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Blog Kytalyk 2013: 1 May
Expedition to Chokurdakh (Sakha Republic) 23 April - 5 May 2013
1 May, Kytalyk
Finalizing the set up of the flux tower at the "tundra" site. Luca Belelli (above) connects the wirings of fine wire thermocouples, Ron Lootens (below) takes care of the battery bank. (Photo: R. Petrov)Sustained winds from the east reshaped the landscapes by forging continuously new snow dunes. A new snow rolling wave seems to be braking against the window of the kitchen. The wall of the banya, looking east, is entirely covered by snow providing precious insulation if we are luck enough to get the time to have a sauna.
In the morning I accompanied Ko and Kostia to the lake tower to collect some ice samples from the lake and to check that new tower is functioning properly. Along the way I noticed that the wind had removed snow from larger areas of the river bank.
The majority of the work to be carried out today takes place at the old tundra tower and involves setting up the eddy covariance system. The increasing wind makes climbing the Generic Viagra tower frame quite uncomfortable, especially when performing delicate tasks such as connecting small wires. However it is done, and in the late afternoon the tundra tower is up and running.
In the evening we receive the daily weather forecast, the wind is expected change to a southerly direction and bring warmer temperatures of +2oC for tomorrow and +7 oC for the following day!!
This prompts us to organise an slightly earlier than expected return to Chokurdakh.
Ice lake sampling (Photo: L. Belelli)Before going to sleep we have the first and last banja of the trip, after becoming accustomed to the cold during the past week I cannot stand the build up of heat in my body due to the banja, before dressing I step outside into the snow for a few minutes in my bare feet. But just a few minutes.
Luca