Mission Blog

From late December 2014 through early February 2015, Project CONVERGE scientists lived at Palmer Station, Antarctica, to study the food chain that supports everything from phytoplankton to krill to penguins. Read our daily blog for firsthand stories and photos about research and daily life on the remote Antarctic Peninsula.  Don’t forget to check out the live Torgersen Island Penguin Cam.

Divergence
February 13, 2015

Icebergs shrink, glaciers melt, even in just one month. Take a look at some of the ways the passing season made its mark on Palmer.

Heading Home With a Plate of Data Spaghetti
February 11, 2015

As the Antarctic field season winds down, the scientists turn to the next phase: making sense of all the data they’ve brought home.

The Kind of Change You Can't Say No To
February 1, 2015

Climate change can be hard to catch in action, but here in one of the fastest warming places on Earth, the evidence is right in front of us.

Test Your Memory With: What In the World?
January 30, 2015

Take a super-close look at some of our favorite photos, and see if you can match them to their originals.

Sheathbill: The Most Peculiar Bird of the Whole Peculiar Continent
January 29, 2015

One of the most curious little troublemakers in all of Antarctica lives right beside us, and sometimes underneath us, at Palmer Station.

Big and Bad, or Just Misunderstood? Meet the Southern Giant-Petrel
January 27, 2015

For decades most researchers were too afraid of southern giant-petrels to risk studying them. Donna Fraser changed all that.

A Radar Station With an Oceanfront View
January 25, 2015

A trip to the Joubin Islands radar site coincides with only the second truly sunny day of the expedition. Here’s what photographer Chris Linder saw through his lens.

How Gliders Work: A Look Inside the Blue Hen
January 24, 2015

Find out how a glider sinks into the ocean, measures the water, navigates to its destination, and sends back its data, all without an engine or a human aboard.

Safety First in the Outer Islands
January 22, 2015

The team takes advantage of a calm but rainy day to visit the outer islands for maintenance on their radar site.

This Is Life at 64 Degrees South
January 21, 2015

Take a look inside life at Palmer Station: where we live, how we eat, the chores we do, and the things we do for fun.

A Peek at the Hectic Lives of Antarctic Seals
January 20, 2015

An Antarctic fur seal appears at Palmer Station, prompting the team to explore what they know about the napping habits of Antarctica's five main seal species.

Here Comes the Neighborhood
January 19, 2015

Gentoo penguins are taking over the waters around Palmer Station while Adelie penguins are vanishing. On a trip to Biscoe Point we take a closer look at their biology to understand why.

Freezing Beauty in a Photo
January 18, 2015

The innumerable forms, sizes, and colors of ice give Antarctic travelers an endless source of fascination and beauty.

Sights and Smells of Summer in an Adelie Penguin Colony
January 16, 2015

A day on Torgersen Island gave us the chance to watch nesting Adelie penguins up close and see their hungry chicks getting tubbier.

Learning the Landmarks
January 15, 2015

The team preps for an extended boat trip to one of their radar sites. These are some of the landmarks they’ll be using to navigate.

Gliding Into the Danger Zone
January 14, 2015

A glider spends the night trapped underwater, forcing an impromptu rescue mission to bring it home.

A Glider Joins Forces With the Krill Team
January 13, 2015

One of our underwater gliders makes a hazardous journey back to Palmer Station to meet up with the krill team and compare notes.

How to Follow a Penguin Out to Sea and Back
January 12, 2015

Hungry penguin chicks demand a constant supply of krill—satellite transmitters help the team find out where the penguin parents go to get it.

Small Boat, Large Whales
January 10, 2015

To understand whale populations, scientists take small samples of their blubber—and that means getting very, very close to these enormous ocean creatures.

Meet the Penguins
January 9, 2015

Three closely related penguin species live in the Palmer Station area, and the CONVERGE penguin team is studying them all—today they gave us an introduction.

Listening for Echoes of Krill
January 8, 2015

The team motors through ice-choked waters to listen for Antarctic krill—the main item on the menu in these waters.

What Do Whales, Seabirds, and Seals All Have in Common?
January 6, 2015

A boat tour around Palmer Station turns up seals, penguins, whales, and a tiny creature with an oversized impact on them all.

Robot Splashdown Over the Palmer Deep
January 5, 2015

The team launches four underwater gliders in the waters off Palmer Station. The gliders will be on their own for the next several weeks but will stay in touch by satellite.

Taking the Scenic Route To Palmer Station
January 3, 2015

The science team sails through narrow passages full of penguins and whales, and gets their first look at their new home on Palmer Station.

Meeting the Locals at Livingston Island
January 1, 2015

On a visit to historic Livingston Island, the team resupplies a remote field camp, sees their first gentoo and chinstrap penguins, and learns about Antarctic fur seals.

Commuting to Work on an Icebreaker
December 31, 2014

Find out what scientists do, how they live, and what they see as they cross the Drake Passage aboard a ship.

Welcome to the Southern Hemisphere
December 29, 2014

The project team arrives in Punta Arenas, Chile, to check out their Extreme Cold Weather gear, do some last-minute calibrations, and get ready to cross the Drake Passage.

Antarctic Radar Station: Some Assembly Required
November 8, 2014

How do you build a solar- and wind-powered radar station on an ice-covered island?