Monday, June 27, 2011

Time to go back for another project!




I'm back once again in Greenland- in Kangerlussuaq. We arrived this evening and are now safely set up in the Kangerlussuaq International Science Support building.

This season will be a first for me on many fronts- for starters, not going to Summit! In this project, we plan to drill to the bed of the ice sheet near the margin, to investigate the subglacial hydrological system. So we'll be in the margin of the ice sheet (a first for me), at "warm" temperatures, so we will experience a melting surface (sounds like it's slushy up there right now)- another first.

I'll also be working with 6 people with whom I haven't worked in the field before- another first, and to top it all off, although I know a lot about the equipment we are using and the measurements we'll be making, I have never used any of it in the field! ok, then!

Here's a shot from my testing of my new borehole "bed camera". I was taking a photo every minute automatically, and wanted to be taking a picture of something that would always be changing, so I decided to use a clock!

Ok, all for now- tomorrow we fly to Ilullisat, and thence to the ice! I may or may not be able to post from the field, as we will be on a sat-phone data link. Stand by!