The view is beautiful as we sample snow each morning. We travel about ½ mile from our satellite camp to get to our sampling location. We gather up our collection jars and load it in a sled. We take turns dragging the sled.
Kevin McMahon enjoys the beauty of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Photo by Hannah James.
As you read in my last journal entry, we are looking at aerosols (or tiny particles) that are floating in the air and falling on the snow.
Kevin McMahon is collecting snow samples that will later be tested for elemental carbon and organic carbon. Photo by Hannah James.
We then take the samples back to the Tomato so that the snow can melt. Once we have liquid water, we pour the water over a filter to trap any small particles. These filters will go back to Georgia Tech to be analyzed. We have observed that the filter has been a light grayish color for the last two days. We are curious to find out what type of particles are making the filter turn gray but we will have to be patient until we get back to Georgia Tech.
Kevin McMahon is measuring the mass of the melted snow and then will pour the water through a filter to trap particles. Photo by Hannah James.
Go to the “Ask The Team” section and let us know your hypotheses about what might be turning our filters gray.