Keep in a cool place: the first winter at Vanda Station, Antarctica

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Cutfield, Simon K.

Riordan, Allen J. (Allen James)

Cutfield, Simon K.author.|Author

Riordan, Allen J.

East Regional
Leesville Community
North Regional
Northeast Regional
Southeast Regional

Adult Non-Fiction

East Regional - Adult Non-Fiction
Leesville Community - Adult Non-Fiction
North Regional - Adult Non-Fiction
Northeast Regional - Adult Non-Fiction
Southeast Regional - Adult Non-Fiction
WCPL - Adult Non-Fiction

In 1969 Al Riordan, a US exchange scientist, joined Simon Cutfield and three other New Zealanders to spend a year at Vanda Station on the shores of Lake Vanda in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica. The men lived in a strange world-- a snowless place that had not seen a glacier for millions of years-- yet lay within sight of the permanent East Antarctic Ice Sheet. The surface of the lake was covered in 3-4 meters of permanent ice, but the temperature of the water near the bottom was +25 degrees C. No one knew for certain why the water was so warm, and Simon's mission was to take measurements to help solve this mystery and carry out a range of other hydrologic and earth science projects. Al's aim was to help build a comprehensive weather record, understand the valley wind systems, and to learn why the area was snow-free. Drawing on their diaries and letters, this is a unique first-person account of life at the station as the five men carry out their daily tasks in an environment that challenges and transforms them: temperatures as low as -57 degrees C, eight months of total isolation, including four months of continual darkness, and daunting mechanical and logistical challenges, including a limited supply of power, fuel, heat and water. At least it's no challenge to follow the instructions on their photographic chemicals-- "keep in a cool place"-- like much of their supplies, this equipment is encased in ice. Supplemented with scientific appendices, the book also gives the reader a window on how scientific knowledge is built one step at a time, from the initial planning, to data gathering, to building hypotheses, and to developing theory. As the only complete record of life at Vanda Station during the first year of its occupation, and complemented by a selection of maps and color photos, this engaging account is an important missing chapter in the history of New Zealand's Antarctic achievements.

Book

Books

1ace745a-55bb-b0c1-7d30-ae2c6018d6d8

9781988503301

2025-04-23T09:12:40.393Z

-1

Non Fiction

Non Fiction

998 RIORD

Wake County Public Libraries

East Regional
Leesville Community
North Regional
Northeast Regional
Southeast Regional

9781988503301

2022

Canterbury University Press

grouped_work

Anecdotes
Antarctica
Antarctica -- Research -- New Zealand
Antarctique -- Recherche -- Nouvelle-Zelande
Cutfield, Simon K
Expeditions scientifiques -- Antarctique
New Zealand
New Zealand Antarctic Programme
New Zealand Antarctic Research Programme
Research
Riordan, Allen J. -- (Allen James)
Ross Dependency -- Research
Science -- Antarctica -- Methodology
Sciences -- Antarctique -- Methodologie
Scientific expeditions -- Antarctica
Travel
Travel writing
Vanda Station (Antarctica) -- History

Keep in a cool place : the first winter at Vanda Station, Antarctica

Keep in a cool place : the first winter at Vanda Station, Antarctica / Allen J Riordan and Simon K. Cutfield

Keep in a cool place

the first winter at Vanda Station, Antarctica

Cutfield, Simon K
Expeditions scientifiques
History
Methodologie
Methodology
Recherche
Research
Riordan, Allen J
Science
Sciences
Scientific expeditions
Travel