Exploring the Frozen Frontier

Dale's research interests lie in the origin, evolution and distribution of life in the universe, and he has been involved in NASA's exobiology and astrobiology programs since the mid-1980s. To give you an idea of how remote and exciting Lake Untersee is, Dale Andersen describes it as follows: Lake Untersee is a place few people have seen or even imagined, and it is far removed from familiar, everyday environments. The weather can be as harsh as the terrain at times, with winds and blinding snow reaching 180 km/h. For four months, darkness is a constant companion to the sound of cracking ice and the ever-present howl of the wind. The surrounding mountains rise majestically to dizzying, tapered peaks, blocking the passage of the continental ice that surrounds them. The gentle slope of the Anuchin Glacier flows in from the north and ends at its edge. The Lower Lake: amidst the mountains of Queen Maud Land is a world that resembles the earliest biosphere on earth. Embedded in a rocky arch by the Anuchin Glacier, the Lower Lake is 6.5 km long and 2.5 km wide. Its 8.73 km2 (2157 acres) surface is densely covered by a three-meter-thick layer of ice. One that is dominated by microbial life that forms the same structures and tissues we find in sediments dating back 3.45 billion years. Beneath the thick, perpetual layer of ice, cyanobacterial mats grow undisturbed, as they did billions of years ago - it's like a postcard from the past; one that can help us understand how these early ecosystems thrived on a planet that was almost devoid of an oxygen atmosphere. The cyanobacteria found a way to harness the sun, using its light as energy and splitting water to combine the hydrogen with carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In doing so, they began a process that, over geologic time, transformed our planet into a viable place for multicellular organisms.

Untersee is a difficult place to live and work. But Dale and his team are striving for new knowledge. Knowledge that tells us something about Earth's past history and can help us understand its future. The research also helps in the search for evidence of life on other distant planets such as Mars or the outer moons of Jupiter or Saturn...perhaps even beyond. With equipment being the lifeline of any expedition to Antarctica, the demand for reliability, resilience, durability and innovative design is high to combat the harsh environment and ensure the safety of the team. "We are excited to present the innovative Heimplanet Maverick Basecamp tent this year, which uses modern Aiframe technology instead of traditional poles. Its performance in extreme conditions, especially in fierce winds of up to 50 m/s (about 112 mph or 180 km/h), will be a crucial comparison with our previous tents," Andersen said before setting off on his trip.

After a 10-day delay in Cape Town, South Africa, due to snowstorms, Dale Andersen finally set off for Antarctica on October 26. The ice landing strip at Schirmacher Oasis had been cleared, marking the beginning of Andersen's 27th field season in Antarctica. His destination? Untersee, nestled in the mountains of Queen Maud Land. With high expectations and imminent discoveries in mind, Andersen set off for another season of exploration: "We still have a considerable amount of work to do before we can start traversing. Today's conditions are challenging, with blowing snow, poor visibility and intermittent snowstorms, so outdoor activities will be limited. However, we can use this time to sort out the equipment indoors and get some rest."

After a successful journey from the Novo ice runway to Untersee, Andersen and his team have overcome the challenges of navigating the icy plains of Antarctica. Despite poor light conditions and mechanical problems with their traverse sleds, they have set up camp and are ready to begin their research. "Building a sturdy and reliable shelter is essential, especially given the sudden, strong winds in the area. I have also included several panoramic images of our surroundings. While the mountains appear linear in these images, they actually form a nearly complete circle around us, creating a stunning natural amphitheater," Andersen wrote in a letter to Keith Cowing, a fellow of the Explorers Club, former NASA space station payload manager/space biologist and journalist at astrobiology.com.