Dec. 21, 2007
Cold, windy, a tundra might be some words that come to mind when describing Hamilton, N.Y. during the winter months. However, the home of the Colgate University campus will seem mild compared to the trip Colgate sophomore volleyball player Ilona Matulaitis (Cincinnati, Ohio) is about to embark upon for three weeks during the winter break. She will trade in her volleyball shoes for hiking boots and her dorm room for a tent as she heads to Antarctica on a research trip with Colgate Associate Professor of Geology Karen Harpp.
"I am so excited about this trip," Matulaitis said. "I've been excited about it since I was invited to go and now that it is only a few weeks away, I can't wait. One of my goals is to touch all seven continents and I get to go to the most difficult one first. It is such an incredible opportunity."
A geology major, Matulaitis was selected by Harpp to participate in the study in the Dry Valleys in Antarctica after her grant application to the National Science Foundation was accepted early in the fall. Matulaitis and Harpp will be joined on the trip by a professor and one student from both the University of Hawaii and University of Idaho.
Although slightly difficult to describe in laymen's terms, Matulaitis and Harpp will be going to a place in Antarctica that does not get precipitation, meaning snow, called the Dry Valleys to study if the rocks from an old volcanic chain reflect the changes in the volcanic system over time. That old volcanic chain eroded more than 500 million years ago and left the old plumbing system that fed it with magma behind. Therefore, Matulaitis and Harpp will be looking and at the dikes and collecting samples to see if their chemistry reflects the changes in the volcanic system over time. Dikes are "imaginable as the veins of a volcano". They are the feeder of magma to the magma chamber of a volcano.
The idea that there will be no snow might be surprising to those who are unfamiliar with Antarctica. In fact, while it will be cold, the temperatures will range from 20 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit since it is currently summer in Antarctica. In addition to living in tents, Matulaitis will have to adapt to the 24-hour daylight that exists there during the summer months. When asked about seeing any arctic animals during her time, Matulaitis said that because of the lack of vegetation and precipitation unless there is a stray penguin their group will be the life in the Dry Valleys.
The trip will start when they fly into New Zealand where they will pick up the necessary supplies for the trip. Following the brief layover in New Zealand, Matulaitis will fly into McMurdo Station, which is Antarctica's largest community, for a brief training program before heading by helicopter to the Dry Valleys to begin the field work.
The group will be living in tents and will have to cook using the equipment given to them in New Zealand. However, a system for the meals appears to have already been worked out as one of the other professors on the trip enjoys cooking. Therefore, he will prepare the meals in exchange for the others handling the cleanup.
When in the field, Matulaitis said that she and the other five members of the research group could have to walk up to 12 miles in a day back to camp. Some of the areas which they will be studying will require a helicopter ride, which is also an exciting aspect of the trip for Matulaitis. She has even heard that they allow the students to sit in the front of the helicopter to get the true feeling of the beauty of the area.
This trip obviously is not for the faint of heart, but for someone who would like to touch all seven continents, Matulaitis certainly is getting a giant head start on her goal. And she can't be more excited to begin the trek that she knows will be one she will never forget.
This is only the beginning of what is sure to be a fascinating story. Stay tuned for her journal entries about her time in the arctic.
