Field Notes
During, before, and after the field course, Polaris students and faculty share their thoughts through journal entries.
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Patterns of thaw
There is continually frozen ground (permafrost) sitting beneath the Arctic, but each summer, endless sunshine and warming air temperatures heat the soils from above. A fraction of the near surface soil thaws and refreezes every year. This is called the active layer.…
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Hungry Microbes and Future Carbon
We have just returned from a breathtakingly beautiful trip to the tundra! Stay tuned for more project updates from the core team as the internet allows. The arctic is expected to change in many ways so when I arrived in Cherskiy I wanted to design a project that simulates some
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The Process of Science
Science is funny. Over the last few days my project was in a conceptual crisis, then I found that crisis was just what I needed to make it something great. Hopefully I learned a thing or two along the way. My initial project idea revolved around measuring thaw depth at
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Collaboration and a Cold Cave
Spending hours sitting on a case of water bottles in a cold dark room was not quite what I had pictured when I anticipated my month of research in Siberia, however it is where I often find myself. I have become well acquainted with the frozen dirt floors, plethora of
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Finding time to soak it all in
After arriving in Chersky last Friday I have been going practically nonstop. At times it can be difficult to stop and just enjoy the scenery around you.
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Of Mammoths And Men
A few days ago, we found ourselves in the middle of the Pleistocene during a trip to Duvaniy Yar.
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Back from Duvannyi Yar – All Well
The Polaris group has safely returned from their trip to Duvannyi Yar. Details will follow in a few days when the Station again has an internet connection.
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The research begins
Ellen and Heidi begin their field experiment transplanting moss and lichen patches looking for changes in soil characteristics, carbon fluxes and microbial composition.
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Science Underway
It has been an incredible experience to witness the Arctic environmental system that I have studied for the past couple years, from my mosquito-free classroom in Worcester, Massachusetts.
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Behold, the Mighty Y4!
Yesterday was our second full day of Arctic exploration. We made the trek to the watershed of interest for Polaris this year which includes characteristic hill slopes, a few lakes, and a deep flowing stream.
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Flyin’ Solo
Reading the travel posts of my core group friends, both old and soon to be, I fondly remember the anticipation and excitement that grew within our group as we (slowly) approached our dramatic landing in Cherskii. Needless to say, I'm a little nostalgic.
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Cherskiy At Last
After a marathon bout of travel, the Core Group is settling in and finally enjoying our first few days in Cherskiy.
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Uh oh…looks like it’s going to be a hot couple of days
I’m sitting at the table in the common room before breakfast. Usually I’m up before the students but today there were several sitting glumly watching a kettle boil (apparently unaware of the old axiom). It was hot last night and the new students have yet to develop the door-closing discipline that
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We made it!
It’s amazing how easily we take simple things for granted—say, for example, a flat surface to sleep on. Last night, after 68 hours of traveling, there was nothing I wanted more than to crash in my bunk, and that is precisely what I did.
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