Week 29 at the Pole

shack
Raffaela Busse, IceCube/NSF

So much ice, yet it’s no mean feat to keep a stable water supply for the folks at the South Pole. Housed in the shack shown above is a rodwell, which is how they get their water. Hot water is sent down a hole to a cavity deep in the ice, and a continuous flow of water is maintained to prevent the rodwell from freezing. The pressure and the temperature of the rodwell must be checked daily.

Last week at the Pole they celebrated Christmas in July—they had gluhwein and everything. And … auroras, which never get boring.

xmas
Raffaela Busse, IceCube/NSF
gluhwein
Raffaela Busse, IceCube/NSF
iclauroras
Raffaela Busse, IceCube/NSF