Survey report 2000/01 summer season Voyages 3, 5, 7 Australian Antarctic Division Author - T.Gordon / AUSLIG

Brief description

Taken from sections of the report:

Introduction
As part of the Australian Antarctic Division Mapping Program surveying field work was carried out at Macquarie Island, Casey, Mawson, Law Base, Davis and the Heard and McDonald Islands during 2000 - 2001 summer season by Tom Gordon from Sinclair Knight Merz. The following report describes each task carried out and the results achieved.

Primarily the work this season was directed at collecting topographic data in support of the ANARE Mapping Program and preliminary detail mapping for the Antarctic Divisions compacted-snow runway. A number of other tasks were also carried out in support of science and engineering programs.

To complete these tasks a number of expeditioners volunteered their time to assist the survey team in the field. The survey team members included:

Tom Gordon Surveyor - Sinclair Knight Merz
Tom Velthuis Surveyor - Antarctic Division Volunteer
Henk Brolsma Surveyor - Antarctic Division Mapping Officer

Volunteers assisting surveyors included:

Arthur Alexander Mechanic - Antarctic Division
Kieran Lawton Field Training Officer - Antarctic Division
Troy Sitchbury Communication Technician - Antarctic Division
Glen College Hydrographer - Royal Australian Navy

As has occurred in previous seasons the work carried out for the mapping program is on an opportunistic basis, given limited time allowed at various locations in Antarctica and hence the tasks outlined in the surveyors brief are quite varied and numerous. This season changes to the shipping and helicopter operations had resulted in some tasks being abandoned but allowed other tasks not specified in the initial Surveyors Brief to be included.

This report covers the fieldwork undertaken by myself during the period from Voyage 3 to Voyage 7 of the 2000 - 2001 ANARE Field Season. Additional survey work undertaken by Tom Velthuis on the Thala Valley tip site at Casey Station is not included in this report and will be documented by Tom Velthuis upon his return from Casey.

Sequence of Events

1. 29th October to 3rd November 2000 - Pre-departure
- Field training at the Antarctic Division was provided for expeditioners prior to the departure of Voyage 3. A camera trial of the Wild RC8 aerial camera was undertaken on the 3rd of November.

2. 4th to 24th November 2000 - Voyage 3
- The MV Polar Bird departed Hobart the evening of the 6th of November 2000 enroute for Macquarie Island and Casey Station.
- The Polar Bird arrived off Macquarie Island on the 9th November and commenced resupply operations and changeover of personnel.
- From the 10th to the 14th field parties undertook survey activities on the island.
- On the 14th of November we departed Macquarie Island and sailed to Casey Station.
- On the 24th of November approximately 70 nautical miles off Casey the Polar Bird reached a point where it could no longer travel through the sea ice, it was then decided to fly-off the Casey Station summer personnel.

3. 26th November 2000 to 31st January 2001 - Casey Station
- In the period between 26th of November 2000 and the 31st of January 2001, field parties undertook survey activities at Casey and the surrounding region, included in this was the surveying of the proposed runway site.

4. 28th January to 6 February 2001 - Voyage 5
- The Polar Bird returned to Casey on the 28th of January 2001 to resupply the station and changeover personnel.
- Air transport team led by Dr Jo Jacka were briefed and shown the proposed runway at Casey and a potential site west of the Peterson Glacier.
- Voyage 5 departed Casey on the 1st February and arrived in Hobart on the 8th February 2001.

5. 8th February to 11th February 2001 - Pre-departure
- On the afternoon of the 8th of February a pre-departure meeting was held with Henk Brolsma, additional data and equipment were obtained.

6. 11th of February to 29th March 2001 - Voyage 7
- The MV Polar Bird departed Hobart the evening of the 11th of February 2001 enroute for Mawson Station.
- The Polar Bird arrived at Mawson on 24th February 2001 and commenced resupply operations and changeover of personnel. During the resupply the survey party undertook survey and aerial mapping activities.
- On the 3rd of March the Polar Bird sailed for Zhongshan and arrived the morning of the 5th of March. Chinese personnel and supplies where transferred to shore. The survey party was flown ashore and undertook tidal observations and aerial mapping activities at Law Base and Zhongshan and returned the following afternoon.
- After completing the changeover of Chinese personnel on the 6th of March the Polar Bird sailed to Davis and arrived the morning of the 7th of March to retrieve summer personnel and some cargo. The survey team went ashore and carried out tidal observations, after cargo operations were completed, on the afternoon of the 8th of March, the Polar Bird departed for Heard Island.
- The Polar Bird arrived at Heard Island on the 13th of March and completed personnel and cargo retrieval on the 18th of March. No aerial photography was taken due to poor weather conditions and limited time. On the afternoon of the 18th of March the Polar Bird sailed to McDonald Island in an attempt to photograph the island, but again weather conditions prevented that happening.
- From McDonald Island the Polar Bird sailed for Hobart and arrived the morning of the 29th of March 2001.

Scope of Work
This season the Mapping Officer provided the scope of work within survey briefs and various correspondents throughout the season. As well as the surveying tasks required by the Mapping Officer an additional project involving the initial setting out and mapping for the Casey runway was undertaken for Dr Jo Jacka. The Surveyor's Briefs can be found in Appendix A. The following is a summation of the survey requirements for this season;

Macquarie Island
- GPS Observation to Tide Gauge Bench Mark AUS229
- Update of Station Area Map
- Island Lake Surface Levels
- Survey Control Check Survey

Casey Station
- Compacted Snow Runway Survey
- Ground Penetrating Radar Setout Survey
- Level Connection for Tide Gauge Bench Marks
- Download Tide Gauge
- Aerial Photography of Station, Penguin Colonies and Wilkes Station
- Provide general Survey/Mapping support for Station

Bunger Hills
- Aerial Photography of Bunger Hills and Islands along the Knox Coast
- Survey Proposed Runway Centre Line on the Apfel Glacier

Mawson Station
- Downloading Tide Gauge
- Tidal Observations
- Level Connections between AUS064 and Tide Gauge Bench Mark
- Update of Station Area Map
- Aerial Photography of Mawson Station

Law Base/Zhongshan
- Tidal Observations at Nella Fjord
- Aerial photography of Law Base and Zhongshan

Davis Station
- Tidal Observations

Heard Island
- Aerial Photography of Heard Island
- Aerial and Oblique Photography of McDonald Island

A summary of the achievements can be found at Appendix B.