Center for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica
Index:
Fuel Arch and Power Plant
Biomed (Hospital)
Shop
Gym and Garage
New Arches 1998
This eerie-looking place is the fuel arch. You can see
some of the fuel bladders stored here --
The big bags on the floor are, in fact, the bladders. All the power
at the South Pole is generated by special diesel fuel that doesn't
freeze. The stuff is called JP8 and was described as "a special
arctic blend." A full winter's supply is 9 bladders, with
25,000 gallons of fuel per bladder. The problem with these
bladders is that, if they leak, there is nothing to contain the fuel.
Fortunately, that hasn't happened yet, but to prevent any of those
sorts of accidents, the fuel bladders are being replaced by double
walled steel tanks (they don't have to be insulated against the cold;
they are doubled-walled to prevent leaks). This is an expensive
operation, but the preservation of the Antarctic environment is very
important to CARA and the rest of the Antarctic research and support
groups.
Another view of the fuel bladders, clearly bulging with fuel for
the long, cold winter.
Photo courtesy Robert Schwarz.
The power plant is a little ways away from the fuel bladders because
if anything goes wrong, you don't want to lose all your fuel.
Photo courtesy Robert Schwarz.
This is actually one of the generators.
Photo courtesy Robert Schwarz.
The Emergency Room.
Photo courtesy Robert Schwarz.
The hospital -- two beds.
Photo courtesy Robert Schwarz.
Minor dental work can be done in an emergency.
Photo courtesy Robert Schwarz.
Just like people, the instruments are checked out rigorously before
they come down to the Pole. But, things can and do go wrong; here is
the shop, for instrument emergencies.
Photo courtesy Robert Schwarz.
Another view of the shop. Photo: CARA/R. Landsberg
The gym is in one of the arches too. It's fairly small!
Volleybag is a game they play at the South Pole because the quarters
are too confined to play with a real ball. Games are usually played
on Sundays. The bag is described by a visitor to the South Pole as a
"really dead projectile."
The weight room.
Photo courtesy Robert Schwarz.
The garage is in an arch too. Here,
a bulldozer comes back into the garage.
Photo courtesy Robert Schwarz.
The cargo yard. Cargo that arrives is unloaded from the plane and
placed in the cargo storage area temporarily until it can be delivered
to its ultimate destination. If cargo is shipped that can't be
frozen, it's sent in a black box and is immediately carried from the
plane to elsewhere in the facility -- where there's heat.
The first photo is of the first segment, and the third is of the last segment.
Photos courtesy Robert Schwarz.
The old garage arch with the new finished one behind.
Photo courtesy Robert Schwarz.
Return to Virtual Tour Home
Page. |
Virtual Tour Site Map.
Questions? Comments? email us at caraweb@astro.uchicago.edu Last modified Wednesday, 26-Aug-1998 09:37:29 CDT