2020-2021 Science Planning Summaries
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2020-2021 USAP Field Season
Staffed Field Camps

During the 2020-21 field season ASC will operate one field camp with resident staff to provide logistical and operational assistance to support site maintenance efforts. Additionally, two ASC support teams will utilize temporary camps to complete site maintenance and recovery efforts.


Portable Shelters at the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) Divide Field Camp

WAIS Divide Field Camp (WSD)

891 Nautical Miles From McMurdo Station

79° 29.000' S 112° 5.000' W

The WAIS Divide field camp with six resident staff will act as a regional aviation hub for West Antarctica. The WAIS camp will support the continued maintenance of WAIS Divide infrastructure as well as the transit of two ASC field maintenance teams (MIST and CIST) to forward field sites. The combined 14-person team also support the maintenance of G-079 POLENET installations.


Margin Interim Support Team (MIST)

The four person MIST field team will support instrument recovery and maintenance for a Thwaites Glacier science project: C-446-M (Tulaczyk-TIME). They will work primarily on the Thwaites Glacier's eastern shear margin (ESM). The team will include three ASC staff and one IRIS-PASSCAL technician.


Coastal Interim Support Team (CIST)

The four person CIST field team will support instrument recovery and maintenance for Thwaites Glacier science projects: C-444-M, (Holland-MELT), C-445-M (Pettit-TARSAN), C-446-M (Tulaczyk-TIME). They will work primarily in the Thwaites Glacier grounding zone (GZDS) and may reposition to support the MIST team at the eastern shear margin. The team will include three ASC staff and one UNAVCO technician.