Typical KAIRA

Today's photo has a bit of everything. The LOFAR HBA tiles, the LBA array in the background, Saana dominating the horizon, the storage containers and site area, and our trusty observatory vehicle.

The KAIRA site (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

Kalela

The Biological Station has a few smaller outstations where researchers can stay. The small cottage of "Kalela" is one of these. It is located right at the edge of the main Kilpisjärvi Lake, just across from Pikku Malla and within sight of Saana. It is a really idyllic location.

Pikku Malla as seen from Kalela (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

Saana and the Kalela cottage to the right (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

This is where some of our 2014 summer workers stayed during the repair/maintenance trips to KAIRA.

Saana transmitter

Sticking up from the southern peak of Saana is the local transmitter tower. Mobile communications base station and FM radio transmitter (though probably not the source of our mysterious "dragon teeth" interference problem.) Joona took this photograph from just down the road near the Biological Station.

Saana and the transmitter tower (Photo: J. Keskitalo)

The weather turns

On the 14th October, the weather at Kilpisjärvi turned. We had a fall of snow that didn't go away and the temperature dropped below 0 degrees celsius and has not made it back into the positive temperatures since. Furthermore, on the morning of the first heavy snows, there was a dramatic scene with firery dawn light churning between the sombre mountains and turbulent clouds.

A firery dawn tries to get through cloud and snow. (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

One from the archive...

Recently, I was trawling through the archives looking at some of the early construction photographs. As I flipped through endless images of frames and tiles I came across this gem. I know it is an old photograph, and from completely the wrong time of year, but we never featured it on the web log and it would be a shame to let it stay hidden.

This shot is from after the first winter with the full High-Band Antenna (HBA) array. You can tell it is an early photograph as only the plastic mesh is on the sides of the HBA framesets, rather than the current version which is additionally reinforces with reused timber slats.

First winter for the full KAIRA HBA array. 2013-02-01 12:08 UTC. Photo: M. Postila.

Have a nice weekend!

A view from the slopes

To end the week we have a lovely photograph taken by SGO director, Esa Turunen. This shot was taken from the slopes of Saana, looking south across Kilpisjärvi.

Looking southwards, over the slopes of Saana. (Photo: E. Turunen)

Have a nice weekend, everyone!

The end of May

Just a photograph to end the week... and the month! Next week will be very exciting as we have the official opening ceremony for the station next Thursday. No doubt there will be many updates to the web log during that time so stay tuned.

Today's photograph was taken on the 28th May. It shows the corner of the HBA nearest the RF-container. To the left are the "barracks" and then Saana. To the right of the HBA is Pikku Malla. There is still a tiny amount of snow left on the site, but it won't last long!

Mosaic panorama of the KAIRA HBA - click to enlarge. (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

Have a nice weekend!

Evening glow on Saana

There are occasions when the sunlight catches Saana. With the low elevation, these are always very pretty to see. Although not as nice as one we saw last year, there was another moment in the last week, when the light on the mountain was just lovely.

The last light of the day illuminates Saana (Photo: D.McKay-Bukowski)

Signs of winter

Just a nice photograph to finish the week. This one is of the sign as you head past the custom station. In the distance is Saana Mountain.

The sign to Kilpisjärvi. (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

Have a nice weekend!

The fiery mountain

On the day of the E3D site visit to KAIRA, we were treated to a spectacular sight. Just as we'd finished lunch, we came out to see the last blink of the setting sun catch the snow-covered Saana Mountain in its entirety. All other parts of the landscape were in shadow and gloom and only the mountain was illuminated by the amber rays of the setting sun. Sadly, the tiny little camera in the mobile telephone will not do this justice, but hopefully you get just a small idea of the beauty of the fiery mountain.

Saana, near Kilpisjärvi, Finland. (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

Have a nice weekend!

The dragon!

After yesterday's post about Durin's Day, we couldn't resist but put this one up as well. Actually, to be fair, this photograph was taken a couple of weeks back, but we'll ignore that minor detail.

Aircraft are rare in this part of the world. But there are a few around. This one is one of the float-planes that is based on Kilpisjärvi. It flies the routes between the lakes during the warmer months. On this particular day, it flew in around Saana, arced over the LBA and then eased down over the trees between the customs station and Pikku Malla... not doubt to land on the main lake.

A float plane over KAIRA's LBA. (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

Durin's Day

One evening, as the leaden winter grey skies were gathering to hang heavy over the chill Lappish air, there was a small gap in the clouds. And the light of the setting sun shone through to light up Saana... the lonely mountain.

The lonely mountain, as seen from the KAIRA site.

It reminded me of this passage from an old children's book...

"Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks," read Elrond, "and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the key-hole."
"Durin, Durin!" said Thorin. "He was the father of the fathers of the eldest race of Dwarves, the Longbeards, and my first ancestor: I am his heir."
"Then what is Durin's Day?" asked Elrond.
"The first day of the dwarves' New Year," said Thorin, "is as all should know the first, day of the last moon of Autumn on the threshold of Winter. We still call it Durin's Day when the last moon of Autumn and the sun are in the sky together. But this will not help us much, I fear, for it passes our skill in these days to guess when such a time will come again."

-- J.R.R.Tolkien, "The Hobbit", 1937.

We didn't see any dwarves that day nor, thankfully, any dragons. Yet still this is a magical place; one of the few remaining quiet places in the world. And winter is at hand.

A new view from Saana

A few days back, some of the team went for a hike up Saana Mountain. From near the summit, it is possible to get a good view of the KAIRA site.

The view of KAIRA from Saana. (Photo: A. Jutila)

The grey at the top of the image is actually the water of Siilasjärvi. The buildings to the front left are the Customs Station on the Fenno-Norwegian border. (The actual border is to the right of this image; KAIRA is definitely still in Finnish territory!) At the time this photograph was taken, we were mid-way through the build of the LBA array.

Looking into the KAIRA valley

As you will have no doubt seen in various of our other posts, nearby the KAIRA site is the mountain Saana. Obviously there is a good view from the top.

Overnight, Markku Lehtinen (the KAIRA Project Directory) climbed Saana and took a photograph looking back towards the site.(Click on the image for a full-size version.)

The KAIRA site, as seen from Saana. Photograph
taken at 01:39 am 16-Jul-2012 by Markku Lehtinen.

Summator installation revisited

This panorama was taken from the top of the RF-container during the HBA summator installation week. Note the open tiles with the team busily connecting the new units.

HBA summator installation at KAIRA. (Photo credit: D. McKay-Bukowski)

In the background are Saana (left) and Pikku Malla (right). The Lehtinen Barracks are in the left foreground.

HBAs with Saana beyond

Just a nice photograph today. Again, this is one taken by our summer student, Joona.It shows the edge of the HBA tiles with Saana in the background. Despite it being mid-June, there is still a lot of snow on the mountains (and even still a bit on the site itself!).

Saana seen in the distance beyond the HBA tile edges. (Photo credit: Joona)

The photograph was taken during the summator installation week. And, yes, the weather was not going to remain perfect for us throughout!

Panorama of the KAIRA site

KAIRA, May 2012. (Click to enlarge)

Today we have a large panorama to share with our readers. This was taken from the top of the RF-container, looking south. In the distance, there is Saana on the left and Pikku Malla on the right. The photograph was taken in mid-May, so there is still heavy snow cover across the site, especially on the leading edges of the array sections, where it has banked up. The building in the left foreground is the so-called "Lehtinen Barracks".

Saana in May

Just to finish off the weekend, this is the view of Saana as seem from the top of the brown storage container at the southern end of the KAIRA site. As would be expected it is still snow bedecked.

Saana.

The black on the right of the mountain is the sheer cliff-face on the lake-side. The rest of the peak remains completely covered. As might be expected, the mountains around KAIRA are always beautiful... especially at this time of year.

Saana

A view of KAIRA with Saana behind it.
Photo credits: Mikko Orispää.  

Saana, the landmark of Kilpisjärvi is mentioned in many of the posts on this blog already, but today we will offer several more pictures of it. It is approximately 1030 m from the sea level and approximately 500 m above the KAIRA site. It is also one of the most well known fells in Finland. Nearly every Finn would recognize it from an image from its unique steep south east slope.

Our radar has an excellent view to this fell, which is evident from the picture on the left, taken from the northern side of the field. The picture below shows Saana from the south.

Saana viewed from the south.
Photo credits: Stuart Keenan

KAIRA sunset

For our Friday photograph, we have one taken just before midnight on 1st August 2011. The sun would set soon after the photograph was taken, but for a few brief moments the KAIRA antennas looked stunning in the golden evening sunshine.

Click on the image to see the full-size version. The mountains in the background are Saana (left) and Pikku Malla (right).

Have a nice weekend!

Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski