Martin with the IceCube instrument measuring specific surface area of the snow

One of the snow surface measurements made is the specific surface area (SSA) of snow. A sample of the surface snow is taken and the structure of the surface snow is determined (the surface area per unit mass) by laser light reflectance of the surface snow crystals. Martin has taken the instrument out on the surface to make a detailed surface profile.

What have we done today:

1. Resampled snow surface profile in the clean snow area
2. Melted Japanize samples and drilled a 5 m firn core
3. Finalized the trench from the main Dome to the drill trenches for net connection
4. Continued enlarging the logging corridor
5. Started construction of new dome entrance

Weather today: Overcast with spells of sun, light snowfall in the evening. Temperature -11 °C last night increasing to -4 °C during the afternoon. Wind 5 kt from W during night and 10 kt from W during the day.

FL, Dorthe Dahl-Jensen