Greenland 2017

In the Greenland 2017 season, Joshua Elliott and Austin Lines deployed to Summit Station, Greenland for four weeks, using Cool Robot to tow a ground penetrating radar (GPR) system and a custom specific surface area (SSA) instrument in grid patterns over the snow. They spent most of their time in a small camp, a few miles from the NSF base, where they could operate the robot in the undisturbed snow area, collecting data about the compaction rates of the snow over time using 900 MHz and 2.6 GHz GPR antennas as well as about the interaction of the snow surface with the surrounding environment using a shortwave IR camera.

In addition, as fellows in the Joint Science Education Project,  Joshua and Austin then shared their research with high school students from the United States, Denmark, and Greenland during the program’s Science Education Week. During this week, the 20 JSEP students flew to Summit Station where they spent five days learning about the polar science being conducted on station and conducting their own mini-research projects.

 

Late night sun dog behind the Big House at #SummitStation #Greenland

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jul 29, 2017 at 7:54pm PDT

Waterfall/rapids outside of #Kangerlussuaq #Greenland

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jul 28, 2017 at 10:05am PDT

The diesel fueled sauna at Summit was built in the early 90's and was occasionally dragged 30km to the European GrIP camp for parties. I was lucky to capture it silhouetted by a magical sundog after a four hour session with @justjoshin590 #SevenContinentSauna #PopTheNa #polarsaunaproject

A post shared by Austin Lines (@bogan.lines) on Jul 28, 2017 at 6:44pm PDT

The D7E moving snow around to remediate drift. #SummitStation #Greenland

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jul 27, 2017 at 2:18pm PDT

Cool Robot posed in front of the Big House. Winds are expected to peak at 30 knots today, currently around 25. The high winds and drift combined with relatively warm temperatures and sun mean the solar panels are warm enough to melt the snow off them, which refreezes as icicles along their bottom edge. #SummitStation #Greenland #Thayerschool #Dartmouth

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jul 19, 2017 at 6:01am PDT

Some of the only greenery at #SummitStation, looking out toward the rest of camp through one of the plants in the Big House.

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jul 15, 2017 at 8:20pm PDT

Weather balloon launch at Summit Station, Greenland

A post shared by Austin Lines (@bogan.lines) on Jul 7, 2017 at 2:57pm PDT

@bogan.lines drilling a firn core at our field site. Note the stylish duct tape nose guard to stay safe from the sun (credit – me)

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jul 7, 2017 at 12:40pm PDT

@bogan.lines immediately after climbing out of the snow pit. #SummitStation #Greenland

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jul 30, 2017 at 2:45pm PDT

Cool Robot immobilized in drift. It was toward the end of an otherwise successful 3.5 km drive. It was 5-10 minutes between when it stopped and when I reached it by ski, you can see the drift that had already started to build up in front of it. Wind blown snow is a near constant presence here, something that is taken into account whenever parking a vehicle or deciding how to place a tent. You can see Cool Robot's sleigh bells that let us know when it's near. Also note the Big Red Button, an off button/safety feature for all robots big enough that you wouldn't want them running into you.

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jul 2, 2017 at 8:20am PDT

Looking out onto the ice sheet, mostly blue skies and snowing. #Greenland #SummitStation #ThayerSchool #Dartmouth

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jun 29, 2017 at 11:12am PDT

Loaded up the sleds to tow everything out into the undisturbed snow zone. It's where we'll be making measurements for the next three weeks. #AmundsenIsMyCopilot #Greenland #SummitStation #Dartmouth #ThayerSchool

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jun 28, 2017 at 1:41pm PDT

We were having a lot of mobility trouble with the robot in the first couple days at Summit Station. It had been here before, but only when the snow was more compacted/weathered (less fluffy). Our solution was to fabricate grousers out of bamboo halves and screw them onto the rubber tire. The results are excellent! We have much better mobility and haven't gotten stuck on any of the terrain we were having trouble with before (though we were still able to get it stuck by driving it straight into a massive snow drift at the edge of camp). #builtnotbought #SummitStation #Greenland #ThayerSchool #Dartmouth

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jun 27, 2017 at 6:47am PDT

Posing for photos while our robot attempts to do science. Photo credit @bogan.lines. Zipper pull credit @raggedmtequip. #ThayerSchool #Dartmouth #Greenland #SummitStation #dressforthejobyouwant

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jun 25, 2017 at 1:39pm PDT

Roald Amundsen watching over camp at Summit Station, Greenland

A post shared by Austin Lines (@bogan.lines) on Jun 25, 2017 at 2:58am PDT

The LC-130 that dropped us off at Summit. The skis enable it to take off from snow runways like the one here.

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jun 23, 2017 at 10:31am PDT

Cockpit of the LC-130 heading to #SummitStation

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jul 30, 2017 at 4:56pm PDT

Spotted today in #Kangerlussuaq. Given the complexity of shipping vehicles here they tend to be kept going longer than in the US. This is a #LandRover Series III, built from 1973-1985.

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jun 21, 2017 at 5:51pm PDT

@bogan.lines hard at work finishing his @lureofthenorth anorak before we head to Greenland.

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jun 20, 2017 at 3:10pm PDT

All night sewing extravaganza with @bogan.lines before we head to Greenland on Wednesday. We might be grad students but we're aiming to be polar explorers #dressforthejobyouwant

A post shared by Joshua Elliott (@justjoshin590) on Jun 19, 2017 at 7:22pm PDT