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Greenland Atmospheric Studies

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Meet the Team

Teacher - Craig Beals

Craig Beals's picture
Billings Senior High
Billings , Montana
United States

Craig Beals has spent countless hours chasing game, camping in the mountains, and fly-casting for rainbow trout while growing up in Montana. These experiences gave him an early appreciation for nature and a passion for the outdoors, which continues today. Upon graduating from Montana State University with a degree in Biology, Mr. Beals took a teaching position at Billings Senior High School to teach Earth Science where he continues to share his fervor for the outdoors and his enthusiasm for science with young people. Mr. Beals also makes sure to enjoy the simple things in life including his family, friends, and beloved dog, “Danger”. He lives by the motto, “If you are going to clap, make some noise”. He hopes that his PolarTREC experience will enable him to be immersed in practical, purposeful science.

Researcher - Barry Lefer

Barry Lefer's picture
University of Houston
Houston , Texas
United States

Barry Lefer is an assistant professor in the Department of Geosciences at the University of Houston in Texas. He earned an M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of New Hampshire and worked at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado before moving to Houston. His research has included several aspects of air quality and climate change. He worked with PolarTREC teacher Jo Dodds at Summit in 2007 and believes that there is nothing better than first hand personal experience to get students involved and excited about science.

Journals

September 2, 2008: Reflection

September 1, 2008   This is the end…   My wind chapped and sun cracked nose has finally healed.  Family barbeques and fresh garden vegetables are helping me pack the 15 lost pounds back onto my frame.  The heat of summer continues to remind me of cool nights at Summit Camp.   It took a while for me...

July 14, 2008 – Monday – Finding my way home

July 14, 2008 – Monday – Finding my way home There’s no place like home… Packing up equipment and long travels have left me weak and worn, but I after 2 nights sleep in a MY BED, I am refreshed once again, and I wanted to take time to fill you in on the trip home! So, settle in, this is fixin’ to...

July 12, 2008 - Saturday - Homebound

July 12, 2008 - Saturday - Homebound Sorry there has been no communication from me in several days.     I have made it from Summit to Kangerlussuaq to Scotia, NY and now I am finally in the airport in Albany, NY...waiting for the next plane to take me to Minneapolis...then...finally to...

July 9, 2008 - Wednesday - Saying my Goodbyes

July 9, 2008 - Wednesday - Saying my Goodbyes   We have been breaking down and moving equipment for 17 hours!     In 4 hours, I will be up and readying my gear to leave the ice sheet.  I would write more, but I am worn to the bone.   Tomorrow afternoon we should arrive in...

July 8, 2008 – Tuesday -Teachers at Summit

  July 8, 2008 – Tuesday -Teachers at Summit   The next few journals might be a little shorter than usual.  We are feverishly tearing down equipment in order to have everything packed and ready by Wednesday evening.      Today we were lucky enough to welcome several teachers and...

Project Information

Radical Chemistry over Sunlit Snow, Summit Greenland
Summit, Greenland
1 June 2008
12 July 2008

Where are They?

The team traveled to Summit Station, located at the peak of the Greenland ice cap atop 3200 m of ice. Summit is a scientific research station sponsored by the National Science Foundation that supports a diversity of scientific research, including year-round measurements of air-snow interactions that provide crucial knowledge for interpreting data from deep ice cores drilled both at Summit and elsewhere. Learn more about Summit at the Summit Station website.

What are they Doing?

As snow falls, it carries whatever is in the air with it into the snowpack. Over the past decade, scientists have learned that the chemicals that accumulate in the snow over the long, dark arctic winter react rapidly when they are exposed to the sun in the spring. These sunlight-driven reactions (photochemistry) in snow release a number of pollutants to the lower atmosphere. A team of scientists was working at Summit, Greenland to find out how snow photochemistry affects the composition of the snow and the atmosphere above it by sampling and analyzing reactive chemicals in the snow and in the air, measuring the sunlight in the snowpack, and determining physical properties of the snow.

Vocabulary

Photochemistry

The chemistry of the effects of light on chemical systems.

Pollutants

Substances that have a harmful effect on human and/or ecosystem health when present in high enough concentrations in water, air, or soil