Research in Antarctica

Donal Manahan in Antarctica, about to dive under the frozen sea-ice to collect samples.

Diver in a dry suit under the frozen sea-ice. Seawater temperature in this region (McMurdo Sound) is very cold at -1.8 degrees C.

The underwater visibility in Antarctica is exceptional: note the small yellow “dot” in the background suspended (by rope) in the water under the diver’s right hand. This is a safety dive tank about 300 feet away from where this photo was taken.

Adult Antarctic sea stars, Odontaster validus, that were collected by SCUBA divers. Eggs and sperm were collected from these animals to start cultures of embryos and, later, larval cultures (Pasteur pipet bulb shown for scale).

Female Odontaster validus that was induced to spawn and release large numbers of eggs (yellow masses between each arm of the sea star contain thousands of eggs). The test tube at the top of the photo (1.5 ml) holds sperm (white).

Culturing embryos of Odontaster validus to the larval stage in several 20-liter vessels. At the ambient temperature of Antarctic seawater, at -1.8 deg. C, rates of development are slow. It takes over a month for embryos to reach the feeding larval stage. Photo take in the aquarium of McMurdo Station, Antarctica.