Field Report: Kominko-Slade AWS (WAIS)

Date: 20/Jan/2010

Time:  9:30 am through 12 noon, 1:30 pm through 3:30 pm

Team members:  Matthew Lazzara, Charlie Bentley, Yvonne Gambini, Bradley Simon, Tony Wendricks

Measurements to the surface (bottom of the following):

Before Tower Raise:

* Delta-T #1:         21.5 inches (0.55 meters)
* Junction Box:       16.5 inches (0.42 meters)
* Electronics Box:    34.0 inches (0.86 meters)
* Solar Panel:        58.0 inches (1.47 meters)
* Boom:               73.0 inches (1.85 meters)
* Delta-T #2:         18.0 inches (0.46 meters)

After Tower Raise:

* Delta-T #1:          70.0 inches (1.78 meters)
* Junction Box:        80.0 inches (2.03 meters)
* Electronics Box:    102.0 inches (2.59 meters)
* Solar Panel:        145.0 inches (3.68 meters)
* Boom:               160.0 inches (4.06 meters)
* Delta-T #2:          28.5 inches (0.72 meters)
 (or is the air temp for the snow temperature string?)
* Snow temperature
  probe electronics
  enclosure:           48.5 inches (1.23 meters)

Battery voltages:

* Solar Panel: 12.78 volts
* Battery #1:  12.82 volts
* Battery #2:  12.83 volts
* 100 Amp/hr
  battery for
  snow temp:   13.03 volts

UNVACO GPS:  Yes, measured from 9:30 am until 3:30 pm local time.


Work Description:

As can be seen on the photos, this AWS needed raising.  Unfortunately, the tower I brought out had a been bent. Tony Wendricks noticed this before I did, and helped straighten out.  However, putting it on the existing tower proved to be very difficult, regardless.  The existing deadmen were  pretty tight, and the weld of one of the cross bars at the top was cracked through - so with a nipples of the existing tower pointing out and the section I was trying to add on, perhaps if anything pointing in made it seem we would not make this work.  Thanks to using the added tower section as a pipe bender, and some really critical help form Tony Wendricks and Brad Simon (the brand NEW weather observer at WAIS).   Help from Yvonne Gambini, camp doctor and backup meteorological observer and Charlie Bentley (his first AWS visit) made this work out well.  You can now see this AWS from the main camp - and not just from the drilling area (known as the Arch).  One oddity is that there is a delta-T probe on this as well as what seems like another delta-T probe, but I think it is an air temperature probe that goes with the temperature string.  There was also one loose temperature probe on a wire - not sure why. It was left stuck in this "2nd" delta-T/air temperature probe seeming wired with the snow temperature string.  It is now just below the current snow surface. The Shellonics did not work - (just got lots of giggles from Tony Wendricks).  CR1000 program did boot up for the snow temperature string.  Argos transmissions verified and the system is working.