9 July, 1998

07/09/98 A Day in Barrow

***Up early with breakfast at the NARL (the old Naval Arctic Research Laboratory) cafeteria - A trip out to the DOE's (Department of Energy's) ARM (Atmospheric Radiation Measurement) facility with Chris Savok and director Phil Utley - tour of NOAA's (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) CMDL (Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory) with director Dan Endres - Lunch at Northern Lights Café (optimistic fortune cookies for Tim and Aaron) - Chris Savok provides a whale blubber and skin snack - a quick nap - E-mail and computer trials - a walk on the northernmost U.S. beach - dinner at Arctic Pizza with more great conversation with Anne Jensen. ***

We visited DOE's ARM facility with quick-witted, informative director Phil Utley. This facility was first brought on line this spring and is monitoring atmospheric moisture, clouds and heat. The overall purpose of this facility is to look into climate change. Phil gave us a complete tour and we got the chance to see and hear about most of his instruments. From ARM Phil took us up the road to NOAA's CMDL (Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory) where we met with its director, Dan Endres. Dan has been here for over a decade and is looking at both aerosols and the smaller condensation parcticles in the atmosphere. His equipment is going through some upgrades so we were able to see both old and new ways to collect this data. Dan was a font of information, and we discussed climate change with him for some time. Early to bed tonight because we travel by small plane to Deering tomorrow - I can't wait.

AARON'S ADDENDUM:

Our last day in Barrow was filled with more excitement. As Tim Conner said, the tours of the different facilities were incredible. It really is neat to see the equipment, and technicians that operate it, in action. I've grown up hearing about all sorts of different climate and weather facts and news, and to see the actual instruments and facilities that are used to compile that information was fascinating. Anybody can set up a rain guage and an anemometer, but the official facilities are very impressive.

I've got to comment on the food, not only in Barrow, but Alaska itself. Since coming here we've eaten Thai, Mexican, Chinese, and American. It all started with the Thai restaurant in Fairbanks, which was absolutely outstanding. I can think of few meals that have had that many different and distinct flavors. Then Barrow, where every menu we encountered had a choice of Mexican, Chinese, Italian, and American. The Mexican in Pepe's, the Chinese in Northern Lights, and the burger in Brower's Café were perhaps the best I've had anywhere. Who would have thought such a high quality selection would be available in Barrow Alaska? We just scratched the surface of all that is going on in Barrow,

and it would be so nice to spend some more time here. Tomorrow we are off to Deering to finally begin the archaeology.

ARM facility on the tundra at Barrow.