This part two in a series on optical phenomenon that we’ve experienced here in Antarctica. The previous post was on Fata Morgana. This post will describe sun halos. Above: Sun halo seen on the Ross Ice Shelf. The mountain just below it is Mt. Erebus, an active volcano. Sun halos are most commonly found in… Read More

Antarctica is one of the best places in the world to observe rare optical phenomena. While working on the lidar systems here at McMurdo station, Antarctica, we have encountered a wide range of these effects. They are driven by ice crystals, extreme temperatures, and other atmospheric conditions. This is the first post in a series… Read More

My name is Zig Lewon, and I joined the Chu research group in late December 2025. I had a fairly unusual (and very lucky) path to doing research on the ice. I studied Atmospheric and Oceanic Science at CU Boulder. During my time there, my professors often talked about opportunities in atmospheric science. One lecture… Read More