The FirnCover science team arrived at the EKT site approximately 100 km (~62 mi) NE of DYE 2 Sunday afternoon. The snowmobile traverse was fairly uneventful with the exception of a few “bumps on the road”. Due to the very rough ride, two of the Zarges aluminum cases flew off one of the sleds after a strap snapped… Read More
As predicted, the early melting in Greenland is causing problems for the scientists on the ground. Three years of snow accumulation since the big 2012 melt season, have not added significant buffering capacity to the firn – basically there is one thin layer of snow to buffer the meltwater. Once that layer is gone, it’s… Read More
The FirnCover research team arrived safely via snowmobile at KAN-U, their first work site this campaign season. The 67 km (41.6 mi) journey from “home base” camp, Dye-2, took about 4 hours without any major difficulties. Upon arrival, it was discovered that Mike’s firm compaction tower was still standing with no apparent physical damage despite… Read More
The Firncover science team made it to Kangerlussuaq yesterday evening after a long C130 flight from Stratton Air National Guard Base in New York (and a quick stop in Newfoundland). Today the team prepares for the 2016 Greenland field season with communication meetings, runway protocol, checking equipment, logistics, food sorting and palleting. Needless to say, the preparations… Read More
The first GEUS (Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland) published article: “Observed melt-season snowpack evolution on the Greenland ice sheet“ regarding the 2012 extreme melt season, is now available online! In this small study, scientists are analyzing and interpreting “Snow Processes in the Lower Accumulation Zone” during the 2012 field campaign in Greenland. Authors are Charalampos (Babis) Charalampidis and Dirk… Read More
As the FirnCover 2015 project comes to a close, our climate scientists successfully completed the largest network of firn compaction instruments ever deployed, monitoring continuously on the ice sheet. The FirnCover network now consists of 41 separate instruments installed at 8 stations across Greenland! We look forward to hearing from the researchers about the data… Read More
The ACT-15 team is spending its last few days at Summit Camp where their work is nearly complete. They are finishing up some core logging where they’ve taken over the sauna room (without the stove running, of course) and using it as a cold-room for logging ice cores — I’m impressed that they actually have a sauna room!… Read More
The crew arrived at Crawford Point this morning around 9AM (local time) and got to work while the pilots left to refuel in Ilulissat. Instruments were successfully installed, but not without any hitches. Several hours were spent using aircraft cable – among other methods – attempting to fish out a Kovacs coring drill barrel that got stuck… Read More
Yesterday morning the ACT-15 team had to deal with gale force winds described by Mike as “the worst storm yet”. Snow was blowing directly into the torn latrine tent and no one dared to venture out to the privy…for a while anyway. At least they enjoyed a hearty musk ox goulash for dinner. All the… Read More
Yesterday at DYE 2, bad whiteout winds kept the team pretty much hunkered down. They did however, manage to set up the latrine tent during the storm, but the strong winds ripped the tent door open. Visiting the latrine is now a “spin-drifty experience” as described by Mike. Better weather was had today and was… Read More
