Location : Hercules Neve, Victoria Land, Antarctica ; 73°6’S, 165°28’E, altitude 2960 m
Mean annual temperature : -33°C
Team members 1994-95 : Maurizio Aceto (Univ. Ancona, It.), Aldino Bondesan (Univ. Padova, It.), Jérôme Chappellaz (LGGE, Fr.), Vincenzo Ebner (guide alpin, It.), Walter Maggi (Univ. Milano, It.), Giuseppe Scarponi (Univ. Ancona, It.), Luca Valenziano (Univ. Perugia & Roma, It.)
Activities : we tested a new light-weight drilling system from FS Inventor and we conducted firn air sampling. Big misconceptions in the drilling system design precluded us to reach the initial project objectives. The drilling system got stuck at only 46 m of depth (but we recovered it) ! Before reaching Hercules Neve, we also conducted several glaciological studies in the vicinity of Terra Nova Bay.
My work in the field : I was in charge of the firn air pumping experiments and I also helped with drilling. For the glaciological work, I helped for GPS measurements on each stake.
