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Lucas BeemLucas Beem studies the motion of ice through the use of GPS (Global Positioning System), modeling and other remote sensing instruments, including ICESat and ASTER. He is a PhD student at the University of California at Santa Cruz and is interested in unraveling the mysteries of how the conditions at the bed control the the motion of ice above it.

Project Page: Under the Glaciers

All Posts By Lucas Beem


Detonation

WHILLANS ICE STREAM, ANTARCTICA-- These two videos show the detonation of our excess explosives, used for seismic surveys of the base of the glacier... {Read More »}



Measuring a Glacier’s Motion

WHILLANS ICE STREAM, ANTARCTICA-- There are two basic projects that we are working on through our field work in Antarctica. One is looking at changes in the ice surface motion through time. To do this we make three types of GPS measurement... {Read More »}



Setting Up Camp

WHILLANS ICE STREAM, ANTARCTICA-- The first order of business was to set up camp. First we collected all our gear at our chosen site and pitched our cook tent... {Read More »}



Field Deployment

WHILLANS ICE STREAM, ANTARCTICA-- We landed at our field site after a three hour flight from McMurdo Station. Climbing out of the plane we were in a white flat expanse... {Read More »}



On the Menu

MCMURDO STATION, ANTARCTICA-- One of the necessary steps once arriving in McMurdo is going to the Food Room and collect all the food you will be bringing with you to the field... {Read More »}



An Auspicious Start

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA-- The adventure begins with shuttle ride to SFO (San Francisco International Airport). Already the interest and excitement for the work being done in the Antarctic has helped me along the way... {Read More »}