Welcome to the search for the elusive element! This polar exploration journal will amaze you with tales of feats of scientific daring and discovery in the quest to better understand the changes that have previously and are currently taking place on our planet.

Get a pencil and paper or your word processor ready to answer the questions after each section. Or if you are in a class, your instructor may choose to hold a discussion instead.

Getting Ready to Work (You may want to check the meanings of underlined words.)

Although spontaneity can be fun, a research expedition must be carefully planned and coordinated. Years in advance, scientists need to apply for grants to pay for the research expedition. They must also assemble competent scientists who can work as a team aboard ship. In addition, all equipment and supplies that are needed must be on hand before the ship sails. On June 30^th, the scientists spent the day organizing their work areas, reviewing equipment, and strategizing ways to correct deficits of equipment and work spaces. Once the R/V (research vessel) Nathaniel Palmer is at sea, the research work begins and scientists must be ready.

Think about the kind of jobs that you have done or are interested in doing. What kind of preparation is necessary to ensure that you will be able to accomplish the job? Is there any planning that has to be done years in advance?  Students need money to cover living costs, childcare, books, and tuition. Make a list of what preparation you need and what resources are available to accomplish this. Use library or career sources to help you find new sources of funding.

Another consideration for work is that you are appropriately dressed for the job. See the photo below of our oceanographers dressed for survival at seal.

Getting ready - survival suit	Getting ready - XBT launcher

Where are you and where are you going?

City of Punta Arenas

The Nathaniel Palmer sailed from Punta Arenas, Chile. On a map of South America, locate the country of Chile. What do you notice about the size of the country of Chile that makes it unusual?  How wide is the widest part of Chile? How wide is the state that you live in?   Next, look south (there should be a symbol on your map to indicate north/south/east and west. Where is Punta Arenas located? (Use a body of water for one of the reference points).

Look at the latitude of Punta Arenas. (If you need help finding latitude, ask your instructor or look on Google to find explanations of longitude and latitude.) What cities in the Northern Hemisphere (why is it called that?) are at the same latitude as Punta Arenas?

A little bit of language: What does Punta Arenas mean? (A good translation source is yourdictionary.com) After you find the Spanish translation, think about the word “arena” in English. How does the Spanish relate to our word arena?

Are there any towns with foreign names where you live? If so, drop me an e-mail and let me know the name of the town and what it means. (The names do not have to be Spanish; they can be native American, French, or any other language.)

From the past:

In the principal square of Punta Arenas is a statue of Fernando Magellan. Punta Arenas is located on the Straits of Magellan. What is the significance of Magellan to this area? When was he here and why?

Magellan statue, Punta Arenas