Journal

Since last weekend we've been busy prepping our IceTop tanks for a first fill on Wednesday morning. To finish them up we need to make sure they're all connected from digital optical modules (DOMs) to surface junctions boxes (SJBs) to the surface cables and then all the way over to the IceCube Lab (ICL). Here are some photos to catch you up:

We were trained to drive the IceCube van
We were trained to drive the IceCube van
The van has snow treads instead of wheels!
The van has snow treads instead of wheels!

Drill camp really got going:

Steamy!
Steamy!
http:// Afterward there was ice on the Palace!
Icy.
Icy.

I saw the trencher making the last cable trenches of the project. It was a big chainsaw and it just cut through the fern layer. http://

Trenches were cut for the rest of the surface cables.
Trenches were cut for the rest of the surface cables.
We pulled the last two cables into the IceCube Lab.
We pulled the last two cables into the IceCube Lab. That's me in the front.
This was the last cable pull team for the last cable EVER
This was the last cable pull team for the last cable EVER. 86 cables total in and up the towers into the ICL.

IceTop moved closer to completion:

James Roth finished FCU testing. Tom Gaisser assisted.
James Roth finished FCU testing. Tom Gaisser assisted.
I helped to install the last freeze control units in IceTop tanks EVER!
I helped to install the last freeze control units in IceTop tanks EVER!
I also helped fish out the last contactor cables through the FCUs.
I also helped fish out the last contactor cables through the FCUs.
You really have to get in the tanks to finish them up.
You really have to get in the tanks to finish them up. Then they're ready to be filled with water.
These lucky DOMs are suspended in water and getting frozen in!
After we filled the tank I shot these lucky DOMs suspended in water and getting frozen in! It didn't take long for a layer of ice to build on the surface but below we're pumping out dissolved gases and monitoring the volume carefully to make crystal clear ice.
I'm documenting our work so it's official.
I'm documenting our work so it's official.

In other news, the cover of the ICL tower was restored to it's place.

A big crane lifts and sets the cover back on the ICL.
A big crane lifts and sets the cover back on the ICL.
The whole time it was pretty cloudy. http://

We saw a neat halo:

A halo, an atmospheric phenomenon.
A halo, an atmospheric phenomenon. The sun is behind the flag. Photo credit: Chris Elliott

Finally, I hosted my first live event here yesterday. I spoke over the phone while participants listened and saw a slide show presentation that I put together. The next live event will be Monday, December 6th at 12:15 PM EST. Everyone is invited, schools too! Please register on the main "Overview" page of this website. Thanks!

I hosted my first live event from the pole.
I hosted my first live event from the pole.

Details
Author
Katey Shirey
Date
Expedition
IceCube In-ice Antarctic Telescope 2010
Weather Summary
This week was much cloudier than last week.
Temperature
-36

View Comments

Comments