We enjoy taking colleagues from McMurdo base up to our lab for the occasional tour. Arrival Heights is an Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA). Permits are required to enter the area and the amount of time we spend in the ASPA is tracked. This status is primarily maintained to keep the region EMI quiet – free from electromagnetic interference from transmitters (like radios). Before entering the ASPA, all radios and headlights must be turned off, to avoid interference with ongoing scientific experiments (even in winter).
Arrival Heights is particularly well suited to atmospheric science work because of it’s elevation relative to the surrounding towns. McMurdo base is just under a mile away, making it easy to transport supplies, but the geography of the volcano prevents light from town from reaching our instruments.
Many field sites around Antarctica are further from town, and have to coordinate more logistical support. Many require supplies to be flown in by helicopter for each field campaign. This picture was taken from Arrival Heights as the helicopter flew from the Dry Valley field site back to base.
