Thursday, July 5, 2012

Physics is phun! Today was physics day at Kellyville (year-round population of 7). We visited the multi-purpose research station housed in the diminutive town just outside of Kangerlussuaq. The facility has an enormous Incoherent Scatter Radar, which the resident engineers use to collect data for scientists from a variety of backgrounds. The facility also houses a laser and a smattering of other instruments that can be used to collect data and analyze data on the atmosphere, the Aurora, and anything else that may be needed.

The Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR)

The ISR - it's dish is 30 meters in diameter, and it still moves effortlessly to track satellites.

Some other instruments (and Kasper's head)

For reference: I'm 5'10", and the radar is approximately  50 meters away.

When we returned to the field school, Shelly gave us a lesson on interpreting radiographs and how to use them to map a galaxy. I hate to admit it (being more of a "squishy scientist" as Shelly says), but I actually thought the galaxy mapping was pretty fun!

Shynes describing radiographs and galaxy mapping