About - MIST at Virginia Tech

AAL-PIP deployment team upon arrival at South Pole Station: Kshitija Deshpande, Bob Clauer, Joseph Macon, and Hyomin Kim (from the left).

MIST members at South Pole Station in the electronics pit.

Joseph Macon and Hyomin Kim assembling the battery box (Sys3) at South Pole Station.

MIST members at South Pole Station raising the Virgina Tech flag.

Team members in front of the completed AAL-PIP system at the South Pole.

Twin Otter airplane next to the AAL-PIP system at PG2 which is one of the AAL-PIP remote field stations on the Antarctic plateau.

Recovering the PG2 system for repair.

Field camp established at PG2.

First-Year Deployment

December 11, 2010 - January 4, 2011

Four participants from Virginia Tech including the project PI, Dr. Bob Clauer, Research Associate, Dr. Hyomin Kim, and two graduate students, Kshitija Deshpande and Joseph Macon, were deployed to Antarctica. They installed two AAL-PIP systems (Sys3 and Sys4) at the South Pole for 1-year test. Hyomin Kim and Joseph Macon camped for 4 days at PG2 where Sys2 was installed in 2009. PG2 is located on the East Antarctic plateau 600 km away from the South Pole. This system was packed up to bring it back to the US for repairs.

MIST members at South Pole Station, year 2.

AAL-PIP team members arriving at South Pole Station.

Manteghi atop the solar tower at South Pole.

Majid Manteghi installing the solar panels on the tower of the AAL-PIP system at South Pole Station.

Laying out the search-coil cable at South Pole Station.

AAL-PIP system installed at South Pole Station.

AAL-PIP team members at Sys5 installed at South Pole Station: Majid Manteghi, Bob McPherron, Joseph Macon, Bob Clauer, and Hyomin Kim (from the left).

Field camp established at the remote field station, PG2, for the installation of the AAL-PIP system.

Twin Otter airplane at the remote field station, PG2, to transport the second cargo of the AAL-PIP system.

Installation of the AAL-PIP system at the remote field station, PG2.

Second-Year Deployment

December 13, 2011 - January 16, 2012

The second year AAL-PIP deployment team includes four participants from Virginia Tech (the project leader Dr. Bob Clauer, Dr. Hyomin Kim, Dr. Majid Manteghi, and Joseph Macon) and one from ULCA (Dr. Bob McPherron). Three AAL-PIP systems (Sys2, 5, and 6) were installed at the South Pole. Three team members, Hyomin Kim, Majid Manteghi, and Joseph Macon flew to remote site PG2 and camped there for 4 days to install the AAL-PIP system (Sys3), which had been at the South Pole over the pervious year.

AAL-PIP deployment team upon arrival at South Pole Station: Adam Reynolds, Chad Fish, Zhonghua Xu, Karthik Venkataramani, and Hyomin Kim (from the left).

Taking down the AAL-PIP system (Sys5) at the South Pole for the preparation of remote field installation.

Taking down the AAL-PIP system (Sys6) at the South Pole for the preparation of remote field installation.

AAL-PIP team members in front of the South Pole marker.

System troubleshooting at South Pole Station.

Unpacking the AAL-PIP shipping boxes at the remote field station, PG3.

Third-Year Deployment

December 11, 2012 - January 10, 2013

Four participants from Virginia Tech (Hyomin Kim, Zhonghua Xu, Chad Fish and Karthik Venkataramani) and one from ASTRA (Adam Reynolds) conducted the third year Antarctic deployment for the installation of the AAL-PIP systems. Sys3 and Sys4, which successfully survived 1 year at the South Pole, were moved to remote field sites. Two team members, Zhonghua Xu and Chad Fish, made a one-day trip to PG2 to replace the ailing Sys3 with Sys4. Sys5 was moved to a new remote field station, PG3, by three team members including Zhonghua Xu, Chad Fish, and Karthik Venkataramani, who camped there for four days.

AAL-PIP electronic box containing the single board computer, GPS receiver, HF receiver, magnetometer circuits, and Iridium modem. The electronics is insulated by the foam panels.