Images: Trek Across Antarctica

Antarctic journey

Andrew Lloyd, a Ph.D. student at St. Louis's Washington University, spent many weeks traveling across Antarctica's barren ice sheet to retrieve seismographs instruments scientists are using to map the geology far beneath Antarctica, something that has never been done before.

Lloyd and others set off on snowmobiles from their home base, Byrd Camp.

Keeping warm

Lloyd, bundled up in his gear, ready for cold night traveling across West Antarctica. In the summer months, the sun never sets.

Distant mountains

The installation of the seismograph network is part of a project called Polenet. Here, the traveling researchers have set up camp for the night. The camp faces north toward Mt. Waesche (left) and Mt. Sidley (middle).

Hunkered Down

The Polenet camp after a two day storm. The team was bringing back nine seismographs set up across the West Antarctic ice sheet.

Hard at work

The team takes down a seismic station. Held within the instrument are data that will help scientists make a picture of the geology some 60 miles (100 kilometers) underneath the continent.

(Left to Right): John O'Donnell, Andrew Lloyd, Mike Roberts.