Lightning radar day

July 7th, 11:29pm

We began the day with a discussion on fossils, focusing on the small fish fossils found commonly here in Kangerlussuaq. Although Skipper and Rikke led the talk, everyone contributed with questions and commentary. Even Kasper, who hates rocks and everything to do with them (for example: instead of saying, 'you rock', he says, 'you plant'), had a few things to say on the subject. The laid-back atmosphere of our classroom made paying attention so easy; I've realized over the past couple of days that I learn more quickly when I'm being talked with rather than talked at, and I think many of my classmates would agree. Our teachers give us structure and guidance, but it doesn't feel like we're being held captive to learn. 

We then went to the airport's weather station for a lecture on meteorology. It was actually fairly interesting; the meteorologist showed us how she interprets satellite images from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to gauge the safety of air travel. It struck me just how different her job is from the work of other scientists we've met. While they dissect known information to formulate new ideas, she evaluates new information in the constant pursuit of certainty, of safety. It's an inverse relationship I imagine looking something like this: Known <-- Research --> Unknown. I'm sure any type of science works in both directions, but if I had to choose I'm not sure which I'd prefer. 

Our weather lecture

Anyways, the main point of the meteorologist's lecture was that while automated forecasts are technically correct, it takes skill to be able to give value to those forecasts. It's comforting to know that technology hasn't made us humans completely unnecessary yet, even with something as precise as weather. 

We stopped at HQ for a quick lunch, then drove to a dusty, wide plain lining the fjord where our teachers claimed there were tons of fish fossils. Coincidentally, the area was right behind the airport- and more importantly, very near the sledgedog pens! Ten-month-old puppies ran out to greet us as soon as we stepped out of the trucks, and though Rikke told us not to pet them (after all, we were there for science), I think everyone broke down and hugged a puppy before we started walking. Four of the puppies even followed us to the plain, where they helped us search for fossils. 

Puppies! The sledgedog pens are to the distant left, behind Skipper and Josephine

As it turned out, there were tons of fossils lying around. It was easy to distinguish them from regular rocks because the fossils were smoother, more spherical, and had different coloration. Samantha found a full fish imprint right away, which we were both very excited about; I grew steadily less excited as time passed and I wasn't finding one. However, I did find smaller fossils, among them a fish vertebrae, fin, and head. To my delight, I also dug up a rusty hunk of metal and a shell casing, which Lynn said were probably remnants from WWII. 

Samantha's fish. Note the vertebrae

Metal-thing

Later, my group video-taped me as I gave some background on our fish fossils. About 8000 BP (Before Present, or before 1950), the sea level in Kanger was much higher than it is today. In fact, the entire area was underwater. However, the ice sheet began to retreat slowly toward the center of the continent, which had two main consequences. ... Firstly, the melting ice reduced pressure on the continent, causing it to gradually rise above sea level (much like holding a toy boat underwater and then letting it bob to the surface, but of course over the span of thousands of years). This forced the water to flow off of the land and back into the ocean. Secondly, the moving glaciers pushed sediment down into the fjord, which rapidly covered the remains of small fish and shells, essentially trapping them. Those stranded fish skeletons eventually formed fossils. 

Fossil hunting

Michael's amazing finds

We were just getting back into our trucks at the sledgedog pens when Britta started talking in an awful baby-voice to the puppies. The ensuing conversation went something like this:

Gracie: If I were a  dog, I'd be terrified of you.

Britta: Well, my dog likes it. He's deaf.

I'm going to miss my teachers here so much. 

After fossils, we went to Kellyville, a small research facility on the outskirts of Kanger, to learn more about radar, solar flares, and the Northern Lights. As we drove up the rolling mountains to Kellyville, I wondered where exactly the research facility was hidden, but then I saw an enormous satellite dish poking above the top of a hill and immediately I knew. The dish was very animated, rotating and tilting as we pulled up to the tiny building next to it. Kasper told us that the researchers were just trying to show off, and that we should act impressed- but I certainly wasn't acting as I stared up at the massive structure in awe.   

We went inside the facility, which was also home to several of the scientists who worked there. (In fact, all of the researchers who work at Kellyville LIVE in Kellyville with their families, which I think is outstanding and probably a little crazy.) We then listened to a scientist present on radar ... in his living room, from couches and a dining table. In hindsight, I was glad that I had to sit at the table; some of the students -and teachers- started to doze off in their comfy couch seats. It had been a long day and we were all tired, but many of us were still conscious enough to learn about radar and its relation to solar flares/the Northern Lights. The best part of Kellyville, however, was a tour of the facility. Groups Umimak and Tuttu went first, while Nanoq and Ukaleq waited until they returned. 

While we were waiting, I introduced myself to a radar specialist who had been listening to the lecture at the table next to me. I saw an opportunity in this man to test myself: was I confident enough, did I have enough questions, could I hold an intellectual conversation with an adult whom I had never met before? I swallowed my nerves, and we ended up having a nice little chat. He was from California -a fellow American!- and was headed to Summit station to repair some equipment there. Like me, it was his first trip to Greenland, but he'd been to several other countries before to make similar equipment repairs. We talked about the radio and how important it is- and he told me about how his opinions on what could be changed to make a more efficient worldwide radio system. Eventually it was my group's turn for a tour, so our discussion came to an end. 

Although Kellyville is small, it's loaded with all kinds of equipment. Of course there's the enormous satellite dish out in front of the building; this emits a thin laser beam every night and records radar data. Apparently the beam poses a risk to pilots' night vision, so the researchers at Kellyville have to be careful not to use the radar when they know planes are flying overhead. We also walked past one tall, blue machine several times during our tour, which crackled faintly. The crackling noise was actually lightning from all over the world, which the sensitive sensors at Kellyville are able to pick up. Last but not least, the researchers also use a huge computer from the 1960's, which our guide assured us had been modified in the last 50 years. I was so impressed with all of the technology in the facility; it hit me then just how amazing humans are and how far we've come. We shoot lasers into the sky. We can hear lightning across the planet. ...And all of this technology has been developed in the last century! What's next?

Lightning machine. 

1960's computer

After Kellyville, we had dinner at the airport again, which was delicious. We had beef with french fries and a salad, straying into familiar American territory. Britta and I inhaled our fries and then spent a significant portion of dinner eyeing Lynn's, lying uneaten to the right of her plate. As we soon found out, Lynn was saving her fries for last. Britta and I are planning on buying a muskox burger tomorrow so that we can have those delicious freedom fries again!

We had to rest of the night to work, and I am glad to say that the sea tomato video is 99.9% finished. I'm really starting to dislike sea tomatoes at this point. 

Takuss!