Arctic research in my life

- is much funnier wearing orange vinyl trousers

February 27, 2013

Touching the hidden

Here is a filmclip from Midway island made by Chris Jordan. From the heart of the pacific. A true and very sad story!

February 23, 2013

Start of PhD and lab-work


Many new things have happend since last time I wrote. I've got an office at CENPERM and have got my computer installed and almost everything is working out fine. The only thing that remain is the registration at the PhD school, and before that won't I have acces to the network on CENPERM.

I've started an experiment where I measure VOCs from frozen microcosms (brought to Denmark from Abisko and Zackenberg). No one has ever measured VOC emission from frozen samples before, and if we find any significant emission it may have implication on the carbon budget in the high arctic. I took some pictures from the lab, showing the instruments and everything in action. The samples are stored in freezers where the temp right now is -5°C. And I will measure again when the temperature is raised to +2°C. 

The microcosms are put in chamber bases and the chamber is put on top. Everything is air tight  and clean air is pumped in to the chamber and sucked out through the metal tube which is filled with VOC absorbants. 

So, the VOCs are trapped in the metal tubes and will later be analysed in the GC.

The freezer is kept closed during the measurements. With the lights on. 
This is the toolbox which filter the air (clean it from O3 etc.) that is pumped into the chamber, and also the vacuum tubes that "suck" the air trough the tube and out from the chamber.

Protocol, where everything is noted thoroughly

February 6, 2013

Finding my way in the city

Last few days I've been biking around in the city, trying to figure out how to behave on the biking roads and find the way to different places. It's a really nice city. I've recon what parts i like, and don't like. The appartment is really nice, and the area too. It's 20-25 min biking to town, depending on at how many crossing you have to stop. Well I'm really found of the nice old houses in different colors. I saw this shop the first day here, I haven´t been inside, but it seems so nice...  



Today I was at the university, on a PhD-morning meeting. The PhD's on CENPERM meets every second wednesday, and I joined today. Everybody seems really nice and I think I'll fell at home =). 

Tomorrow I'll meet Riikka. She will show me around on the department of biology. Feels good to meet her aswell. Cheers!


February 2, 2013

By the way, I've got my Diploma, which feels really good! It seems like everything works out perfectly fine...

The beginning of a new time

Just moved to Copenhagen.. First day here. My room looks nice. My bike is eager to go out for a ride in a very sunny city. Lars just left, which feels a bit sad and empty. I hope everything will be just fine.. I think I'll go to a breakfast meeting with the other PhD's on CENPERM on wednesday, feels nice to have something planed, and to meet some new people..