Erica M. Lucas

To advance our understanding of various geophysical and glaciological processes in the polar regions, a combination of data collection, analysis, and modeling is required. Because field observations and data collection can help to inform seismic and geodynamic modeling efforts (and vice versa), I am involved in both aspects.

Polar Earth Observing Network (POLENET), 2024-2025

I was a member of the POLENET field team for the ’24-’25 field season based out of Union Glacier Camp in West Antarctica. This season we visited 12 POLENET seismic / GPS sites and collected new seismic data from ten of the sites. For more pictures and details about the season on the POLENET field blog – https://polenet.org/2024-2025-field-season-progress/. Data from this season is being used to continue improving constraints on solid Earth structure and study seismicity arising from glaciologic, volcanic, and tectonic processes in the region.

We had to dig for two days to reach the seismic site on Thwaites Glacier (UPTW). Here we are removing electronics (stored in the orange box) from the site.
Sites that were serviced in the ’24-’25 season are marked with green checks.
A windy day servicing the GPS site located at Slater Rocks.

Polar Earth Observing Network (POLENET), 2023-2024

I was a member of the field team for the POLENET project in the 2023 – 2024 season. This season we were based out of Union Glacier Camp in the Ellsworth Mountains of West Antarctica. POLENET is an autonomous seismic and GPS network deployed across West Antarctica. The first POLENET stations were installed in 2007 and there are still ~20 backbone stations deployed in Antarctica. See the great POLENET field blog and my photos below for some more details on the work required to keep this network running!

To service and install seismic and GPS sites around West Antarctica, we make day trips on a Twin Otter plane. Here is the field team at Backer Island (located in the Amundsen Sea Embyament).
Map of POLENET seismic and GPS stations in West Antarctica. The ’23 – ’24 field season goal was to service all stations marked with a four-character-ID. Stations that were fully serviced are marked with green arrows, partial service with yellow. Erica and the team will return and service more stations in the upcoming ’24-’25 field season!


Servicing a GPS site on Inman Nunatak in the Hudson Mountains. From here, you can see the ocean and several other volcanoes in the Hudson Mountains, a Neogene volcanic province.
Digging for the DNTW seismic station – this station is located on Thwaites Glacier. We spent 2 days digging for the seismic station and luckily we were able to recover it!
Installing a new seismometer at a station near Byrd Camp
Swapping out seismic station batteries on a
windy day at Mt. Takahe
A sunny day in the Ellsworth Mountains