I started at 7.15, with some coffee. I had a look at yesterday’s data (SPME of snow & air) and compared it to MilliQ and instrument baseline runs. Not much to say about identity and concentrations yet (with standard runs missing), but while the instrument baseline is much lower, the MilliQ is similar in peak intensity. Some peaks, however are different – or significantly more intense in the sample runs. So I think I will be able to see something.
I have also set-up the MOUDI so that it is ready to use – same for the bio-sampler. I am ready to head out again, which I did right after breakfast – to the SST, the special studies trailer, the site off the GAW Lab. It has a nice roof for setting up equipment with lots of power outlets inside and on the deck. I set-up shop there and indeed the power came up quickly. Still a bit chilly, I did a bit of cleaning and set up my gear. I also started adsorption of SPME fibres (air and snow).
After a while, however, there were periodic power outages (every 2 min 50 sec and I had to shut down power again, because the GAW lab was affected too. So no MOUDI today. I sampled air into a canister with the battery powered pump, though. When collecting the SPME fibres, the next disappointment – the snow fibre was broken, the air fibre was fine.
To cheer myself up a little bit, I had a look at snow flakes with the microscope that I brought along – stunningly beautiful! I headed back to base in the early evening – missing dinner again. I ran the single fibre and called it a day at 9 pm.
