Location: Lake Hoare, Taylor Valley, Antarctica
Weather: Sunny, 5F

The Ice

Some of you know what I am working on, some of you don't. This blog's main intention is to discuss the personal side of working in Antarctica, but I thought I might re-cap what it is that I am doing here.

I measure permeability (a substances ability to transmit any fluid through itself). Specifically, I study the permeability of ice. Most specifically, I study the permeability of lake ice in the Taylor Valley. I have been at it for over a week, and the data points out one common point: yes, the ice is frozen. For you inspiring hydrogeologist, the permeability is around 10E-13, which is pretty impermeable for ice, but pretty permeable as things go (it's around the range of sandstone). However, the ice is dominated by what is called secondary permeability, which are things like fractures in the ice, bubbles, sediment layers, and such. This increases the permeability to almost zero in a lot of places (meaning it is completely permeable). If you are really interested check out the current research section of my website (www.geology.ohio-state.edu/~carroll.295).

Well that's tonight's fireside chat. It's my birthday tomorrow, and a party is planned. Dinner tomorrow night is surf and turf, and shower day is Sunday! I will be flying over to Lake Fryxell on Monday for a week. I'll update from there.

I would also like to tell a couple of specific friends that I am thinking about you in your times of need (AS, JF, TB, and LM). I might be at the bottom of the world, but you all are still very close to me.

Pictures: Moat ice at Lake Fryxell, and Kirkuk Hills. Ciao.