A new cGPS installed south of the Sor Rondane Massif

The first main achievement of the mission happened yesterday: Nicolas, Lionel, Alain and Christophe successfully set up a cGPS on the Yet Yuten nunatak in the Röysane mountain range, at an altitude of 2371 m, 40 km south west of PEA.

This 5th cGPS installed by the ROB in collaboration with Luxembourg University, in the Dronning Maud Land forms a 265 km straight line with the 4 others cGPS installed the previous years (see map). Two systems were already operational at PEA, one in the Seal nunatak and one at the coast.

positions of the cGPS

The purpose of those cGPS is to measure continuously the lithospheric rebound due to the decrease of the ice weight since the last deglaciation. Its order of magnitude here is about a few mm per year.

cGPS installed on the Yet Yuten nunatak

Meanwhile, Reinhard has been preparing the very last settings of the radar system so every chance to perform successful field measurements is on our side. Everybody is looking forward for the departure towards the coast which is planned on Tuesday.

Two days ago, all the scientific team was brought by Christophe and Jacques (the field guide and medical doctor of PEA 14 km from the station to do the field training, which consists in pulling someone out of crevasse and, mostly, to learn how to not fall inside those ice traps that can be tens of meters deep.

Nicolas having fun in the crevasse