COLDEX 2022-23 Field Season is Complete!

All three COLDEX research teams have successfully completed their 2022-2023 field seasons. The COLDEX airborne team finished their final survey flight of the season last week, making a total of 13 full survey flights from South Pole Station. This work completes a large-scale survey of the southern flank of East Antarctica’s Dome A, using Basler MKB equipped with instruments from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Kansas. These data measuring ice structure, ice thickness, and the character of the bedrock under the ice will be used to plan future surveys for finding ancient climate records in the ice.

We are very proud of all the COLDEX Antarctic teams from this season. Despite some challenges, our teams were able to complete the majority of our science goals. On top of that, the teams took great care of one another and even had some fun along the way. The last researchers are on their way home now. COLDEX is very grateful to the National Science Foundation and the US Antarctic Program for all of their support!

11 smiling people in front of a row of flags — COLDEX researchers at McMurdo Station, ready to head home!

An image of sundogs, an atmospheric optical phenomenon that consists of a bright spot to one or both sides of the Sun. — Sundogs at the South Pole

Radar Sensing of Antarctic Ice Sheets

Shallow ice core drilled at Elephant Moraine; South Pole surveys continue