Week 44 at the Pole

Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - 4:00pm

 

IceCube winterovers just arrive to South Pole
Martin Wolf, IceCube/NSF

Last week brought two new IceCube winterovers (James Casey and Martin Wolf) to the South Pole, fresh and ready for action.  They arrived on the first Herc of the season, shown in its approach in the image below.  Outgoing winterovers (Christian Krueger and Mack van Rossem) were still at the Pole, available to provide some welcome training before they leave the ice (which can feel as though it may never happen, with only 3 of 12 planned flights making it last week due to one issue or another—such is life at the South Pole).  Along with James and Mack came an influx of other people for the summer season, a stream of red parkas making their way to the station.  The South Pole station is shown in the final image, as viewed from the walk back from the IceCube Lab, under a splendid sky that almost appears to be mimicking the icy ground.

First Herc of the season arriving
Christian Krueger, IceCube/NSF

New people arriving for summer season at the Pole
Christian Krueger, IceCube/NSF

South Pole station from a distance
Martin Wolf, IceCube/NSF