16 April, 2002

Snow has temperature???? Perhaps, you just believed snow was cold. However, snow acts as a warm blanket. It insulates whatever lies beneath the snow pack from the cold air above. Therefore, the snow closest to the ground will be the warmest layer. The snow on top will be the coldest layer. The temperature of the snow can be measured by using a thermister that is connected to a digital readout. The thermister is placed in the snow and the reading is read on the screen.

The following temperature numbers were taken while doing a snow pit several days ago. Make a line graph, plotting temperature versus height.

Height (cm) Temp (degrees Celsius)

43 -10.4

37 -11.1

33 -9.6

29 -10.8

25 -10.5

20 -9.1

16 -9.0

12 -9.2

7 -7.0

0.0 -6.4

The temperature of the air on this parcticular day was –8.1

degrees Celsius.

WHERE IS MRS. CHEUVRONT??? LET'S PLOT!!!

LATITUDE: 69.03833 degrees North Longitude: 155.61664 degrees West

The difference between "cold" and "extreme cold" is zero degrees Fahrenheit and –30 degrees Fahrenheit. The difference between cold and extreme cold is being able to have exposed hands for minutes compared to seconds before there is pain biting at the skin. The difference between cold and extreme cold is warm bunny boots and icy/frozen bunny boots. The difference between cold and extreme cold is cold nostrils and frozen nose hair. The difference between cold and extreme cold is hair and frost-covered hair.

Life is tougher when it's colder. We have traveled far north above the Arctic Circle. The cold encircles,

envelopes our every action. The same tasks must be accomplished despite the numb-biting, extreme cold. Snow must be melted for water, tents must be erected, therma-rests must be blown up, food must be cooked, power-bars must be thawed, and science measurements must be taken. In the cold, more layers of clothes must be worn. It is essential to have faces covered to keep our skin from getting frostbite. It is a continuous, never-ending task to warm boots to keep your feet and toes from freezing.

More food is consumed. Food is no longer looked upon as tasteful, but is now looked upon as energy. It is the fuel for the inner body furnace. The tedious, multitude science measurements are still accurately collected and recorded. The team still works as one. The team works harder together and more uniformly in the cold.

The day was a long measurement day. A complete site was recorded along with two abbreviated sites. At 6 pm, the cold, long process of Class I chemical sampling began. The cold made the rubber gloves metamphorize into ice-hard objects. Four hours later the samples had been collected, and our bodies were completely chilled.

Camp is set up and hidden in a creek surrounded by immense snowdrifts. These will provide protection against the wind. The body longs for rest in the warm sleeping bags.

Temperature Max: -23 degrees Celsius Temperature Min: -34 degrees Celsius (about –30 F)

Matthew taking temperature measurements in the snowpit.

The blue objects are placed in the layers of the snowpit to record the temperature of the snow layer.

My snowmachine and sled!