After a long wait and meticulous preparation, the PolAres team has finally gathered for the first Science Workshop in a sun-kissed Vienna.
Purpose of the meeting was dual. On the one hand, providing all group members, whose educational background is broad and diverse, with a common scientific framework. On the other hand, discussing and finalizing in details the experiments to be performed and the personal duties at the upcoming mission test.

Luca Foresta explains geophysical methods to the participants

Saturday has been the busiest day, with the group graciously hosted by the Technical University of Vienna (TU Wien) which provided a suitable place for the scientific presentations. The team has then learnt about Mineralogy and Petrology, fundamental notions in planetary science/explorations, with accent being put on the similarities between specific environments and features on Earth and Mars.
Additionally, Mr. Pavuza from the Museum of Natural History of Vienna presented extreme cave environments on Earth, with particular emphasis on the Dachstein cave system, location of the next field test. Such talk was extremely useful for understanding the development of karstic caves and for having insight into which kind of environment the group will face within a month.

Workshop participants in front of the Museum of Natural History

The next day the PolAres members have paid a visit to the Museum of Natural History, in the very center of the Austrian capital.
The tour started with the large collection of minerals, to whom four halls are dedicated; the geologists of the group had a busy time in answering all sort of questions arising. Particularly interesting was also, among many other sections, the hall of extreme environments, with many information and breath-taking pictures of caves on Earth.

Read also german version:
Geoscience Training oder die Erkenntnis, dass Steine ganz und gar keine faden Objekte sind