British scientists stranded in freezing Antarctic research station

Mail Online ^ | 8 August 2014 | Dan Bloom

[citizen]

British scientists are stranded after their Antarctic base lost power in the depths of winter as temperatures plummeted to a record low of minus 55C.

There is no way of rescuing the 13 researchers from the Halley VI Research Station - which has been hit by a 19-hour blackout - for months until the hostile winter subsides.

The British Antarctic Survey admitted it was a 'serious incident' and has suspended all experiments as the workers heat up emergency accommodation which has not been used for months.

Some of the fallout from the power cut, which happened a week ago but was only revealed today, is still ongoing as the workers face sleeping on the floor of a garage.

But despite the perilous conditions the scientists, 10 English, one Scottish, one Romanian and one Polish, have remained upbeat - and even Tweeted about their ordeal.

Renewable energy engineer Anthony Lister wrote: 'Whilst all the fun was happening at #halley6 (not that it's over) we had the lowest ever recorded temps down here at -55.4. Which was nice.

[txhurl]

Paint probably don’t brush too good at -55c.

They COULD burn stuff, charcoal it, and stack it around their hidey-hole.. I’m sure they have a lot of combustibles around.

Are the movie rights being negotiated?

[mountainlion]

There aren't many properly covered temperature...

Sounds like you are much better prepared than the world class scientists in the artice.

[mountainlion]

There aren’t many properly covered temperature...

Sounds like you are much better prepared than the world class scientists in the article.

[mountainlion]

I’m wondering why they don’t paint the outside of the buildings black to help them absorb heat...

The black would radiate away more heat at night than absorbed by day.

[familyop]

"I'm wondering why they don't paint the outside of the buildings black to help them absorb heat... "

That's a good idea that is used in some good systems (e.g., collectors), but on a building, it can make the inside unbearable during sunny summer days and quicken aging of siding materials, especially at higher elevations.

[Bigg Red]

...as the workers heat up emergency accommodation which has not been used for months.

***
What in the heck does that mean?

[Bigg Red]

Researcher Tweeted relief at having ‘lots of Yorkshire Tea and a big kettle’

***
Got to love that British can-do attitude.

[familyop]

"Sounds like you are much better prepared than the world class scientists in the artice."

Thanks. Not really, though. I have much more to do, little by little (costs). Here are a few ideas from others that will be built with some modifications.

Water & space heating.

More space heating.

There are no tax credits, rebates or other free stuff from Uncle Samantha for such small, unapproved, unlicensed, uncertified systems except for use in the other third world countries (countries of "trading partners"), but those systems do have good uses in this third world country.

Along with solar water pumping plant (cistern for storage instead of battery), backup water heating (rocket stove with coil and small pump, no pressure), experiments with wood gasification (backup fuel for power generation), diesel, two-cycle, diesel, homebuilt welding improvisations, low-cost, tough agricultural covers, cold weather, dry climate gardening, livestock with better survivability, metal castings, machining, etc.

Many political folks legislate or otherwise impose fake environmentalism, fake safety regulations and animal "rights" policies against human beings in order to prevent business competition and eventually rid the earth of most of us. They are not us. We're more for human "sustainability" in the face of the attempted genocide.

[PapaBear3625]

The black would radiate away more heat at night than absorbed by day.

And since it's mid-winter in the Antarctic, there will be no sunlight for a while.

[familyop]

"Current weather conditions at Vostok, Antarctica - http://www.wunderground.com/weather-forecast/zmw:00000.1.89606"

That's pretty funny.

"Yesterday
High -- | Low 1830 °F
Precip. 0 in"

[BobL]

From Wikipedia - “Often, none of the wintering team are scientists. Most are the technical specialists required to keep the station and the scientific experiments running. The current (2012) wintering team at Halley includes a chef, a doctor, a communications manager, a vehicle mechanic, an electrician, a plumber, a field assistant, two electronics engineers, two meteorologists and a data manager.”

I like these guys, real WORKERS, not a bunch of princess-scientists.

[BobL]

If they guys there had a brain they’d escape through the hole in the Ozone later.

...but no, they’ll spend the winter there, couped up, doing nothing.

[capt. norm]

We can land a crew on the moon and bring them back safely but can’t rescue a team of scientists right here on our own planet.

[Blue Collar Christian]

That was well written realistic terror.

[Rockpile]

“We can land a crew on the moon......”
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

No we can’t.

[Rockpile]

You’d think they could show a photo of the garage and auxiliary science building-—saved from Halley 5—— since that is where the crew moved to.

Or maybe ask how the heating units work.

[TurboZamboni]

I need that for my icehouse.