3 August, 2002

Greetings......

Today, I helped Tim Alessi, an REU student from the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh on his project again. We took sediment samples from two different kettle lakes the the forest covered area he is studying. The sediment samples will be analyzed once he gets back to school. He will be looking for and pollen in the samples. The types of pollen at different levels in the sediment will reveal information regarding the types of plants in the area at the time those sediments were deposited.

The sediment samples were collected by driving a 2 inch diameter tube down through the water of the kettle lakes into the sediment. The top was then sealed creating a vacuum, which held the sediments as the tube was pulled out. Once out of the lake, the sediments were pushed out of the tube and placed on a sheet of aluminum foil to dry.

Dr. Baker returned this afternoon from Anchorage, and we took a hike up Lionšs Head Rock. It is a large rock outcrop that rises about 1000 ft. above the glacier. The views from the summit were spectacular and presented an incredible opportunity for picture taking. I have attached one to prove my point.

Life Is Good,

DT

Looking in a southeasterly direction from the top of Lion's Head Rock up the Matanuska Glacier. Notice the dark stripes on the clean ice. These are medial moraines caused when the debris along the edges of two smaller glaciers unite as the glaciers flow together.