This year marks our 13th trip to Scott Base, New Zealand's Antarctic station. Following our custom, this is Space Physics Antarctic Expedition 13. Our 13th expedition was originally planned for last year (i.e., in late 2020), but was disrupted by the impacts of COVID-19; like so many activities that year. The main goal of our expedition is to move the WWLLN electric field antenna located near Scott Base, in preparation for the rebuild of Scott Base, which is starting later this season (and will last many years).

AARDDVARK VLF antenna (left) and WWLLN VLF antenna (right)

We also plan to install a new antenna up at Arrival Heights. Arrival Heights is an Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA 122), set aside as an electromagnetically quiet site to support upper atmospheric and space research. However, for some years have been struggling with some narrow-band radio noise at ~21-22 kHz, which is blocking observations in that frequency range made by our magnetic field AARDDVARK antenna at Arrival Heights.  Our existing VLF AARDDVARK antenna, installed in December 2008, has worked very well, but some important frequencies have been blocked since early 2019. It appears the noise is associated with the operation of "Feeder D" in the Ross Island electrical network, made somewhere in the network and then carried up into the ASPA over the power lines. Recently, we have been using observations from the WWLLN electric field antenna to provide a work around for those frequencies. The other primary goal of Expedition 13 is to install our spare magnetic field antenna, at a location deeper into the ASPA. This is close to Second Crater. Earlier measurements have suggested the manmade noise is less significant further away from the powerlines. We hope putting in a second antenna will allow us to make useful measurements of the 21.4 kHz NPM transmitter again.

Expedition 13 consists of Prof. Craig Rodger, Dr. James Brundell, and PhD student Mr. Daniel Mac Manus. This is James' 12th trip to Antarctica - he has spent >100 days on the ice! It is Craig's 4th trip south, and Daniel's first. The team will receive logistics support from Antarctica New Zealand through event K060 (comprising air transport, accommodation and all other on-ice support provided).

James and Daniel about to enter the Methven Isolation Facility.

Like all Antarctic programmes, Antarctica New Zealand has been working hard to keep COVID off the ice, and out of Scott Base. Because of this, all the people travelling south in the 2021/2022 season need to undertake 2 weeks isolation (and 4 COVID tests) before travelling south, with extra restrictions and testing on reaching Scott Base. Expedition 13 entered the isolation facility, the South Cross Lodge in Methven, on Tuesday 9 November 2021. The team was scheduled to leave on Tuesday 23 November, flying South in an Italian Air Force Super Hercules (C130J), and returning to NZ on a Royal New Zealand Air Force Hercules (C130H) on Monday 6 December.

The South Cross Lodge in Methven.

Our Antarctic activities are supported by Antarctica New Zealand with direct funding provided by the University of Otago.

After 14 days of isolation we were allowed to remove our masks outside when we not interacting with the local staff. This picture is taken from the reception area of the South Cross Lodge on Day 14, the day before our scheduled flight to Antarctica. In the end weather disrupted the travel south, and we left for Antarctica on the morning of Friday 26 November (not 23 November as originally scheduled). Expedition 13 returned to New Zealand as planned, early in the morning of Tuesday 7 December 2021.

Craig Rodger, James Brundell, and Daniel Mac Manus - K060 (Otago Space Physics Antarctic Expedition 13).