6 March 2011
They just won't go away!
Today was the team's last Sunday in Eureka! Unfortunately, the low pressure
system that moved into the area yesterday has remained firmly in place
leading to cloudy conditions. The vortex has remained in a similar position
and shape as yesterday, with the large end of the pear or tear-drop shape
centered on Greenland. This larger end of the vortex also remains extended
over Ellesmere Island. The region of low temperature and low ozone total
column values, as reported by Environment Canada, is to the east of Eureka
over Greenland and the Norwegian Sea.
Due to cloudy conditions, the FTS instruments were not able to measure
today. However Joseph was able to install the pressure sensor software on
the Bruker 125 HR computer as well as the files for the laser sampling ghost
tests required for TCCON measurements. Lin and Joseph spent the remainder
of the day working on data analysis.
Xiaoyi and Cristen re-re-refocused the PEARL-GBS in the hatch and analyzed
some UT-GBS lab tests While the UT-GBS and SAOZ continued to take zenith-sky
ozone/NO2 measurements. For Volodya, the allure of Sunday brunch and the
fact that everything seems to be working well (and also because all Brewer
computers and the SPS laptop are accessible remotely) provided enough
justification to stay at the Weather station all day and enjoy the quiet
working environment in his room. SPS is making more and more direct-sun
observations, but the weather is not cooperating and the sun is rarely in
clear view.
This evening, Jane and John launched another Raven balloon ozonesonde. It
was another great flight reaching 7.3 hPa (or 30 063m).
Felicia