Journals 2006/2007

Mike Lampert
West Salem High School, Salem, OR

"Infrasound (low-frequency atmospheric acoustic) monitoring" October 3 - 18, 2006

Journal Index: October 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11             12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18

October 14, 2006
More Work

I am up at 6 am. I try to download pictures for Ihrma in the morning but the internet again does not work (I have not actually seen it work). We head to the site and load the generator for more pressure testing. At H3 the work crew is there. We pressurize the system and again the white caps I put on leak. We tighten them, pressurize and wait half an hour. This time it passes. The crew can begin dumping gravel on the inlets. We pack up and head to H8. I wire up the solar panels. It is another hot day. It takes at least two hours per site. Only one left. We head to H4. I wire up the last one.

Cutting the wire for the enclosures. View full version pop-up.		At the heart of each of the eight elements is a microbarometer for measuring air pressure. This is the actual infrasound detector, all the pipes simply route the air to one of these units. View full version pop-up.		This is just one spoke on one array, shown without the gravel to filter the wind noise. View full version pop-up.

We head back to the CRF to unload. I head back out to H3 to install the capillaries. It takes another hour to do that and it is good to see the crew is still working out there. This is my last day in the forest working. Sunday is a day off and Monday and Tuesday I will spend in Vila. It is kind of sad to say goodbye to the site. It is a remarkable yet simple device, grand in scale and exotic in design and placement. It is kind of cool to say you helped install a listening post for the detection of infrasound. I take one last picture and leave. On the way back I pick up "Arho" an 18 year old dressed in plain brown school clothes. He carries his writing notebook. I ask him if he likes school. He is eager to reply Yes! This kid reminds me of my students at home, I actually wish I could have a chance to teach him because of his bright and eager demeanor. I head back at 2 pm, it is an early quitting time. I wash and do laundry and head for lunch. This time it is pasta, coleslaw and steak. I am tired and rest at the hotel. Tomorrow I will walk the beach. At 10 pm I hear the rain! And a cool breeze blows through town. The city is hushed. The raging loud disco down the street has finally stopped. It should be interesting to see if the city is cleaner tomorrow. I can only imagine what an impassable mud pit the forest roads will become. It is good tomorrow is Sunday.