Embargoed until 5 P. M., EST
NSF PR 02-100 - December 16, 2002
Note About
Images
Photo 1
Researchers sawing an observation hole in the permanent lake ice of a dry valley lake.
Image courtesy of the Priscu Research Group, Montana State University at Bozeman
Photo 2
Researchers within an observation hole in the permanent lake ice of a dry valley lake.
Image courtesy of the Priscu Research Group, Montana State University at Bozeman
Photo 3
Small segment of ice core from Lake Vida showing a layer of sediment. Researchers have discovered that the microbes are found with the sediment.
Image courtesy of the Priscu Research Group, Montana State University at Bozeman
Photo 4
Laser confocal photomicrograph of a microorganism that researchers found in lake ice from the dry valleys (the region where Lake Vida is located).
Image courtesy of the Priscu Research Group, Montana State University at Bozeman
Photo 5
Computed tomography (CT) image of a section of ice core from Lake Vida showing the organic (microbe containing) material surrounding sediment in an icy matrix. The image has been artificially colored by the researchers so that organic material appears bluish-purple and sediment appears orange-red.
Image courtesy of the Priscu Research Group, Montana State University at Bozeman
Photo 6
Helicopter support for the researchers at Lake Vida when the temperature was -40°C (-40°F) - note the contrail behind the aircraft.
Image courtesy of the Priscu Research Group, Montana State University at Bozeman
Photo 7
Bubbles associated with sediment in dry valley lake ice. The bubbles tell us that there was liquid water present above the sediment at one time and that the water froze from the top down.
Image courtesy of the Priscu Research Group, Montana State University at Bozeman
Photo 8
Filament-like lake-ice microbes found in ice from the dry valleys (the region where Lake Vida is located). These filamentous bacteria dominate the ice covers of these lakes.
Image courtesy of the Priscu Research Group, Montana State University at Bozeman
Photo 9
Researchers drilling into Lake Vida in October, 1996.
Image courtesy of the Priscu Research Group, Montana State University at Bozeman
Photo 10
Aerial photo taken at the eastern end of the Lake Vida looking north towards McMurdo Sound (the lake is in the foreground). This picture was taken in November 2002.
Photo Credit: Peter Doran
Photo 11
Meteorological Station with "Ice-free" Lake Vida in the background. This image was taken during January 2002 at the west end of Lake Vida in Victoria Valley. Lake Vida in the background apparently has no ice on it, but in fact this is summer meltwater that has flowed onto the surface of the thick permanent Lake Vida ice cover. In the image is about 1 m of muddy water above 19 m of ice, all sitting on top of a hypersaline brine. The meteorological station in the foreground is operated by the NSF-supported McMurdo Long Term Ecological Research site and the station has been operating at this site since 25 Nov 1995. Data from the station was used for the Lake Vida research.
Photo Credit: Thomas Nylen
|