Week 42 at the Pole

The IceCube Lab with bright sun behind it and faint sun halo.
Marc Jacquart, IceCube/NSF

With the first planes of the summer season soon to arrive, it’s full steam ahead for readying the station for new arrivals. Among the many preparations, the winterovers reinstalled flags along the skiway. The structures off in the distance are the radio and satellite communications facilities for the Pole. A sunny day provided good conditions for their outdoor work, and their snow vehicle, a PistenBully, transported them nicely along the skiway. In the image above of the IceCube Lab (ICL), you can see a faint halo around the bright sun. The bottom images show a closer view, with the large snow accumulation (also known as “Mount ICL”) looking as if it’s blocking access to the lab. Facing away from the ICL, the sunlit snowdrift is striking against the crisp blue sky.

A winterover in red parka installing a flag into the snow at the South Pole, satellite communications structures in background along horizon.
Marc Jacquart, IceCube/NSF
Side view of PistenBully, snow vehicle, moving along the skiway at the South Pole.
Marc Jacquart, IceCube/NSF
Front view of the IceCube Lab mostly blocked by large snow drift.
Marc Jacquart, IceCube/NSF
Large sunlit snowdrift against crisp blue sky.
Marc Jacquart, IceCube/NSF