The probe. Picture: L.Viitanen, AWI. The second of my tasks on Samoylov is conducting a small scale lake measurement campaign by using a new probe from the station here. This probe can conduct continuous measurements to many hundred meter depth and can give thus information on the vertical water body.

I will take a profile of five different lakes here on Samoylov and conduct repeated measurements in one of them in order to collect data on possible changes in the profile both between the lakes and also between time scales (though very short ones).

The probe is quite new and the first step was thus to figure out how it actually works. I was lucky enough to be able to team up with two of our Russian colleagues, Sasha and Olga, who are also doing lake measurements and have used the probe before.

 

Sasha managed the configuration and calibrated the instrument together with Natasha, the station laboratory person. My task ended up only been the actual measuring, which is very easy and straightforward.

Despite being easy, this is work that needs to be done in pairs. No one is allowed to use the rubber boats completely alone and life vests are part of the standard clothing for this type of work. I have had fun days with Sasha and Olga, Waldemar, Josefine and Nana in taking measurements. Here below are some pictures from those days.

 

Sasha on the lake while Olga prepares the samples. Picture: L. Viitanen, AWI	Das Boot. Picture: L.Viitanen, AWI
Getting ready. Picture: L.Viitanen, AWI.	Nana on full speed. Picture: L.Viitanen, AWI.
The working environment here on the island is not bad at all. Picture: L.Viitanen, AWI	Tundra in bloom. Picture: L.Viitanen, AWI.