Travels in Antarctica

Me, standing at the Geographic South Pole, next to the board commemorating Roald Amundsen and Robert F. Scott who were the first men reaching this remote place. The shadow on the board is from the rod marking the actual Pole.

I traveled seven times to Antarctica so far. All journeys had the goal to calibrate and service instruments that are part of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Polar Programs UV monitoring network. These adventures would not have been possible without support from the NSF. I am grateful to the NSF for giving me the opportunity to visit places that only few people will enjoy during their lifetimes.

In January 1999, I went to the main U.S. research base McMurdo, located on Ross Island. One year later, I was visiting for two weeks Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and spent another two weeks in McMurdo on the way back. In March 2000, I visited Palmer Station, located on the Antarctic pensinsula next to South America. In January 2002, I repeated visits to the South Pole and McMurdo Station and in March 2003 I was again at Palmer Station. My last trips to Antarctica were in January and April 2006.

Pictures and impressions from all journeys can be found below:

Palmer Station, April 2006

South Pole and McMurdo, January 2006

Palmer Station, March 2003

South Pole and McMurdo, January 2002

Palmer Station, March 2000

South Pole and McMurdo, January and February 2000

McMurdo, January 1999