MOSAiC Blog: Sights of the Arctic, Part 3

Published: 13 April 2020

Editor’s note: ARM has three technicians—Paul Ortega and John Bilberry, both from Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Dean Greenamyer, Hamelmann Communications—on Leg 3 of the Multidisciplinary Drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) expedition. In early March 2020, the group came aboard the icebreaker R/V Polarstern. Ortega sent back photos from ARM staff and MOSAiC colleagues currently on the Polarstern in the central Arctic.

Glimpse of ice from Kapitan Dranitsyn during MOSAiC — Here is a view from the deck of the Kapitan Dranitsyn in early February 2020 on the voyage to meet the Polarstern. Photo is by John Cassano, University of Colorado, Boulder.

Paul Ortega models a suit during a MOSAiC emergency evacuation exercise — Ortega tries on a suit during an emergency evacuation exercise on the Kapitan Dranitsyn. Photo is by Greenamyer.

John Bilberry in front of a large ridge during MOSAiC — Bilberry stands in front of a large ridge with the Polarstern in the distance. First, a large lead opened up and isolated Met City, where the meteorological instruments are located on the ice. Then the lead closed and created this ridge. Photo is by Ortega.

Paul Ortega taking power cable back to the ship during MOSAiC — Ortega takes some power cable back to the ship on what the team calls a “sledge,” or Nansen sled. The wind chill temperature was minus 45 degrees Celsius (minus 49 Fahrenheit). Photo is by Julia Schmale, Paul Scherrer Institute.

John Bilberry launches a weather balloon during MOSAiC — Bilberry lets a weather balloon fly at 12:30 in the morning. Photo is by Ortega.

Check out past MOSAiC blogs.