Scientist's body stuck at South Pole

The Amundsen-Scott station, picture courtesy of Rice University

The body of a young Australian scientist who died at a base at the South Pole will have to remain there for at least six months.

US officials say Dr Rodney Marks, 32, died on Friday at the Amundsen-Scott research station, which is run by the US National Science Foundation (NSF).

The harsh polar conditions, which will not ease until November, mean no plane can fly in to retrieve his body and no post mortem examination can be carried out.

It is the second death at a South Pole station this year, and comes only months after a dramatic rescue had to be staged to bring a cancer-stricken doctor to safety.

The Antarctic winter lasts for 10 months

The NSF said in a statement that Dr Marks was believed to have died of natural causes.

However, no firm cause of death can be established until his body is brought out and a post mortem examination conducted.

The director of the NSF's polar programmes, Dr Karl Erb, described Dr Marks as a distinguished astrophysicist.

"He was a member of the close-knit community at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station for several seasons and I know his loss will be felt very deeply there," Dr Erb said.

Second winter

"Rodney was also an important member of the larger community of Antarctic researchers who are searching for answers to enormously important questions," he said.

Dr Marks, who was spending his second winter at the South Pole, was employed by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. He was working on an observation project in conjunction with the University of Chicago.

Earlier this year a 43-year-old Canadian, John Biesiada, died at another Antarctic base, the McMurdo Station.

And last year a US doctor, Jerri Nielsen, had to treat herself for four months after discovering she had breast cancer.

Dr Jerri Nielsen: Dramatic rescue last October

A dramatic rescue mission was finally staged in October, a month earlier than is normally considered possible for flights.

It was so cold even then that the plane's crew had to leave the engines running to prevent systems freezing up.

Winter at the South Pole lasts for 10 months, with temperatures dropping to -50C. The cold combines with high winds and long periods of darkness to make access impossible.