Operaatio kakku -- part 2

Yesterday we described the great cake exercise, which was an attempt to have an excuse to engage in conversation with our colleagues from FMI.

Well, the cakes were all completed successfully. They were:

1. Date cake with caramel sauce
2. Sea buckthorn roullade
3. Raisin, lavender and honey roullade
4. Lemon drizzle cake

Cakes #2 (back left), #3 (front) and #4 (back right)

Cleaning up didn't take too long and the cakes were carefully transported to Polaria on the morning of 15 July 2014 (an historical occasion!). The timing was pretty good. FMI had a visiting campaign team there, so we had ample cake for everyone and to spare! So, we've had cake for the next couple of breaks as well.

The remnants of Cakes #1 and #4.

Was it a success? Most definitely. We've now established some sort of rapport to the point where (occasionally) eye-contact is made and even a murmured "hei" (*gasp*). Of course, the first comments from our own staff on returning to SGO were "Ooo... cake... great!... what's the occasion?" and, after the explanation, this was promptly followed by "What! Who authorised that?". Probably in jest, but who knows... in any case, I regard the operation as successful and will continue to extend the welcome to all our colleagues from FMI (not just to come and talk to us at morning coffee at Polaria, but also afternoon coffee at Polaria, and afternoon tea and high-tea at the EISCAT building).

What I want to know, though, is what FMI thought of all this!

Helicopter at Polaria

Being in the Arctic, we do occasionally get the odd vehicle parked outside the main building. Sometimes tractors, often off-road 4x4 vehicles, occasionally snow-mobiles.

But yesterday the carpark had a different vehicular visitor!

Look what's parked out the front of Polaria! (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

I'd be nervous flying so close to those trees! (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

Cool, eh? (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

The helicopter is here for an FMI experiment. The payload is a series of chemical sensors which are being used to monitor gas species in the atmosphere.

Tähtelä Seminar

Yesterday, Dr. Simo Ali-Löytty from Tampere University of Technology/ Dept. of Mathematics gave a seminar talk as a base for discussion on possible joint research activities in the future.
He described the research done by his research group, Personal Positioning Algorithms Research Group at Department of Mathematics. After his talk we had a joint discussion on ionospheric effects on navigation and possible interests for joint research projects.

Simo Ali-Löytty from Tampere University of Technology (Photo: E. Turunen)

Snow mounds

As the snow starts to melt away, we are left with great mounds of snow. This is where the tractors and ploughs have shoved them off the roads during winter clearing operations. Of course the snow piles are quite high (sometimes as much as 3 metres) and they take a while to melt away.

Just over 2m tall. (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

Snow mounds around the main carpark at Tähtelä (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

The road to Tähtelä

Just to give everyone an idea of snow conditions at the main institute at Tähtelä these days, today's photograph shows the main road just before the turn-off.

Just shy of the turning to SGO. (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

Yes, there is still plenty of snow around but it is melting quickly. Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory is much further south than the KAIRA site, so the conditions here are a lot clearer... unlike the snowy landscape that we saw in Lassi's photographs from the week just gone.

Rescue vehicle at Polaria

Yesterday, on arrival at Polaria for morning coffee, I found a fire engine parked outside the main institute building. No, no fire... just a training course.

Fire engine outside of Polaria (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

Rescue Service, Lapland (D. McKay-Bukowski)

Just to be clear, they were training us about fire safety, not we training them about geophysics. (Although that's an interesting idea...)

EISCAT dish at Sodankylä

Today's Friday Photograph is of the EISCAT dish at the Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory. As you can see, there is still plenty of snow about... even at the beginning of May.

The 32m EISCAT dish at SGO. (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

Have a nice weekend everyone!

Snow again

Yesterday it started snowing again at Sodankylä... no summer just yet!

Snow at the EISCAT dish at Sodankylä on 29-Apr-2014. (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

Breakfast at Tähtelä

Busy week this week. So we had a working breakfast in the conference room in the Sodankylä EISCAT building.

Juha, Mikko and Lassi in the EISCAT-building at SGO. (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

Tähteläntie

Today's photograph is taken at the start of Tähteläntie. Tähtelä (Finnish for "place of  stars") is the actual location of Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory. It is a few kilometres south of Sodankylä itself. This here is the start of the road into Tähtelä.

The road to Tähtelä (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

Sodankylä from the air

As you might have seen on the EISCAT_3D web log recently, there has been a great little video posted on YouTube by Tarmo Laakso, which shows a flight along the Kitinen River in the Sodankylä area.

You can watch for Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory. The Tähtelä site starts to appear at 2:49, with the EISCAT 32m dish coming into view at 2:54 and the Polaria main building at 2:56.

Sunshine through the forest

At this time of year, we're getting more and more sunshine. And because of the high latitude, the sunsets and long and slow and the sun gently grazes into the horizon.The lighting and ambiance are always wonderful.

Sunshine through the trees. (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

The above photograph was taken at the main SGO institute at Tähtelä. The one below was taken from a place not far away from the first.

Looking down towards the Kitinen. (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

Tähteläntie

Just a nice photograph to finish the weekend. This is the "main road" that runs through Tähtelä. At this time of year, there is still snow around and plenty of sunshine. The forest always is so beautiful at this time of year.

Tähteläntie (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

We hope you had a nice weekend!

Polaria

Just a nice photograph to finish the week. This one is of the sign at the entrance to the main building, called "Polaria". It is located near the southern end of Tähtelä and is shared by Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory and the Finnish Meteorological Institute.

Polaria... home to SGO and FMI. (Photo: D. McKay-Bukwoski)

Have a nice weekend!

Tähtelä

Occasionally you will see this place mentioned — Tähtelä.

Tähtelä is where the main Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory is located. It is also the location of a Finnish Meteorological Institute station. Tähtelä is small place with a handful of buildings belonging to the two institutes, a main shared centre (called "Polaria") and various houses, other small buildings and research equipment. It is not really a campus, but it is not really a village either. It is just a special place.

The visitor information sign for Tähtelä. (Photo: D. McKay-Bukowski)

Tähtelä is located about 6 km south of the town of Sodankylä itself on the eastern shore of the Kitinen River.

The name Tähtelä itself means "Place of the stars". Although it is true that the institutes here are not primarily astronomical facilities, we do in fact occasionally observe astronomical objects (such as radio stars, pulsars or our own sun). And certainly some of the staff are trained astronomers who sometimes carry out astronomical research.


Note that there is another Tähtelä. It is a small railway stop, just north of Ingå in the south of Finland (LINK).

Sping at last

We're now well into spring! The equinox has passed and the days seem "normal" length at the moment and are brightening rapidly. There is still lots of snow on the ground, which makes the place look lovely and very, very bright!

Administration buildings at the northern end of Tähtelä.

However, there is still reasonable nights which makes aurora-spotting still feasible.