Updates from EastGRIP from the ice2ice team!

The first set of ice2ice scientists arrived on the Greenland Ice Sheet last week and are now busy working from the EastGRIP camp.

After transferring through Kangerlussuaq, where we spent a few days packing pallets for the Hercules and making sure all our personal equipment was in order, we flew with the Air National Guard to EastGRIP. The science camp is situated in the northeastern corner of the ice sheet, on one of the fastest flowing ice streams in Greenland, responsible for ~18% of the total drainage.

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Saying goodby to Eliza who will be the Field Operations Manager (FOM) at Kangerlussuaq
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The new team ready to depart Kangerlussuaq with the Air National Guard Hercules (LC130) to EastGRIP
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The new team ready to depart Kangerlussuaq with the Air National Guard Hercules (LC130) to EastGRIP.
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The June EastGRIP crew in front of the dome!
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Main street in camp
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Iben on arrival EastGRIP
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Kerim happy to find his flag at EastGRIP
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Helen’s first steps on the Greenland ice sheet.

In camp we were greeted by a happy gang of scientist,  technical staff and a cook, all from different corners of the world. On the first day after arrival everyone was fully engaged in daily camp duties as well as setting up all the scientific equipment and experiments.

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Iben and Helen celebrating completion of the foundations of the drill trench with Trevor and Dennis
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The Underhills of EastGRIP and the entrance to the extensive underground science and drilling trenches
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Hans-Christian explaining the water vapor tent lab to Niccolo
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Helen preparing the water vapor tower.
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View from camp toilet
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Iben found the 2012 melt layer in the bottom of the new camp toilet hole

Highlights so far include erecting a mast to measure turbulent fluxes of oxygen isotopes, sampling surface snow and measuring accumulation, preparing the ski way for planes, building the foundations for the deep ice core drill and digging a new toilet (reaching as far down as the 2012 melt layer!).

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Niccolo and Kerim drilling the shallow core from a 2m snow pit
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Anders and Iben ready to receive the drill containing the first ice core section from Niccolo
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Niccolo getting ready to drill a new shallow ice core in camp
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Iben and Helen getting ready to sample snow
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Introducing Norwegian skis for efficient snow sampling at EastGRIP
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Kerim out marking the 1km snow transect for sampling
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Iben sampling at 1cm and 6cm for measurements of water isotopes

During the next days we will traverse to the edge of the ice stream to drill a few short cores as well as start on the main EastGRIP core (expected to reach 100m this season) at the location of the camp. Everyone is looking forward to many days of exiting science and fun on the ice!

Kerim, Iben, Helen, and Niccolo