June 16+17, 2018

Departing kites, a great party, and another visible ash layer

Departing kite-skier Saturday morning. 1000 km to go. We wish you good wind.

Saturday morning we said goodbye to our Norwegian visitors that were carried away on a good northerly wind. Saturday, work continued all over camp until 4 pm. For Saturday night, Madalena, Kerim, Erik, Damiano, and Camilla had prepared a lovely 3-course menu that we all enjoyed in the stardust of main domes newly installed mirror ball (we believe this ball raises the camp rating to five stars even without a sauna). Later the dome turned into the hottest night club on the ice cap. Sunday morning, the Dome was still standing, camp slowly came back to life, and Kevin and Camilla treated us with excellent brunch including homemade Kærnemælkskoldskål (popular Danish dish made of buttermilk) that was new to many. On Sunday, another visible ash layer showed up in main core close to 1140 m drillers’ depth. This is very close to the expected depth of the Saksunarvatn ash layer. Therefore, the other visible layer we saw last Thursday is likely not to be Saksunarvatn, but rather another ash layer or even a dust layer. To be investigated. If Saksunarvatn is in today’s core, then we would expect to hit glacial ice close to 1250 m depth.
For more info on the firn gas project and camp life in general, visit Thomas Röckmanns blog: https://egrip2018tr.sites.uu.nl/

What we did Saturday and Sunday:

1. Deep drilling 16.79 m. Drillers’ depth 1143.68 m.
2. Firn gas drilling sampling to depth 52.0 m
3. Ice core processing bags 1566 – 1606, final depth: 883.30 m
4. Measurements in isotope laboratory, final depth: 631.95 m
5. Measurements in physical properties laboratory, final depth 794.20 m
6. Logging and cutting of this years’ brittle ice 954.62 – 998.62 m
7. Water vapour sampling and measuring.
8. Saying goodbye to Norwegian kite-skiers Saturday morning
9. Celebrating Saturday night

Weather: Saturday mostly blue sky, Sunday mostly overcast with the sun occasionally breaking through. Temp. -13 ºC to -20 ºC. Wind: 4-14 kt from NW. Visibility: Mostly good, but varying. Sunday low contrast.

FL, Anders Svensson

Scientists spending a long time on the ice adapt strange habits.

Abby on a quiet Sunday morning.

Saturday night dream-team cooks: Erik, Camilla, Nikol, and Kerim.

Celebrating the new visible ash layer in the loggers cabin: Matthias, Nicolas, Emilie, Nikol, Erik, Eliza, Damiano, Tobi, Valerie, Richard, Ernst, the big paper towel, and the ice core.