald).
Arctic Ocean
Coming back to the ship after a long day of camp setup work. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)
On our way to the floe we occasionally had nice weather in the Barents Sea. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)
Travelling through the ice in October on our way to the floe 2019.
(Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)
On board there were two helicopters for surveying tasks, person transport and camp installation. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)
Polarstern was packed with scientific instrumentation. The device in the middle right of the picture is a scanning cloud radar and was installed especially for the expedition. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)
First installations on the ice after mooring at “the floe”. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)
Dusk during the camp setup. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)
First cracks and pressure ridges already appeared mid of October 2019. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)
Drifting snow and snow dunes in front of the vessel during a working day. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)
Very low to no wind conditions were very rare but made the snowpit work much easier in this case. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Marcel Nicolaus)
Snowpack illuminated with a headlamp from above. The top layer is fresh snow, below is a thin wind crust,
followed by a thick “thick” layer of depth hoar and at the bottom is the sea ice. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)
Accelerating the freezing of snow casting samples with liquid nitrogen. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Marcel Nicolaus)
A small cloud on the ground that has evolved from pouring liquid nitrogen. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Marcel Nicolaus)
Visits of polar bears in the camp were frequent. This image shows a paw print of a
large male polar bear at a measuring site only a few hours after its visit.
(Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)
Coming back to the ship after a long day of camp setup work. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)On our way to the floe we occasionally had nice weather in the Barents Sea. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)Travelling through the ice in October on our way to the floe 2019.
(Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)On board there were two helicopters for surveying tasks, person transport and camp installation. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)Polarstern was packed with scientific instrumentation. The device in the middle right of the picture is a scanning cloud radar and was installed especially for the expedition. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)First installations on the ice after mooring at “the floe”. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)Dusk during the camp setup. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)First cracks and pressure ridges already appeared mid of October 2019. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)Drifting snow and snow dunes in front of the vessel during a working day. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)Very low to no wind conditions were very rare but made the snowpit work much easier in this case. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Marcel Nicolaus)Snowpack illuminated with a headlamp from above. The top layer is fresh snow, below is a thin wind crust,
followed by a thick “thick” layer of depth hoar and at the bottom is the sea ice. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)Accelerating the freezing of snow casting samples with liquid nitrogen. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Marcel Nicolaus)A small cloud on the ground that has evolved from pouring liquid nitrogen. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Marcel Nicolaus)Visits of polar bears in the camp were frequent. This image shows a paw print of a
large male polar bear at a measuring site only a few hours after its visit.
(Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / David N. Wagner)
During the MOSAIC campaign Cryos Laboratory is investigating the fate of snow on Central Arctic sea ice which is still largely unknown. In this region, it is relatively windy most of the time. The result is that snow gets often blown away from the point it first fell to the ground. This snow often accumulates in calm areas around pressure ridges or gets drifted into leads.
We are investigating the amount of precipitation and its distribution and the redistribution of snow. In addition to data from detailed snow profile measurements, we have a comprehensive data set of near-ground atmospheric measurements as well as airborne and terrestrial laser scans available to show the snow distribution.
Snow on Arctic sea ice have never been investigated to such an extent before, and this combination of measurements allows to investigate the link of precipitation, snow distribution, wind and snow microstructure to improve our snow cover and atmosphere models.
Princess Elisabeth station and nearby storage containers. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Arrival of IL-76 cargo aircraft at the new blue ice runway ‘Perseus’, some 60km North of Princess Elisabeth station. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Arrival of the science and logistics team at blue ice runway ‘Perseus’. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Princess Elisabeth station with surrounding mobility infrastructure. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Several temporary and permanent scientific instruments are located in the vicinity of the Princess Elisabeth station. Here: GPS antenna and cloud Radar. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
The station is run 100% on renewable energy: photovoltaic, solar thermal and wind. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Massive steel structures anchoring the station to its foundations in the granite rocks. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Interior of the station: dining and meeting room. The windows are 2x triple glazed. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Library and movie theater for the rare moments of relax. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Nobody should starve. There is no lack in food supplies and stocks. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Princess Elisabeth station with its parabolic antenna, solar panels and wind turbines. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Part of the station’s ‘power plant’: wind and sun provide the necessary energy. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Launching a weather balloon with a radio sonde. It will rise high, far into the stratosphere. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Panorama of the nearby nunatak ‘Utsteinen’, the stations ‘backyard mountain’. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
The Utsteinen nunatak has on its windward side a huge wind scoop. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Ice crystal found in a big crevasse, where expeditions participants perform part of the safety training. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Wind is the artist shaping the surface of the Antarctic ice sheet. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Safety training: the 6m wide crevasse is completely covered by a snow bridge. Pay attention were to walk or to drive the skidoo. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Some 10m down in the crevasse. The blue cathedral is decorated with amazing ice crystals. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Excursion to perform a land survey in the Vesthaugen mountains. The vehicle runs on snow, ice and rocks. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Setting up a cloud radar on the ridge next to Princess Elisabeth station. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Launching the drone for the acquisition of aerial images for photogrammetry. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
A Japanese research expedition performed geodetic surveys already 35 years ago in this area. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Panoramic view from Vesthaugen, some 30km North of Princess Elisabeth station. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Wind scoop at Vesthaugen with a sharp line between blue ice and snow. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Surveying with differential GPS at Vesthaugen. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
On dark surfaces and with strong solar radiation sublimation is efficient and even melt occurs occasionally at these sites. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Wind scoop at Vesthaugen, some 30km North of Princess Elisabeth station. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Ice and rock at Vesthaugen. The area is also geologically of interest. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Snow mass balance station with snow particle counter, eddy covariance instrumentation and meteorological sensors. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Maintenance often involves a lot of manual work… reconstruction of a measurement station when accumulation gets critical. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Due to accumulations, our measurement stations have to be reconstructed from time to time. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Sensors are connected to the data logging and power supply devices via cables organized in a cable tunnel. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Snow drift station on the high Plateau (2200m a.s.l.) some 40km South of Princess Elisabeth station. Katabatic winds are strong up there. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Power supply on the high Plateau some 40km South of Princess Elisabeth station. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
The Basler DC-3 serves for the feeder flights for scientists and staff as well as for resupplying the station. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
‘Cabin’ of the IL-76 cargo aircraft used for transport and access between South Africa and Antarctica. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Feeder flight in the Basler DC-3 between the Russian station Novolazarevskaya and Princesse Elisabeth. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Princess Elisabeth station and nearby storage containers. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Arrival of IL-76 cargo aircraft at the new blue ice runway ‘Perseus’, some 60km North of Princess Elisabeth station. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Arrival of the science and logistics team at blue ice runway ‘Perseus’. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Princess Elisabeth station with surrounding mobility infrastructure. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Several temporary and permanent scientific instruments are located in the vicinity of the Princess Elisabeth station. Here: GPS antenna and cloud Radar. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)The station is run 100% on renewable energy: photovoltaic, solar thermal and wind. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Massive steel structures anchoring the station to its foundations in the granite rocks. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Interior of the station: dining and meeting room. The windows are 2x triple glazed. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Library and movie theater for the rare moments of relax. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Nobody should starve. There is no lack in food supplies and stocks. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Princess Elisabeth station with its parabolic antenna, solar panels and wind turbines. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Part of the station’s ‘power plant’: wind and sun provide the necessary energy. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Launching a weather balloon with a radio sonde. It will rise high, far into the stratosphere. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Panorama of the nearby nunatak ‘Utsteinen’, the stations ‘backyard mountain’. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)The Utsteinen nunatak has on its windward side a huge wind scoop. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Ice crystal found in a big crevasse, where expeditions participants perform part of the safety training. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Wind is the artist shaping the surface of the Antarctic ice sheet. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Safety training: the 6m wide crevasse is completely covered by a snow bridge. Pay attention were to walk or to drive the skidoo. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Some 10m down in the crevasse. The blue cathedral is decorated with amazing ice crystals. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Excursion to perform a land survey in the Vesthaugen mountains. The vehicle runs on snow, ice and rocks. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Setting up a cloud radar on the ridge next to Princess Elisabeth station. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Launching the drone for the acquisition of aerial images for photogrammetry. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)A Japanese research expedition performed geodetic surveys already 35 years ago in this area. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Panoramic view from Vesthaugen, some 30km North of Princess Elisabeth station. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Wind scoop at Vesthaugen with a sharp line between blue ice and snow. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Surveying with differential GPS at Vesthaugen. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)On dark surfaces and with strong solar radiation sublimation is efficient and even melt occurs occasionally at these sites. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Wind scoop at Vesthaugen, some 30km North of Princess Elisabeth station. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Ice and rock at Vesthaugen. The area is also geologically of interest. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Snow mass balance station with snow particle counter, eddy covariance instrumentation and meteorological sensors. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Maintenance often involves a lot of manual work… reconstruction of a measurement station when accumulation gets critical. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Due to accumulations, our measurement stations have to be reconstructed from time to time. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Sensors are connected to the data logging and power supply devices via cables organized in a cable tunnel. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Snow drift station on the high Plateau (2200m a.s.l.) some 40km South of Princess Elisabeth station. Katabatic winds are strong up there. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Power supply on the high Plateau some 40km South of Princess Elisabeth station. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)The Basler DC-3 serves for the feeder flights for scientists and staff as well as for resupplying the station. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)‘Cabin’ of the IL-76 cargo aircraft used for transport and access between South Africa and Antarctica. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)Feeder flight in the Basler DC-3 between the Russian station Novolazarevskaya and Princesse Elisabeth. (Photo: Hendrik Huwald)
Surface Mass Balance in Eastern Antarctica
The mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet is mainly determined by solid precipitation (snow fall), sublimation, and lateral snow transport by wind as drifting and blowing snow. While large-scale mass balance and surface elevation changes of the ice sheet are well detected by satellites or estimated in complex model simulations, local in-situ measurements are rather sparse. Our objective is to acquire ground-truth data for studying the involved physical processes as well as producing a data set for validating model output and remotely sensed data. With a particular focus on the measurement of drifting and blowing snow and its accumulation and erosion patters, we conduct related measurements of snow transport by wind, surface elevation changes and associated surface roughness and topography. Key instruments are snow particle counters, sonic anemometers, and infra-red gas analyzers (eddy covariance systems) for the characterization of atmospheric turbulence and sensible and latent heat fluxes, as well as terrestrial laser scanning and drone-based photogrammetry. Meteorological and snow property measurements complete the suite of observations. Combining these ground-based measurements with Radar and Lidar-based data of solid precipitation (LTE), this project aims at understanding the complex processes of surface and mass changes in Antarctica. Results are used in numerical models and simulations in an attempt to estimate continental-scale mass balance in the context of climate change and possible consequences for the southern hemisphere and global climate and for sea level rise. CRYOS started its measurements and research during the austral summer season 2016/17 at the Princes Elisabeth station with the support of its partner, the International Polar Foundation (IPF), and has been back every season since.
