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Playing around with LJ...
This used to be my online home... now more of a mostly-forgotten attic. But it helps to check in every so often, dust the trunks, and make sure my account still is active.
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Overnights in 2016...
A couple of field seasons, several new countries and places were places I laid my head in 2016... 44 different beds in 9 US states and 5 countries ( Read more... ) -
Half-way through...
Today marks the halfway point of another HMP field season, my 18th. It feels familiar... yet continues to change, both in the climate and facility here and the group I'm with. Weather has improved today, clear and a bit warmer. Last week's bad weather left us stranded for 4 days in Resolute, so even though this is the midpoint travel-wise it is ( Read more... ) -
setting up on Devon Island
Well... After a 4 day delay in Resolute, we made it over to Devon Island. Bit of a bumpy landing, but ok. We ate a meal, newbies were oriented, and then as the mist rolled in we pitched our tents. Now we can dry off and get going... No email yet, this is via satphone. -
Still waiting in Resolute...
After being in Resolute since Saturday evening... one planeload ( Read more... ) -
State of being...
Annual physical completed... eyesight 20/30 or 20/40. hearing at 1995 levels, bloodwork results show cholesterol in the 180s, ratios excellent, glucose fine, STIs clear, weight stable, blood pressure still a bit elevated but not enough to flag me. Cleared for another year of extreme environments as well as FAA 3rd class. -
Atacama notes...
Adapt to local work patterns and conditions. Regular meal times were good for coordination. But given the heat (and desiccating wind, starting in the afternoon) we should follow the local examples, work 9-2pm then a 3 hour break before picking up again 5-8pm until dinner. Put most of the effort into the mornings, when the conditions are more ( Read more... ) -
Wrapup of field season...
Just released this afternoon...
NASA Tests Life-Detection Drill in Earth's Driest Place:
http://www.nasa.gov/feature/ames/nasa-tests-life-detection-drill-in-earth-s-driest-place -
Away to South America for a month...
After a few years of reproposing it, last March I received notice that my combined field science/drill/rover tech demo project had won funding. We will deploy and test to the Atacama Desert in Chile, the driest place on Earth, to study ways of drilling down to and detecting microbes in an environment analogous in many ways to parts of Mars. It ( Read more... )