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polar
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This Sunday, I learned that Antarctica was in fact a very dry continent and how aerosols and particles were playing a role in that dryness. Ironically, that was in stark contrast with the recent news from the coast, where our friends were​ getting massive amounts of snowfall​ dumped on​ them.

The weather has improved for the scientists at the coast, Denis Lombardi finally has some good news, and Jos Van Hemelrijck learns why covering up properly in Antarctica is important for your health.

Bad weather has moved into the Queen Maud Land, and the BELARE team must grin and bear it while continuing with the work plan of the season.

This weekend, Alain Hubert, Jacques Richon and Jos Van Hemelrijck accompanied Denis Lombardi on several trips to the mountains to check up on and service his seismometers. Later this week, they will take another trip to the plateau before heading to the coast to meet up with the IceCon and BENEMELT scientists. We also celebrated Antarctica Day!

Scientists from the Universtié Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and 2014 InBev-Baillet Latour Fellowship laureate Jan Lenaerts left for the coast on Thursday evening, eager to get to work on their research projects.

The ozone hole over East Antarctica has been quite large during the austral spring, and Belgian journalist Jos Van Hemelrijck has felt its effects firsthand.

As the winner of the 2014 InBev-Baillet Latour Antarctic Fellowship, the largest research grant awarded to young polar researchers, Dr Jan Lenaerts from Utrecht University in the Netherlands will be spending several weeks away from the Princess Elisabeth station at the King Baudoin Ice Shelf on the coast conducting research for the BENEMELT project.

"We got treated with warm croissants for breakfast this Sunday. Apart from that, it was nothing like a normal Sunday here at Princess Elisabeth," recounted veteran Belgian reporter Jos van Hemelrijck. Staff members and scientists are working hard to prepare the first field trips of the season.

The 2014-15 season is in full swing now that the first batch of scientists have finally arrived. The new arrivals get acquainted with life at the station and go for crevasse training.

Several scientists, a teacher, a veteran Belgian journalist, a field guide, and the team’s doctor will arrive in Antarctica in a few days, more than doubling the number of people at the station.