|The Inquisitive Rockhopper, published by Heard Island Expedition team member Dr. Bill Mitchell. To go to the website click on the image above.|
|Aug. 10, 2015. One goal of the 2016 Heard Island Expedition is to make contact with thousands of radio amateurs worldwide and give them a contact with VKØEK. But team member Bill Mitchell also understands that the other goal is to carry out a significant scientific program that includes exploration, documentation of environmental conditions, and the search for new specioes to extend the known biodiversity and its connection with climate change. Armed with his PhD in chemistry and an unlimited curiosity about the scientific world, Bill has begun to publish a fascinating blog called The Inquisitive Rockhopper. Bill explains it as follows:
Bill is doing more than presenting his activities: he’s actually making discoveries about Heard Island. For instance, in a detailed examination of recent satellite images, Bill found clear evidence for a major glacial calving event that dropped millions of tons of ice and snow into one of the largest lagoons (Compton Lagoon). The observation is indicative of the extreme dynamic nature of Heard Island: it changes constantly, hence continual observation is a crucial requirement for understanding the nature and evolution of this volcanic island and the plants and animals that live there. Check out Bill’s discovery of the calvinghere.