Category Archives: Life in Camp

Cloud cover: our enemy

Most marine-optics scientists dislike cloud cover. Thick clouds hiding the water surface in the visible and near-infrared spectral region prevent them to get nice ocean color remote sensing images. Thin clouds may lead to inaccuracies in the atmospheric correction when retrieving water reflectance from the sensor, which measures top-of atmosphere reflectance. On field, cloudy skies makes it often hard to adequately retrieve some water optical properties, namely those affected by the environment, the so-called apparent optical properties. Clouds also alter the diffuse and direct sunlight making it more challenging to interpret the water, ice and snow surface reflectance. But in addition to prevent some good sciences, cloud cover also triggers some unexpected GreenEdge (mis)adventures.

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As the snow melts the dust shows through

 

Credit: Jean-Luc Baradat
SIKU Hotel

In the 10 days that I have been in the hamlet of Qikiqtarjuaq, I have seen many changes. The snow is melting and the small stream that runs next to the ‘SIKU hotel’ base camp is flowing quite quickly. The young boys take immense pleasure in putting things into the water upstream near the school and running along the bank, chasing the items as they float through the culvert under the road and out the other side towards the bay. Yesterday, I saw the hood of a snowmobile pass by. I think that it is probably now wedged under the ice on the beach.

Continue reading As the snow melts the dust shows through