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Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 1998-99: VUWAE 43

PLANNING

PLANNING

3.1.CRP2 could not have proceeded had the sea riser not been upgraded. Planning for this had begun even before CRP1 had finished as time was short and additional funding had to be approved by the Project partners. The view of the Operations Management Group (OMG) was that CRP2 was the last chance to both prove the drill technology and achieve the operational goal of obtaining a reasonable amount of core. If neither of these goals were achieved then the Project would be terminated.

3.2. Operational Planning. The time-line for CRP2 operational planning was: page 2
a.Ship Resupply January 1998. The main items of resupply were two 'new' CRP containers (plus rigid sledges) fitted out as extensions to the Rig's mud hut system and the Drill Site Laboratory. All went according to plan.
b.Post-Season Review. An International Steering Committee (ISC) meeting was held in Washington in early February 1998 at which sea riser options were discussed. It was agreed the best option was to refurbish the existing riser because of the limited time and funding available. A major study was then undertaken by a US company to determine the existing sea riser's capabilities. From the results of that study modifications followed.
c.Sea ice Monitoring. The first DMSP (infared) images were received from ASA by Science Support Manager (CRPSSM) and Cape Roberts Project Manager (CRPM)in early April 1998 and continued regularly from then. Dr Robert Onstott at ERIM also contributed regular interpretive reports on his website. CRPSSM predicted at the end of his April-May sea ice report that a 20 km strip of fast ice about 1 m thick had formed offshore of Cape Roberts. Although it was too early to make longer term predictions, ice formation had begun well. This proved to be the case, and the fast ice along the western coast remained stable for the remainder of the 1998 winter. Sea ice growth was also monitored at the American's ice runway and west of Arrival Heights, and these measurements confirmed what was found when the reconnaissance team travelled to Cape Roberts and then out to the Drill Site in early September.
d.USAP Assistance. At the annual Post Season-Pre Season planning meeting held in Denver by the US Program CRP requested US support for hauling the two 'new' containers from Scott Base to Marble Point. Three hundred helicopter hours were requested for the Project, to be equally shared between Antarctica New Zealand and USAP. The Project would also draw upwards of 30,000 litres of JP5 from Marble Point at a time or times to be arranged. All the above arrangements went according to plan.
e.Staff Recruitment. In early March 1998 CRPM initiated the CRP2 recruitment round with an 'expression-of-interest' letter and an employment questionnaire to all CRP1 employees. Most of the CRP1 support and drill staff wished to return for CRP2 and information obtained from the questionnaire responses proved useful in revising the contract. On the drill team, one driller from the previous season was not offered reemployment and one other was unavailable, necessitating two new drillers for CRP2. One member of the support team was not offered re-employment and one was unavailable. In addition to the two replacements, a new position was created - Camp Assistant - to take some of the workload off the Project Manager and Camp Manager. The Carpenter's length of employment was reduced to cover the period from September to mid-October. At the end of the drilling phase the Scott Base carpenter was seconded to Cape Roberts to help with the Drill Site and Camp decommissioning. This worked well. Movements Controller, Antarctica New Zealand (Ant NZ) was kept advised of all recruitment information such as addresses, individual contracts, salaries, travel arrangements, medical certificates, clothing forms and the like.
f.Integration of CRP Scientists into Pre-Season Planning. CRPM was advised of CRP2 scientists and their dates for flying to Antarctica in early June 1998. Minor changes were advised by the Chief Scientist as he was made aware of them. Movements Controller, Ant NZ was kept advised. The Movements section of Ant NZ was kept advised of all clothing and freight requirements of CRP2 scientists as advised to CRPM. The manifesting of scientists and their cargo went well from Ant NZ's point of page 3 view. There were, however, some misunderstandings again with the Italian science contingent who were the responsibility of the US Program.