Welcome to the Pratt Lab blog! Dr. Kerri Pratt is an assistant professor in the Departments of Chemistry and Earth & Environmental Sciences and faculty associate of the Program in the Environment at the University of Michigan. We study the chemical interactions of atmospheric trace gases, particles, clouds, and snow, with a focus on the Polar Regions and wintertime environments. Our interdisciplinary research has relevance to climate change, air quality, and human health. As an analytical chemistry lab, we primarily apply novel mass spectrometry techniques to our field research. We invite you to follow our adventures in (and outside!) the lab!

Saturday, March 5, 2016

Mother Nature is On Our Side!

         As many of the locals and the Barrow NARL regulars continued to tell us, mother nature couldn’t have given Claire, Nate, and I a better trip! After our exceptional day on Tuesday (warm weather, polar bears, and caribou!), we did experience some of the high winds of Barrow on Wednesday, preventing us from heading out onto the sea ice on the snowmobiles. Despite this, we still headed out to the ‘cake eater’ lab where Angela Raso (check out her blog! ---> Snowkidding.blogspot.com) is doing her PhD research on fluxes of halogen species from the snow pack. There, we had the chance to collect samples of the tundra snow!
Using the power lines to find our way back to the lab...
           On Thursday, blessed with another full day of low winds and good visibility, we headed back out on the Atlantic ocean! Although we didn’t see any bears or caribou, we did get lots and lots of snow! With two days of practice behind us, we were seasoned snow collectors. We had become so efficient, that we managed to stop and take transects at five different locations! Our coolers are filling up quick!
           Video of us snow machining on the sea ice

       Friday, our last day, was forecast to have 25 mph winds and thus extremely uncomfortable temperatures. Dejected, we sat in our hut most of the morning. Productive as we were organizing all our pictures and records, we could not have been happier to get a surprise call from Dr. Pratt informing us that the conditions had dramatically improved! It was as if the sun came out just for us! We rushed out to the sea ice to get our last round of samples and to say goodbye to the beautiful Alaskan winter landscape. What an experience this has been.
PhD student Nate May, freshman Alicia Kevelin (me!), and freshman Claire Mattson
In all, we collected just under 100 snow samples! We could not have had a better turn out, and next year’s Chem 125- Authentic Research in Snow Chemistry students have a boatload of knowledge to gain from these sample analyses. With 8 full transects (including depth profiles) of snow samples extending from land to the very edge of Elson Lagoon, two full transects on actual ‘sea ice’, and both vertical and perpendicular (to wind) transects of tundra snow, students will clearly be able to see the changing snow chemistry and factors that influence it.
Personally, though, I just can’t wait to analyze these samples with ion chromatography! I have seen countless chloride, bromide, and sodium concentrations, numerous pH readings, and too many ion ratios to count, but I have never gotten to be on the other side- to reap the benefits of my own hard labor. Essentially going from start to finish, connecting all the dots. This is the closest I have ever gotten to making a real impact, and the feeling is much more exhilarating than I could have ever imagined. I am incredibly grateful that Dr. Pratt and our funders (Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan Program in the Environment, University of Michigan Arctic Internships, and National Science Foundation) made such an enormous effort to make this happen. As I am finally getting to make my mark on the world, this trip has sure made its mark on me.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)