May 23, 2018

Last cleaning up and final checks before ice core processing begins

A few days ago: Sverrir, Jens Jakob and Ståle place the lid back on the reconstructed, now 8 m deep, elevator shaft.

Very few details remain before the entire ice core processing line is ready. We hope to begin ice core processing tomorrow. All persons have been briefed on their work stations and only last calibrations remain.
The water vapour sampling site has run into problems as a brand new isotope machine is faulty. As luck would have it, another isotope machine was sent up last week by accident, and now this machine can serve as a kind of replacement, although it doesn’t measure the same number of parameters. But, as the old Danish saying goes: “You got to help yourself where you can, the old crone said, as she was wiping the table with a kitten”. The drillers have decided to add to the drill trench. By cutting away a section of the side wall, they made room for another table.

What we did today:

1. Removing 40 cm from side wall of drill trench to make room for long drill.
2. Calibrating the last instruments in science trench.
3. Setting up in isotope warm laboratory is completed.
4. Servicing PARCA Twin Otter project. PARCA station at EGRIP downloaded.
5. Internet is working so fine that the IP-telephone system works.
6. The water vapour sampling and measuring project has had a setback.
7. The brand new isotope machine is faulty. A replacement will be sent.
8. Surface snow sampling.
9. Cleaning up camp after flight yesterday.

Ad.4: The PARCA station recorded a temperature of -42.5 °C at 06.00 on May 8. This is the coldest temperature in memory during a put-in. Also, the station recorded a storm in February of 30 m/s sustained over one hour. That probably blew the window in the main dome out.
Ad.5: EGRIP camp can now be reached by +45 7734 7444 ext. 401 (field leader) ext. 402 common room.

Weather: Fine all day. Temp. -19 °C to -31 °C.  Wind: 10 kt to 14 kt from SW. Visibility: Unrestricted.

FL, J.P. Steffensen