Work on IceTop 2009/20010 by Hermann Kolanoski (week 2)
The traditional Sunday Evening Science Lecture:
This time on the South Pole Telescope (SPT), the Big Bang and
how large galaxy clusters affect the cosmic microwave background
The South Pole Telescope (SPT) on the left.
In front another telescope on the MAPO building where AMANDA had its
counting room until this year.
http://pole.uchicago.edu/
On Monday we started to install the Digital Optical Modules (DOM)
into the
tanks
(Chris on the ladder and Ralf, the new winterover on the tank).
Installing a DOM (Chris and Ralf)
The "South Pole International PAX Terminal" (PAX stands for 'passengers',
while NPX is the international airport code
for the South Pole).
If new people are arriving they are usually welcomed
by their collaborators
The plane has landed (a C-130 Hercules)
Delia Tosi from DESY Zeuthen, PhD student at Humboldt University
arrives. She will work on laying out cables
and doing test on acoustics in the ice.
Another newcomer is Casey O'Hara, a teacher from California who has
been selected to participate in a research project in Antarctica.
He will help us with IceTop and record everything for his highschool students
and the rest of the world. See his journal on
http://www.polartrec.com/icecube-in-ice-antarctic-telescope/journals/casey-ohara
At the South Pole you can see wonderful sun halos.
The Drill Camp, where the hot water for the drilling of the IceCube holes
is prepared, under an amazing sun halo.
After the DOMs are installed they have to be connected to cables
which go via a junction box to the IceCube Lab (ICL).
Ride of four Invaders from the Drill Camp to the Station (lunch time).
(Casey, Ralph, Chris and somebody I cannot identify)
My last DOM which I mounted in this season on the holder board
(a total of 56 DOMs are installed this year in 28 tanks)
The teacher Casey gives a speech to his videao camera explaining everything
to his students back home.
Firn hole drilling: in the upper firn part of the glacier the IceCube holes
are
started with a special
glycol heated drill
.
Skillfully designed Christmas Tree.
But before Christmas there is Thanksgiving as
announced on the internal South Pole Welcome Page
Thanksgiving, though on a Thursdays, is celebrated on the following Saturday
in order not to lose too much working time. But the Saturday is then a free day.
(else we work for 6 days ++ a week). On Friday volunteers help for the
Thanksgiving dinner preparations. I joined the bakers.
The free day is used for a photo safari.
The usual 'hero' picture at the geographic South Pole
This is the 'Ceremonial South Pole' which stays in front of the station.
The geographic South Pole is moving about 9 meters per year.
The old station, the Dome, is being dismantled in this season.
It is difficult to maintain because it disappears more and more in the snow.
Last chance for sight seeing in the Dome.
Appetizers at the Thanksgiving Party
The band
Thanksgiving dinner in three 'seatings' because the 'galley' is not big enough
for the summer station population of 250 (in the winter about 50 'winterovers')
There is also a cosy fire place - on the TV screen.
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