23 April, 2002

Bundled up in warm clothes but dealing with cold, latex gloves and Ziploc bags – Class 2 Chemical Sampling. There have been two types of chemical sampling done on the traverse; Class 1 and Class 2 chemical sampling. Class 1 chemical sampling was discussed in previous journals. Recall the white tyvek suit and sampling that could take 5 hours. Class 1 and class 2 are sampling for different components. Tomorrow's lesson will deal with the purpose of Class 2 sampling. But for now…… How is this cold sampling performed???

The warm mittens must be put aside and exchanged for a cold pair of thin, latex gloves. One person takes a plastic dustpan and cuts through the snow. The plastic dustpan can be difficult to work with in hard layers of snow. It must be plastic so no containments from a metal shovel will be deposited in the snow. This person then takes a plastic scooper and carefully removes spoonful-by-spoonful snow from the different layers in the pit. The snow is then deposited in triple plastic bags. A second person that is also wearing latex gloves labels the plastic bags with a sharpie marker. The date that the snow was collected is recorded along with the depth of the snow layer sampled. The hands can become frigid working with the latex gloves and the small Ziploc bags.

These samples sealed in plastic bags are later shipped back to Fairbanks for the chemical testing.

Approximately 15 Class 2 chemical samples were collected along the traverse. They were collected from the beginning in Council, at one of the highest peaks in the Brooks Range and along the coastal plains of Atqasuk. Why collect snow in plastic bags????? Find out tomorrow!

WHERE IS MRS. CHEUVRONT??? LET'S PLOT!!! Still in Atqasuk!!

LATITUDE: 70.47963 degrees North Longitude: 157.41816 degrees West

Science happens much easier from a warm house. Instead of departing each morning from a cold tent, we have been departing from a warm house. It's easier to move in the morning when everything is warm instead of frozen. Simple daily tasks are accomplished faster. Life is easier. Science becomes easier when a warm house awaits your arrival.

Glen and I performed the last Class 1 Chemical sampling. Full sites and abbreviated sites were completed. A warm house awaited us when work was finished at 10 pm.

Temperature min: -22 degrees Celsius Temperature max: -14 degrees Celsius

The snow samples are stored in plastic bags and labeled appropiately. Latex gloves are worn to prevent contamination of the samples.

Glen uses a plastic scooper to remove the snow from the different layers.