August 1, 2018

Aliens at EGRIP

Vapor drone over camp.

Six times today we have been ‘invaded’ by the vapour drone. The drone collects data on humidity and temperature up to an elevation of 500 m at EGRIP. The drone is also equipped with flasks for vapour sampling and this will be included later. The drone is operated in the clean snow area so if it would crash it would be outside the camp area.

What we did today:

1. One run (763) evening of Tuesday – no core
2. Main core logged to 1675.53 m.
3. Processing bag 3028 in the science trench.
4. Measurements in isotope laboratory to. bag 2560 (final bag 2018).
5. Measurements in physical properties to bag 2936.
6. Water vapour sampling and measuring.
7. Straightened the side walls in the new storage balloon garage and enlarged the entrance to increase storage capacity.
8. Repaired Bastu on Pistenbully

Ad 1. Both the EGRIP and the NEEM electronics failed. It turned out that the pressure chamber of the NEEM electronic section was full of drill liquid. It was emptied, dried and repaired and after midnight it was operational again.

Ad 4. After a skype conference with Boulder it was decided to stop the measurements for the 2018 season. There are too many disturbances and bad measurements. It is better to solve this and wait with the ice that contains glacial DO events.

Weather: Overcast or broken clouds all day.  Temperatures between -12ºC and -6ºC. The wind was between 0 and 4 kt, mainly from 135T.

Camp population: 32

FL, Dorthe Dahl-Jensen

Vapor drone being controlled

Straightening of the walls in the new storage balloon trench

Snow blocks from the new storage balloon trench