Hello Readers,
My name is Chris. I am a PhD student in the Environmental Science program here at UI. Over the next several years I will be working with a team of atmospheric scientists from the Universities of Idaho, Colorado (Boulder), and Wisconsin (Madison) studying atmospheric properties over the Greenland Ice Sheet. The project is called ICECAPS (“An Integrated Characterization of Energy, Clouds, Atmospheric state, and Precipitation at Summit”). The goal is simple, but the task is far from it. We are seeking to build a series of high temporal resolution data sets of atmospheric measurements using ground-based remote sensing instruments. In situ measurements of the atmospheric column will be provided by radiosondes (weather balloons) that will be launched twice every day. These data will be used by the project and by the greater scientific community to study the thermodynamic state of the atmosphere, as well as the radiative and physical properties of clouds and precipitation. The site at which this will all happen is called Summit Station (72 N, 38 W). Summit is a small research station located near the geographical center of Greenland at an elevation of 3200 m (10,500’), marking the top of the ice cap.
As some of you may remember (see previous posts) Dr. Von Walden of UI Geography (the project’s Principle Investigator) made a site visit in July and August of last year. The station is small and our project is large, requiring a whole new building to be constructed to house our instruments. Dr. Walden made the trip to help direct the preparation and logistics for the project. Greenland is now emerging from the long winter and it is time to get busy and get the ICECAPS data rolling! This is where my role begins. As an early career scientist I am very excited to have the opportunity to do some field work. I will be at Summit for several weeks from the middle of May through early June 2010 to assist with the deployment. There is much to do, including integrating the various instruments into the building, getting them running order, setting up the network which will monitor and archive the data, setting up for our radiosonde launches, training our station “techs” on unfamiliar instruments, and, of course, doing our duties as members of the station as a whole. In late winter of next year I will return to serve as the ICECAPS station tech for several months.
In addition to my colleagues from our collaborating institutions, I am joined by another UI team member, Brad Halter. Brad will stay on through August as ICECAPS first station tech.
- Christopher J Cox