Reconnaissance of the Explorers Cove Site.
|
| |
 A
view of Explorers Cove, which is at the end of the Taylor Dry Valley, from
a helicopter about five miles from the Camp. This day, there were strong
winds, called katabatic winds blowing down the valley. These are evidenced
by the snow banners extending from Mounts McLennan and Weyant and the fuzzy
appearance of the valley and the edges of most of the features in the picture.
Explorers Cove is mostly obscured by blowing and drifting snow. |
| |
 A
closer view of the south side of Explorers Cove. The surface of the cove
is covered with about 15 feet thick sea ice. Embedded in this sea ice are
icebergs which were trapped when the sea ice froze several years ago. The
snow banner from Mt. McLennan is much more evident as is the blowing snow,
which obscures the shoreline in the distance. |
| |
 This
is our initial view of the camp during the reconnaissance trip. The picture
shows the camp in the distance, the rough surface of the ice and the drifting
snow that was whistling down the Taylor Valley and out over the sea ice. |
| |
 Approaching
the Explorers Cove camp from the north, note the long streamers of rapidly
blowing snow. On the right is the camp, the dark area is the edge of the
helicopter window. To the left is the frozen surface of the cove, divided
from the shore by the sinuous line of the icefoot, the flexible junction
between the frozen shore and the ocean. |
| |
 Overhead
view of the shore camp from about 500 feet altitude. In the lower center
is the main building which is the main living quarters and part of the scientific
laboratory. The lab pod is above and to the left. At the lower left is the
gen shack, which houses the 12KW diesel generator that provides electrical
power for the entire camp. The edge of the sea ice is at the upper edge
of the picture and at the left is the delta of Wales Stream, which is fed
in summer by the melting of Wales Glacier |
| |
 A
closer view of the ice surface. The darker blue areas were probably melt
pools during the previous summer that froze in the winter. The dark browning
patches are drifts of sediment, which are either on the surface or frozen
into the melt pools. The shoreline, which is at the upper edge of the picture
is nearly obscured by blowing snow, which also contains a some sediment
from the valley. |
| |
 This
helicopter has set down at Marble Point for fuel. Behind the helicopter,
there are plumes and whirlwinds of blowing snow. Marble Point, which is
between the Taylor and Wright Dry Valleys, is often calm, when it is very
windy in the Valleys. The tanks at the right contain fuel for helicopters
which often refuel at this location before proceeding into the Dry Valleys
Region. They also contain fuel for the small support station nearby. |
| |
 A
view of the south side of Explorers Cove, showing the camp at the middle
right and Baker Point at the extreme left. The sea ice looks and is extremely
rough. This ice has been in place for at least eight years. It has broken
up and refrozen in place. Its dark color is largely due to the surface being
covered with wind-blown sediment from the adjacent Taylor Dry Valley. This
sediment collects in cracks in the ice or behind surface irregularities
and causes uneven melting during the summer, contributing to the uneven
surface. |
A
view of Explorers Cove, which is at the end of the Taylor Dry Valley, from
a helicopter about five miles from the Camp. This day, there were strong
winds, called katabatic winds blowing down the valley. These are evidenced
by the snow banners extending from Mounts McLennan and Weyant and the fuzzy
appearance of the valley and the edges of most of the features in the picture.
Explorers Cove is mostly obscured by blowing and drifting snow.
A
closer view of the south side of Explorers Cove. The surface of the cove
is covered with about 15 feet thick sea ice. Embedded in this sea ice are
icebergs which were trapped when the sea ice froze several years ago. The
snow banner from Mt. McLennan is much more evident as is the blowing snow,
which obscures the shoreline in the distance.
This
is our initial view of the camp during the reconnaissance trip. The picture
shows the camp in the distance, the rough surface of the ice and the drifting
snow that was whistling down the Taylor Valley and out over the sea ice.
Approaching
the Explorers Cove camp from the north, note the long streamers of rapidly
blowing snow. On the right is the camp, the dark area is the edge of the
helicopter window. To the left is the frozen surface of the cove, divided
from the shore by the sinuous line of the icefoot, the flexible junction
between the frozen shore and the ocean.
Overhead
view of the shore camp from about 500 feet altitude. In the lower center
is the main building which is the main living quarters and part of the scientific
laboratory. The lab pod is above and to the left. At the lower left is the
gen shack, which houses the 12KW diesel generator that provides electrical
power for the entire camp. The edge of the sea ice is at the upper edge
of the picture and at the left is the delta of Wales Stream, which is fed
in summer by the melting of Wales Glacier
A
closer view of the ice surface. The darker blue areas were probably melt
pools during the previous summer that froze in the winter. The dark browning
patches are drifts of sediment, which are either on the surface or frozen
into the melt pools. The shoreline, which is at the upper edge of the picture
is nearly obscured by blowing snow, which also contains a some sediment
from the valley.
This
helicopter has set down at Marble Point for fuel. Behind the helicopter,
there are plumes and whirlwinds of blowing snow. Marble Point, which is
between the Taylor and Wright Dry Valleys, is often calm, when it is very
windy in the Valleys. The tanks at the right contain fuel for helicopters
which often refuel at this location before proceeding into the Dry Valleys
Region. They also contain fuel for the small support station nearby. 
A
view of the south side of Explorers Cove, showing the camp at the middle
right and Baker Point at the extreme left. The sea ice looks and is extremely
rough. This ice has been in place for at least eight years. It has broken
up and refrozen in place. Its dark color is largely due to the surface being
covered with wind-blown sediment from the adjacent Taylor Dry Valley. This
sediment collects in cracks in the ice or behind surface irregularities
and causes uneven melting during the summer, contributing to the uneven
surface. 
